POLITICAL NOTES: Death of Shank

POLITICAL NOTES

In Indianapolis, they last week mourned the sudden death from heart failure of Samuel Lewis (“Lew”) Shank, 55, farm boy, clog dancer, vaudeville trouper, auctioneer and twice mayor ofIndianapolis.

Gawky, homely, his weighty trunk swaying upon long parabolic legs, he first barnstormed the rural counties as a burlesque “Little Eva” in a golden wig on a ladder to heaven. He turned yeast salesman, then ward politician. His grin and “Well, now, folks—” won him a larger majority than Indianapolis gave to Novelist Booth Tarkington when the two ran together (one for Recorder and the other for the Legislature) on the ticket of 1902.

In 1910, the Republicans elected shambling Samuel Shank, “friend of the poor people,” to be Mayor of Indianapolis. The next year he became nationally known by hawking potatoes, geese, onions, eggs, tomatoes and cheeses from the steps of his city hall in an effort to break a commission merchants’ trust. A street car strike ended his term prematurely, the carmen refusing to promise they would strike no more while he was mayor. He had threatened to resign if they failed to promise and he made the threat good.

Vaudeville and auctioneeringreclaimed him until 1920 when he campaigned for the mayoralty with his wife (“Me and Sarah”), successfully, against enemies that called him “a vulgar vaudeville actor.” His method this time was to invite the public to free vaudeville programs, then orate. Leaving office, he sought nomination for governor, losing to Klan-backed Ed. Jackson. His latest public appearance was last week as a witness in the trial for corruption of his mayoral successor, John L. Duvall (see CORRUPTION).