History of the Indiana democracy, 1816-1916, Part 97

Author: Stoll, John B., 1843-1926
Publication date: 1917
Publisher: Indianapolis : Indiana Democratic Pub. Co.
Number of Pages: 1104

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In the meantime another Democratic sheet- the Anderson Plain Dealer-was launched in 1867, and was issued weekly from that date until 1872 by the following editors, successively: Edwin P. Schlater, William Cook, Thompson and Myers, G. D. Farrar, William C. Fleming. But in charge of Mr. Fleming the name of the paper was changed to the Anderson Democrat sometime dur- ing the year 1872. It was sold in a few months afterward to Charles L. Zahm. Then in 1873, M. Y. Todisman became the owner of both the Demo- cratic Standard and the Anderson Democrat, united their plants and their subscription lists, dropped the title of the first named rival and con- tinued to publish the Anderson Democrat up to 1877, when he disposed of a one-half interest in the same to William M. Croan and the other half a few months later to William R. Brownlee. The paper passed into the hands of Robert C. and Sumner Glassco in 1884, and remained in their

charge for two years, at which period Captain W. J. Hilligoss became the owner and editor to be succeeded as such the following year by Captain William R. Myers who soon thereafter associated with himself in the enterprise Dale J. Crittenberg- er, ex-Auditor of State, and James J. Net- terville. Captain Myers retired from the part- nership in 1888, while the remaining members of the firm pushed the publication on, and in 1889 founded a daily edition called the Anderson Daily Democrat. Messrs. Crittenberger and Netter- ville sold the plant, including both daily and week- ly, in 1893, to a stock company composed of J. P. Campbell, Scott C. Bone and H. R. Bone, who con- dueted the same for two years and then resold to Messrs. Crittenberger and Netterville. Shortly after this the daily was printed as the Anderson Daily News. John C. Williams then purchased an interest in the paper and took an active and bril- liant part in the production of its news and edi- torial features. Both weekly and daily were is- sued under the management of these gentlemen until 1907, when Mr. Netterville and Mr. Williams withdrew from the company. Mr. Crittenberger then stopped the publication of the News, but cor tinued that of the Weekly Democrat, which is still the party organ under his direction in this county.

PARTY MAJORITIES.

The voters of the county showed decided prefer- ence for the Democratic party from the first. And they. returned a majority in favor of each Demo- eratic candidate for President from 1824 to 1892. The majorities rose steadily from that of a few votes when population was sparse until it reached the decided lead of 1,010 for Hancock in 1880. But following that, and owing to a bitter faetional party fight and some other shortcomings in local party management, but more than all to the large influx into the county during several succeeding years of iron and glass workers then strongly disposed to support the high tariff policies, the size of the Democratic majority was rapidly re- duced as the succeeding elections recurred until 1894 when it was entirely wiped out and shifted to the Republican side by a decided figure, and to be yet enlarged to nearly 2,000 for Mckinley in the campaign of 1896. After that, partiality for the Republican candidates manifested itself in 1900, 1904 and 1908. The preference was ar- rested in 1912 when Wilson led his strongest op- ponent by a plurality of 1,576 votes in the county.

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HISTORY INDIANA

CHAIRMEN OF THE COUNTY CENTRAL COMMITTEE.

Upon the advent in 1844 of a Central Committee as a factor of party machinery in the county, Nineveh Berry, a veritable patriarch, and subse- quently a veteran of the Mexican and Civil Wars, became its Chairman and continued to act as such until 1855. While from that time to this the duties of Chairman of the Madison county De- mocracy have devolved in turn upon the follow- ing named gentlemen:

Andrew Jackson 1856

Peter H. Lemon

1857

Thomas Brunt.

1858

James M. Dixon.

1859

Richard Lake.

1860-1861

O. P. Stone.

1862-1863

William C. Fleming 1864-1865-1866

James W. Sansberry. 1867-1874-1876

Eleazer Malone, first half.

1868

Edwin P. Schlater, second half.

1868-1869

John Allen.

