A GATLING GUN
source date: 1891
availability: public-domain

in the legal way. They were accordingly married by the presiding judge. Subsequently, they pleaded guilty to the charge preferred against them and were duly sentenced to six months in territorial penitentiary, the sentence being suspended on good behavior. — Optic. A GATLING GUN Dr. Gatling, the gun inventor, was in Washington when Morse’s wire stretched a few miles out into the country and back again. The inventor of the telegraph had not then reached the discovery of the ground connection. He thought he must have a return wire to make a circuit. Morse had spent his own money, his wife’s money, and all he could get from rela- tives. He needed more, and he applied to con- gress. An appropriation of $30,000 hung in the balance. It was in the hands of a committee of five. Two were favorable; two were opposed. The fifth was Congressman Wallace, of In- diana, father of Gen. Lew Wallace, governor of New Mexico about 1878. The Hoosier states- man was absent when the deadlock occurred, but he returned and voted for appropriation. Morse got the money and made telegraphing successful. But Wallace, by the act, dug his political grave. He went back to his district — the Richmond district, one of the strongest Whig constituencies — and stood for re-election. The democrats put up Bill Brown. Wallace and Brown stumped the district together, and wher- ever they spoke Brown would say :