Beardstown- Lincoln's Almanac trial

Since I spent two nights in Beardstown thought I would touch on some history worth noting.

As Kevin drove me to his home in Beardstown we crossed the Illinois River using the bridge on Rt 67. It reminded me of a story Edgar Lee Masters was told by John Armstrong a son of Jack Armstrong whom Lincoln defeated in that famous wrestling match in New Salem circa 1836 or so. John Armstrong invited Masters over for supper in 1910 to his little white cottage in Oakford, IL. Masters knew that Armstrong had actually met Lincoln during the time of the famous Almanac trial in Beardstown in which Lincoln defended Duff Armstrong John's brother who had been indicted for murder. Masters asked Armstrong how Lincoln looked then. Armstrong replied by asking if Masters had ever seen the cranes on the Illinois River at Beardstown. Masters replied he had. Well that's how Lincoln looked with those abnormally long skinny legs. He said Lincoln would be sitting in his chair at the defense counsel table before the proceedings started and he would look dumb like he had no sense just staring like he wasn't even conscious. Then when the judge entered his face became radiant and everyone could see the wisdom that he obviously had.

And, there I looked down as we crossed over the river at Beardstown looking for cranes but unfortunately not seeing any. Years ago when I passed through here adjusting insurance claims I remember seeing some white cranes on the river while remembering this story.