1870-1872

Howell D. Thompson

1872-1874

Howell D. Thompson

1878-1880

Thomas J. Fleming.

1876-1878

Robert I. Hamilton.

1880-1882

Joseph Pugh, Sr 1882-1884

John L. Forkner 1884-1886

Charles A. Henderson 1886-1888

Thomas B. Or 1888-1890

James J. Netterville. 1890-1892

James J. Netterville. 1894-1896

George T. Beebe. 1892-1894

Willis S. Ellis. 1896-1898

Bartlett H. Campbell. .1898-1900

Isaac E. May 1900-1902

Charles C. Dehority. 1902-1904

Sparks L. Brooks. 1904-1906

William F. Edwards 1906-1908

Robert Mclain. 1908-1910

Frank E. Dehority 1910-1912

Luther F. Pence. 1912-1914

Frederick K. Van Nuys.

1914

STATE SENATORS.

The following residents of Madison county have served as Democrats in the State Senate:

Thomas Bell

.1835-1841

Andrew Jackson 1845-1847, 1853-1855

John Hunt.

. 1851-1853

Robert H. Cree, Republican, elected on the

Grange ticket, but voted in favor of Joseph

E. McDonald for United States Sena-

tor 1875-1877

Carrol K. Mccullough (died in office) .1909

James M. Farlow. 1911-1913

James J. Netterville. 1911-1915

DEMOCRACY-1816-1916

Frederick K. Van Nuys. 1913-1917

Austin Retherford 1917-1921

REPRESENTATIVES.

And the resident Democratic Representatives in the different sessions have been:

Thomas Bell. 1831

Henry Wyman. 1837

Thomas McCallister. 1841, 1843, 1844, 1851

Evan Ellis 1845, 1849

William Young 1847

Townsend Ryan 1848

William Crim. 1851

William C. Fleming

1853

Thomas N. Stilwell. 1855

William A. Thompson. 1859

John Hayes. 1861

Richard Lake 1863

David E. Croan. 1865

Frederick Black 1867

1869

James W. Sansberry 1871

Thomas M. Jones. 1873

George W. Harris.

1875

Edgar Henderson. 1877

Stanley W. Edwins 1879, 1881

H. P. Shaffer.

1883

Charles N. Branch. 1885

Frank P. Foster. 1887, 1889

Andrew J. Beehimer

1889

James M. Farlow

1891

Carrol K. Mccullough

1907

Lewis A. Stephens

William Cohran and

1909

Andrew J. Beehimer

Charles E. Smith

Charles Biddle and

. 1911, 1913

Edward Osborne

Linfield Myers

George H. Nichols and

.1915

Austin H. Brumbaugh

A LIST OF DEMOCRATS.

Among the many citizens of Madison county who have given allegiance and rendered faithful service to the Democratic party, and picking out only one here and there from head to foot of the long and noble roster-1824-1915-these names come to mind just now:

John Berry, Nineveh Berry, Andrew Jackson, Enoch M. Jackson, Burkett Eads, Levi Brewer, John Sabin, Charles N. Branch, Richard Lake, Eleazer Malone, Hiram Malone, Henry Bronnen- berg, Sr., Carroll Bronnenberg, David E. Croan, James W. Sansberry, Eli B. Goodykoontz, Wil- burn R. Pierce, Howell D. Thompson, William C. Fleming, Thomas J. Fleming, William A. Hunt,

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J. F. Mock.

