Democratic Sentinel, Volume 10, Number 31, Rensselaer, Jasper County, 3 September 1886 — DEMOCRATIC STATE TICKET. [ARTICLE]

DEMOCRATIC STATE TICKET.

The following brief biographical sketches of the Democratic candidates for State officers we clip from the Indianapolis Sentinel: JOHN 0... NELSON. Capt. John C. Nelson, the nominee for Lieutenant Governor, was born in Adams county, Ohio, February 27, 1841. His life was without important or noteworthy events until he came to the age of twenty, when the war breaking out he enlisted October 22,1861, in the Seventieth Ohio Volunteers. Hejyas-* gradually promoted till he reached the office of Captain, which rank he held till he was mustered out August 22, 1865. He moved to Lcgansport in July, ’66, and entered into the boot and shoe trade, which he followed for a year. He then began the study of law in the office of McConnell & Winfield, and afterward graduated from the Albany Law School in June, 1870. He was actively engager in the practice of law until 1877, when lie was appointed Judge of the Superior Court of Cass county by Governor Williams. He served two years under this appointment and then was elected his own successor. He served as judge during the four years’ term for which he was elected, when by special enactment of the Legislature the court was abolished, when he again iesumed the active practice of the law. He served a term of four years as City Attorney, and is now of the firm of Nelson & Myers and has one of ths best practices in Cass county. He has been requested to accept the nomination for Congress but has at all times declined, as he has a similar invitation to serve as State Senator. He is married and has five children. He was wounded twice during the war, the first time being shot in the back on the 28th ofJJJuly, 1864, while in front of Atlanta, on account of which he now draws a pension. He served on Gen. Hazen’s staff as Commander of Musters during the last year of the war, and was with Sherman from first to last. He is now Senior Vice-Commander of the G. A. R. of Logansport. He has always taken an active part in the State campaigns,and is well-known thi o’out the northern part of the State for his ability as a public speaker. JOHN R. COFFROTH. John R. Coffroth,the nominee for Judge of the Supreme Court, is one of the ablest lawyers of the State, was born at Greencastle, Pa., August 11,1828. His father and grandfather, who were of German descent, were natives of Maryland, and his mother, who was or English pa-

rentage, was a native of Virginia. Mr. Coffroth received a good education and began the study of law with Hon. James X. McLai ah i •, at Chambersburg, Pa. Hew B admitted to the bar in November, 1848, and in May, 1849, he moved to Huntington, this State, where he commenced tho practice of aw. In February, 1860, he moved to Lafay?tte, where he has since resided < i. i engaged in the practice of. his profession. He was admitted to practice in the Supreme Court in 1851, and in the United States ' Supreme Court in 1866. He has always taken great interest in educational matters. He was a Trustee of Purdue University for several years, and part of that time was President of the Board. He was a member of the Legislature several terms. In 1866 he was a candidate for the office of Attor-ney-General, and in 1868 and 1872 he was on the Democratic ticket as a candidate for elector for the State at large, each time making a canvass of the State. In 1878 he was the unanimous choice of the Democracy of the district for Congress, hut he declined the honor on account of private business. He was married to Susan Randolph in 1864, and has two children, a son and a daughter. He has made for himself an enviable reputation as an advocate, being clear, concise and fluent. He is possessed of great energy, and never permits himself to become discouraged or overcome.'"' His practice has been large and varied. He weighs matters deliberately before taking action, but when a conclusion is formed for practical purposes, he then moves with litfle respect to adverse eircumstances. He has been ’ a Democrat and an active* partisan, but has generally avoided political office, although ho has been supported by the party for public position a number of times. ROBERT W. MIERS. Robert W. Mi rs, the nominee for Secretary of State, was born in Decatur county, this State, January 27, 1848. He was raised on the farm, and received a good common school education. At the age of twenty-one years he went to the academy at Hartsville to complete his studies and prepare himself for a course in college. In 1868 he entered the State Uni.ersity at Bloomington and graduated iu 1870, and lie also graduated in the law department of gthe college the following year. In 1873 he was elected prosecuting attorney for the district, which was composed of Monroe, Lawrence and Orange counties, and was regarded as one of the reliably Republican districts. He was re-elected in 1875, a din 1877 was elected Representative in Monroe county, being the only Democrat elected from that county since the war. He has twice been chosen trustee for the State University, and is now on his second term. Upon the death oi Judge Wilson, of the Tenth judicial district, he was appointed to fill the unexpired term. He is married and has two children. CHARLES A. MUNSON. The candidate for State Auditor Charles A. Munson, was born and raised in Fort Wayne and at the age of fifteen he became the support of his widowed mother and her family. He clerked for various firms until he was nineteen years old, when he enlisted in the United States Navy at Cincinnati, and was assigned to the iron-clad Chilocothe on the Mississippi river. He was rapidly promoted here and in a short time he became the third officer of the vessel. He resigned in 1863 because of disability and after the war he entered into a wholesale grocery partnership at Fort Wayne. In 187& he went to the council in Fort Wayne, and ; n 1856 and 1878 he was elected Sheriff of Allen county, the last time being elected by 4,384 majority. In 1880 he was a member of the State Central Committee. He is a courteous, large-hearted, generous man, as companionable as one co’d wish, and a strong man on any ticket. He has many personal

