INDIANA MAGAZINE OF HISTORY VOL. XXVI DECEMBER, 1930 NUMBER4 Governor Claude Matthews By H. S. K. BARTHOLOMEW The State campaign of 1890 in Indiana was one of the most notable for an off year campaign in the last quarter of the nine- teenth century. Long before either State concention was held the leaders of both major political parties were looking for- ward to the contest as a preliminary skirmish for the guberna- torial campaign which was to come two years later. Each party was looking over the field to find the strongest man to head its ticket. The highest State office to be filled in 1890 was that of Secretary of State. The Republicans held their State convention first and nomi- nated Hon. Milton Trusler,l a Fayette County farmer and a fine type of Indiana manhood. Mr. Trusler was Master of the Indiana State Grange, a position which he was filling capably and conscientiously. He was deservedly popular among the members of that great order. It can be said truth- fully that he was in every sense worthy of the honor of being chosen as the leader of a great political party in a contest in which the result was expected to have a potent influence on the more important campaign which was to come two years later. The Democratic leaders at once realized that, in nominating Mr. Trusler, their political rivals had executed a master stroke. They recognized in him a candidate who would be hard to defeat. They knew that they must select the best man they could find if they expected to win. A week or so after the Republican Converrcion, Hon. John B. Stoll, editor of the South Bend Times and one of the leading Democratic editors Mr. Trusler had served as State Representative from Fayette and Union Countim in 1876 and as State Senator during the years 1876 and 1877. In 1894. he moved from his farm in Fayette County to East Connersville. See Biographical and Genealogical His- tory of Wayne. Fayette. Union and Franklin Cwnties. Zndiana (Chicago, 1899). I, 11-12. 272 Indiana Magazine of History in the north half of the State, had occasion to make a trip to Indianapolis, During his stay in the capital city, he met his old friend, Senator Daniel W. Voorhees. Sitting on a divan in the Grand Hotel, they discussed political matters in general and the coming state campaign in particular. Both were aware of the fact that the situation demanded the utmost wis- dom in the selection of candidates for the various offices. Mr. Stoll remarked that if there was a farmer of superior intelli- gence and the requisite qualifications to fill the office of Sec- retary of State it would be expedient to nominate him to head the ticket. Senator Voorhccs replied: “I know where there is a ma”n who measures up fully to those requirements. He lives in Vermillion County and his name is Claude Matthews.” Im- mediately, after his return to South Bend, Mr. Stoll wrote one of his characteristically vigorous editorials urging that Mat- thewsz be nominated for Secretary of State. The suggestion was favorably received by many of the leading Democrats throughout the State. Other names were announced and when convention day arrived there were several candidates, but Claude Matthews towered above them all in both ability and fitness and was easily nominated. He made a vigorous cam- paign and was elected by a substantial plurality, carrying the entire ticket with him.3 The only office he had held previously was that of Representative in the lower house of the Indiana Legislature from Vermillion County.* The duties of the office were congenial to him, and he made an ideal officer. In the spring of 1892, he announced himself as a candidate for re-election, but many of the party leaders believed that he would be the strongest man who could be nom- inated for Governor and at their urgent requested he withdrew his candidacy for Secretary of State and became a candidate for the gubernatorial n~mination.~There were several strong candidates before the convention, the most prominent of whom * Mr. Mitthews was born in Bethel, Kentucky, in 1845. He moved, in 1868, to a large farm in Clinton Township, near Clinton, Indiana. where he recided until hi? death. Sre Pictorial and Bionraphical Memoirs of Elkhart and St. Joseph Counties. Indiana (Chicago. 1893), 17 ; also Biographical and Historical Record of VcrmiUion County, Indiana (Chi- cago. 1588), 489. 3 His plurality over Trusler was 19,579. See Indianapolis News, Nov. 12. 1P90. 