HISTORY INDIANA DEMOCRACY-1816-1916

John Hunt, Andrew J. Hunt, Benjamin B. Camp- bell, John W. Pence, Benjamin F. Spann, William Roach, Benjamin F. Aimen, Joseph Howard, Jo- seph Pugh, Sr., William Crim, Benjamin Sebrell, James M. Dehority, Andrew J .. Applegate, Elias Seward, James Etchison, Ed. Peters, Edwin P. Schlater, Thomas J. McMahan, Thomas R. Moore, Wallace W. Van Dyke, John E. Canaday, Charles A. Henderson, George Ross, Nathan T. Call, John R. Page, Daniel F. Mustard, James J. Netterville, Carroll K. Mccullough, William M. Croan, Calvin H. Allen, Byron H. Dyson, Jacob L. Crouse, Thomas B. Orr, Charles E. Diven, William S. Di- ven, John W. Cook, William A. Dehority, Dale J. Crittenberger, Alfred Ellison, Charles K. Bagot, Luther Pence, Willis S. Ellis, Isaac E. May, Otis P. Crim, Samuel D. Montgomery, George T. Beebe, Lewis T. Stephens, James W. Frazier, Philip B. O'Neill, Frederick K. Van Nuys, Charles T. Sans- berry.

Incidents in the career of some of them hold a lively local interest and compel even State-wide attention. Yet space cannot be given here for the slightest account of all. And a brief reference to the records of two or three only must serve to show as best it may the political fiber of their party associates as well as that of themselves.

AUGUST S. McCALLISTER.

About the middle of the last century Augustus S. McCallister was born in Madison county. He availed himself of a liberal education and took the course in law at Ann Arbor, Mich. While there Stephen A. Douglas returned to Chicago on a visit from Washington, and a number of the stu- dents at the Michigan University concluded to journey to the Windy City and in a body pay their respects to the illustrious statesman. Accordingly they did so, and young McCallister was selected by them as their spokesman. His speech highly grati- fied all. And Douglas was pronounced in his praise of its appropriate thought and beauty.

The eloquence of McCallister was of a magnetic, soulful sort and flowing from his sincere and generous heart, and set in the simple yet selected language of the scholar, enchained at once and always every hearer.

He was yet young when he had fallen a victim to the habit of excessive drink. But he resolved to reform, promising the electors when he made the race for Prosecuting Attorney in 1874 that if chosen he would resign his office if he failed to remain sober during his term. He was elected, but had not served a great while when the fatal cup touched his lips again. But his courage and his promise were still as true as gold. And then he gathered up his credentials of office, took the

train for Indianapolis and returned his commis- sion into the hands of Governor Hendricks. The Governor afterward spoke of it as the saddest in- cident of his official career.

WILLIAM R. MYERS.

The oratory of Captain William R. Myers can- not be omitted from any faithful account of stump speakers in this State. He was elected to Con- gress in 1878, the only Democrat who has gone to the National House of Representatives from the county. He was elected Secretary of State for Indiana three times-1882, 1884, and 1892-a tenure of that office which no other incumbent has enjoyed. His power on the hustings first gained general notice in his campaign for Con- gress. And in the contests of every general elec- tion after that to the time of his death, which occurred in 1907, there were insistent calls from cvery section of the State for his services on the stump.

He was not reckoned among the closest de- baters where issues were to be tersely stated and argued out at length. But in the common party appeals of the hustings few tongues were gifted beyond his. And it is doubtful whether any son of Indiana, at any period of her history, could more keenly arouse or more certainly sway to depths or heights of feeling and of favor, the assembled hosts of the open political gatherings than could William R. Myers.

JOHN L. FORKNER.

John L. Forkner is another man who has done much to honor and perpetuate Democracy in this county. His chief work has been done in quite another way from that of the characters above referred to. He is of a quiet nature, teeming al- ways, however, with good-fellowship and with a ready wit as harmless as it is convulsing. Mr. Forkner lays no pretention to being an orator and yet no local gathering of Democrats which he has attended in the last thirty years, and he has graced nearly all of them, has ever let him off without a speech.

He served two terms of four years each as Auditor of the county while yet a young man. And later, as Mayor of the city of Anderson for six years, he demonstrated executive ability of a high order, during that time placing the municipal water and electric light and power plants on the practical and permanent hases where they have since yielded the most wonderful and gratifying service to the city and its people.