characteristics which make friei* ’s for him in politics where other men fail, and he is in every way deserving of the nomination by he convention. THOMAS B. BYRNE. Hon. Thomas B. Byrne, the n ■ h nee for State Treasurer, was born in Newark, N. J., August 24, 1841. His father died when he was but five years old, and his mother ino' i. back to her old home in New Yuik City, he went with her and remained till he was nineteen years oi l. He was then sent west to represent a large tobacco and cotton firm dining the war, vhich position he held until 1869, when he went into rhe cotton and tobaccojbusiness for himself, and in which he is still engaged. He has held prominent positions in the Vanderbutg Democratic organizations, having been chairman of the county convention several times, and was a member of tho Democratic State Central Committee iu 1874 and in 1876. He was a candidate for the nomination for State Treasurer before ihe convention four years ago, and his prominence in politics and his success as an organiser, a leader and a warrior for the principles of his party has Brawn around him a host of friends who are to be counted all over the State. He Is a single man, whole-souled, hearty, generous, firm and aggressive in politics, and will prove to be a ’owor of strength, not only in his county and district, but throughout all the borders of the State. MARTIN J. KREUGER. Martin J.Kreuger, the nominee for Clerkof the Supreme Court, is thirt\ - three years of ago and has always been a Democrat, casting his first vote for Tilden & Hendricks. His family came from Germany and located in Michigan City in 1864, and in 1870 Kreugcr started out to make a living. He worked at different things for awhile, and finally started west in a special (freight] car. At Matteson. Illinois, he responded to an urgent call from the coductor to “get off,* and walking to Chicago, a distance of twenty- six miles .JEe borrow ed $5 from his brother and followed the “Star of Empire” as far weal; a Mendota, Illinois, where he found employment as a farm hand at sl3 per month. He continued to work on farms for some time, but afterwards returned to Michigan City and studied law. He was elected City Clerk in 1879, ahd again in 1881, and again in 1883; Representative of LaPorte county in 1884, and a member of the Common Council of Michigan City in 1885, this time unanimously and in a Republican ward He Jhas acted as Deputy County Treasurer continually since 1878 under three different county treasurers, and as such has annually collected and accounted for some $20,000 to $30,009 in taxes, to t' e entire satisfaction of this principal and the people. For a brief period he published the Frelo Presse, a German paper, but being unable to give his personal attention to the paper he merged P with - the porte Journal. HUGH E. M’MULLEN. Hon. Hugh E, McMullen, the nomnee for Attorney-General, was born in Dearborn county, December 14, 1836. He was raised on the iiirnr, and in 1858 he entered the Freshman class at Asbury University, and at the completion of the year’s course ho entered the State Ur iversity, wheie he graduated in 1862. He studied law in his own office and never had a dollar to aid him except what he earxed with his own hands. Eighteen years ago he was elected Prosecuting Attorney, and was a member of the two last Legislaturei of the State, the first session serving as Chairman of the Judiciary Commit-* tee and in the Ir.st as Chairman of the Ways and Means Committee. Mr McMullen is of Irish descent, his grand-father having been a native of Belfast, Ireland. Mr. McMullen is married and has a family of seven boys. PROP. ANDREW M. SWEENEY. Prof. Andrew M. Sweeney, nomi« nated for the office of Superintendent of Public Instruction, is about thirty-three years old, and one of the best educated men in the Stare. He speaks French and German fluently and is a flue Latin and Greek scholar’ ahd perfectly familiar with the educational systems of the State and the country. He has been connected with the schools of Southern Indiana for the past fifteen years, having begun his labors as a teacher ia the common schools, a.terward becoming principal of the Jasper High School, and subsequen Iv Superintendent of Dubois con nly. which posbiou he now bolds. He has been unswerving in his devotion to his profession and has done much toward elevating tho staudaid of educuti n