4 He was elected to that office in 1576, reciiving a majority of between two and threr hundred votes, notwith+mdinz the fact that Vermillion County was strongly Republi- c7n and that the Republican State ticket was succrssful. In 1x30, he RSF 7 pr.ominmt candidate for the nomination for Lieutenant Governor, but willingly withdrew for the nf P*rty hn-mony in 1PW. he was def-t d in the rac- for th office of State Senator by a small margin. Historical and Biographical Record of Vermillion Cuuntzl. 490-01. 6 For Matthew’s letter of consent, see the Indianapolis Sentinel, April 11, 1892. Bartholomew: Governor Claude Matthews 273 was John Gilbert Shanklin, the gifted editor of the Evansville Courier and one of the most knightly figures in southern In- diana history. Hon. Mortimer Nye, former mayor of LaPorte, had a loyal following in the extreme north end of the State, but the real battle was between Matthews and “Gil” Shanklin, as his followers called the Evansville editor. After a spirited contest, Matthews won, but by a rather slender margin.6 However, his unsuccessful rivals acquiesced in the decision of the convention and gave him loyal support. Before the cam- paign had progressed very far, it was evident that the con- vention had chosen wisely, for the Vermillion County farmer proved to be a tower of strength to his party. After a thorough canvass of the state he was elected by a handsome plurality, larger than that of any of his colleagues on the ticket.? The twenty-three years between the time of his graduation from college in 186F and his election to the office of Secretary of State had been spent by Mr. Matthews upon his farm. For a time, he engaged quite extensively in the breeding and feeding of Shorthorn, cattle. Later he took up Jersey cattle, and when he left the farm he was regarded as an au- thority on both breed^.^ Although he followed the admonition of the wise man and was always diligent in his business, his time was not all devoted to his cattle. Through all those years, he was a careful and persistent student, as well as a close ob- server of men and events. How well he improved the oppor- tunities for growth and the development of that sturdy and genuine manhood which the quiet and uneventful life of the farm affords, was amply illustrated by the success of his ad- ministration as Governor of a great State during a period that was eventuful. Though his was no ordinary or commonplace task, he showed himself master of the situation from the beginning of his term of office. Had events taken their ordinary course, no one would have known what resources this plain and un- assuming farmer possesed, or how well he was equipped ta For a report of the Democratic Convention see ibid.. April 22, 1892 : Indiana- polis Nczus. April 21, 1892, 7 He received 260,601 votes, a plurality of 6,976 over the vote of his nearest rival. See Indjianapolis Sentind, Nov. 29, 1892. 8 Hc was graduated from Centre Co!lege, Dandle, Kentucky. Historical and Biogra- phical Record of Vermillim Count% 489. 9Thr3 Matthews homestead. known as the Hazel Bluff Farm, consisted of about 600 arvm. Mr. Matthews owned about 2,000 acres of land in all. He had real estate in Texas. lbid., 490. 274 Indiana Magazine of History cope with emergencies. Almost from the date of his inaugura- tion he was confronted with difficulties which at times seemed almost insurmountable. For several years the southern part of the State had been terrorized by frequent manifestations of lawlessness known as “white-capping.” Several Governors had appealed to the Legislature for assistance in the sup- pression of this menace, but receiving no aid from that source, had given up further efforts to prevent the outrages. Gov. Matthews made a similar appeal but received no help whatsoever. He then determined to undertake the task with only the aid of local officials who, previous to this time, had been powerless to accomplish anything. He persistently urged upon those who had the authority that they should prosecute and bring to punishment those who were thus violating the law. In many cases, where it seemed necessary, he employed additional counsel to assist in the prosecution. His efforts in that direction were very successful. From the close of the first year of his administration the State was free from out- rages committeed by bands of “white-cappers.” During approximately the same period, he also made war upon prize-fighting. A group of sports from Chicago had come into Lake County and organized the Columbian Athletic Club. They built near Roby a great arena which would hold 8,000 or 10,000 people. The contests which were held there were a disgrace to Indiana. Nothing could be done through the sheriff of Lake County. The governor then went into that Cwnty himself, gave his personal bond and asked that a re- ceiver be appointed.