But it is perhaps as a historian that his fame will live longest and grow brightest as it goes down to future generations. With the assistance of Byron H. Dyson he wrote and published in

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HISTORY INDIANA DEMOCRACY-1816-1916

1897 "Historical Sketches and Reminiscences of Madison County," the best county history, we dare say, yet produced in the State. It is not made up for the most part of the dry details of official and institutional life and of the commonplace, paid- for biographies which generally fill the pages of such books. It is a living, faithful panorama of events making up the story of the county and its people, a record in attractive recital of many in- cidents, political and otherwise, which while thor- oughly fascinating, embody the true spirit and

color of their time. He there tells, for instance, of the "White Boys in Blue"-Madison county's Democratic marching club of 1868. Their uni- forms were white caps, blue waists and red zouave trousers. They were a thousand strong. And one cannot wonder that they made up an attractive body, nor that, led by Captain B. B. Campbell, a veteran of the Civil War, in the great State rally of that year at. Indianapolis, they car- ried off the prize offered for the largest, finest uniformed marching club.

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HISTORY OF THE DEMOCRATIC PARTY OF MARION COUNTY

M ARION COUNTY was by no means one of the earliest to be organized, although by reason of its geographical position, the ad- vantage of being the central distributing point for the rest of the state, and also early in its history having been selected as the site of the state cap- ital, in population and business development it was soon the leader.

During the administration of General William Henry Harrison as territorial governor, the cap- ital had been held at Vincennes from 1801 to 1812. It was removed to Corydon on May 1, 1813, by an act of the territorial legislature, and it remained there until it was permanently removed to the city of Indianapolis, in Marion county.

It was on the eleventh of January, 1820, that the state general assembly appointed ten commission- ers, their business being to select a permanent site for the capital. Two of these commissioners were John Tipton and John Conner, who with his brother William founded the city of Connersville, and which city, by the way, was for several years included in Marion county. The other eight com- missioners were George Hunt, John Gilliland, Stephen Ludlow, Frederick Rapp, Joseph Bartholo- mew, Jesse B. Durham, William Prince and Thomas Emerson.

In so important an undertaking as the selec- tion of a state capital location it would be natural to suppose that there would be a lively scramble and pulling of all sorts of political wires to win. But the contest was not sufficiently exciting to in- duce a full attendance of the commission. Only five of the members were present when the final vote was taken, and only three of the five voted for locating at Indianapolis. The meeting was called at Vincennes in the middle of May, 1820, and they came up the river to the mouth of Fall Creek. Being almost exactly in the center of the state, and the lay of the land being attractive for a city, the selection was made.

The final vote was not taken until the seventh of June, and on the sixth day of January following the legislature voted to approve the selection. By the same act by which the selection was approved the legislature also named the capital city In- dianapolis. The name had been selected by the commissioners.

President Taylor, by the way, reported that on his trip from Louisville to the Wabash, to build Fort Harrison, later the city of Terre Haute, he had crossed the river at the mouth of Fall Creek, his description of the location fitting that par- ticular spot.

In platting the city, a plot of one mile square was set in the middle, and directly in the cen- ter of this mile square a circle was placed, the original intention being that in the circle should be the residence of the governor. A large house was erected in 1827 in carrying out this idea, but it was never used for this purpose, being occupied by state offices. The house originally cost $6,500 and in 1857, thirty years after its erection, the state sold it for old material for $665. It was torn down and moved away and the soldiers' and sailors' monument, the most beautiful of the sort anywhere, shortly after- ward took its place.

The mile square is still outlined and always will be so designated, being marked by what are known as North, South, East and West streets. The actual removal of the capital and all effects from Corydon was not completed until the fall of 1824. In 1820, the year when the site was selected, the settlement covered only a very small area surrounding the circle.

If one is to judge from the newspapers of those early days, politics was an interesting subject among the people even in the earliest times. A glance through those same newspapers published at Indianapolis shortly after the capital was locat- ed impresses one most forcibly with the fact that these publications for one hundred years and without cessation proclaimed that it was most disreputable to be a Democrat. In fact the earlier newspapers, the Journal in particular, made it plain that no man with any standard of morals could possibly be a Democrat. The assertion seemed to be sufficient; no proof was produced. In those early days the principal mark for the vicious attacks was William W. Wick. He was most conspicuous in the politi- cal contests.

Like many other distinguished Democrats who were conspicuous as great men of the nation, and who were abused each in his turn by these same journals, Wicks never stopped attending to his own business long enough to answer any of the attacks. And his majorities usually were the best evidence that what was said of him in the Whig newspapers was neither true nor yet believed, the same condition that applied in later years to the record of Thomas Taggart, who in- herited and held for years the leadership of the party and took the abuse with it.

Party lines were not so closely drawn in the earlier days, the individual candidates gaining their strength through personal standing and ac-

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HISTORY INDIANA

DEMOCRACY-1816-1916

quaintance by contact with the voters. An ex- ample of this was in the election of 1825, where- in Gregory, Democrat, was the candidate for state senator against Bryson. Gregory received 429 votes in Marion county, and Bryson, the Whig, received but 20. In Madison, Hamilton and Henry counties, which were included in the same district, Gregory received every vote cast, Bryson not scoring one.

Eight years later, in the election of 1833, A. F. Morrison was the Democratic candidate for state senator in the district formed of Marion and Hamilton, and A. W. Morris was the Whig. Morrison was elected by a majority of one vote.

For the first one hundred years the changes in political complexion of the county and city government were frequent, with the successes favoring the Whigs and Republicans. The suc- cess of the Democratic party during the years when Thomas Taggart was most active was most marked. Mr. Taggart was first elected county auditor in 1886, beginning his term of office in 1887. Austin H. Brown had been auditor from 1855 to 1859 as a Democrat. The next Democrat in the office was William K. Sproule, from 1875 to 1879. Then came Taggart from 1887 to 1895, resigning in the latter year to become mayor of Indianapolis, in which office he served for three terms also, retiring when he refused a fourth nomination with every assurance of election in 1901. The only other Democrats to hold the office of auditor prior to 1920 were Albert Sahm from 1908 to 1912, and William T. Patten from 1912 to 1916.

The strength of Taggart grew with each suc- ceeding election, and the more abuse was heaped upon him by a viciously disposed political press. He kept up the Democratic strength when the re- sults might otherwise have been adverse.

When the population grew and many colored voters came to Indianapolis to live, the Republi- can strength increased materially. With the elimination of the colored vote it would have been impossible for Democrats to lose, so safe was the white majority.

It is interesting to notice the list of men who have served the city of Indianapolis as mayor, and their politics. The first were the presidents of the town trustees, which preceded the mayors of the incorporated city. The presidents were these :

Samuel Henderson, Whig, 1832-33; James Ed- gar, Whig, 1833, resigned; Benjamin I. Blythe, Democrat, 1834-35; Alexander F. Morrison, Dem- ocrat, 1835, resigned; Nathan B. Palmer, Demo- crat, 1835-36; George Lockerbie, Whig, 1836-37; Joshua Soule, Jr., Whig, 1837-38; D. V. Culley, Democrat, 1838-44; L. B. Wilson, Whig, 1844-

46; Joseph A. Levy, Whig, 1846 till office abolish- ed.

The first mayor of Indianapolis was also a Whig, Samuel Henderson, who served from 1847 to 1849. Those who followed, with their politics were these:

1849-51-Horatio C. Newcomb, Whig (re- signed).

1851-54-Caleb Scudder, Whig.

1854-56-James McCready, Democrat.

1856-Henry F. West, Democrat (died).

1856-Charles Coulin, Democrat (appointed till election.

1856-58-William John Wallace, Republican (elected and resigned).

.1858-63-Samuel D. Maxwell, Republican.

1863-67-John Caven, Republican.

1867-73-Daniel Macauley, Republican.

1873-75-John L. Mitchell, Democrat.

1875-81-John Caven, Republican.

1881-83-Daniel W. Grubbs, Republican.

1883-85-John L. McMaster, Republican.

1885-89-Caleb S. Denny, Republican.

1889-93-Thomas L. Sullivan, Democrat.

1893-95-Caleb S. Denny, Republican.

1895-1901-Thomas Taggart, Democrat.

1901-03-Charles A. Bookwalter, Republican.

1903-05-John W. Holtzman, Democrat.

1905-09-Charles A. Bookwalter, Republican.

1909-13-Samuel Lewis Shank, Republican (re- signed).

1913-Harry Wallace, Republican (comptroller, became mayor).

1913-17-Joseph E. Bell, Democrat.

1917-21-Charles W. Jewett, Republican.

As historical facts it is to the credit of the Democratic party that two men who served as mayor of Indianapolis in the first one hundred years of the history of the city did more in the way of public improvements and at low cost to the people than all the others combined. These were Thomas Taggart and Joseph E. Bell. Mayor Taggart was especially interested in public parks for the good that they will always be to the poorer people. In face of most violent abuse he bought the only parks which the city possessed. News- papers abused him for political capital and be- cause "he paid too much for the land." Only a few years afterward the whole community recog- nized that he had saved millions of dollars to the city in this one direction alone. But of course he never received newspaper credit.

Besides this he gave his personal attention to all the city business just as he always did to his personal properties. This made all departments of the city business most efficient.

Following Mayor Taggart others came on who talked about elevating railroad tracks. Mayor

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HISTORY INDIANA DEMOCRACY-1816-1916

Bell elevated them, after going into court to set aside contracts which his Republican predecessor in office had rushed through in an abortive at- tempt to claim credit for starting the things which the Bell campaign had promised to do. Mayor Bell also saved the people large sums by making careful contracts in substitution of the Republican makeshifts.

Others had talked about a great and adequate sewer system. Mayor Bell accomplished it. Oth- ers had talked about the need for flood protection by building great protecting walls. Bell promised to build for a certain price if elected. His op- ponents charged he could not come within three times his estimate. He saved nearly a million on his promise and did the work. Others talked about boulevards and more improved parks. Mayor Bell did it. He did scores of other things, and not a newspaper in the city credited him with any good work.

Democrats who have served the county in other offices are:

STATE SENATORS.

1825-26-James Gregory.

1833-34-Alexander F. Morrison.

1834-40-Henry Brady.

1841-43-Nathaniel West.

1846-49-William Stewart.

1853-55-Percy Hosbrook.

1865-67-William C. Thompson.

1873-75-William C. Thompson.

1883-85-William B. Fletcher.

1885-91-William C. Thompson.

1885-87-Leon O. Bailey.

1887-91-Daniel Foley.

1887-91-Cortez Ewing.

1891-93-Henry T. Hudson.

1893-97-John Worth Kern.

1893-95-James F. McHugh.

1893-97-Romus F. Stuart.

1909-11-Salem D. Clark. 1909-15-Levi P. Harlan. 1909-15-Francis C. Tilden.

1911-13-Reginald H. Sullivan.

1913-15-Charles B. Clarke.

1913-15-Henry A. Harmon.

1913-15-Albert F. Zearing.

STATE REPRESENTATIVES.

1826-27-Morris Morris.

1830-31-Alexander W. Russell.

1831-32-Henry Brady.

1833-34-Henry Brady.

1838-39-Alexander F. Morrison.

1839-40-James Johnson.

1842-43-William J. Brown.

1842-43-Thomas Johnson.

1848-49-Henry Brady.

1848-49-James P. Drake.

1849-50-Isaac W. Hunter.

1849-50-William Robson.

1850-51-Percy Hosbrook.

1851-52-Henry Brady.

1851-52-Isaac Smith.

1853-John Price. 1853-George P. Buell.

1855- Stewart

1855- Brown.

1855- Logan.

1857-Robert N. Todd.

1875-E. C. Kennedy.

1875-James Hopkins.

1875-James L. Thompson.

1875-David Turpie.

1879-William E. English.

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History of the Indiana democracy, 1816-1916, Part 97

Author: Stoll, John B., 1843-1926 Publication date: 1917 Publisher: Indianapolis : Indiana Democratic Pub. Co. Number of Pages: 1104

Author: Stoll, John B., 1843-1926
Publication date: 1917
Publisher: Indianapolis : Indiana Democratic Pub. Co.
Number of Pages: 1104