Pioneer history of Ingham County, compiled and arranged by Mrs. Franc L. Adams, secretary of the Ingham County pioneer and historical society.

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PIONEER HISTORY OF INGIIAMS COUNTY

the old Stars and Stripes would flaunt their principles of Republicanism right in the faces of Lansing Democrats.
The count in November gave Garfield a substantial majority
over General Hancock and there was general rejoicing among the
Republicans all over the country. But Mr. Shattuck, while exulting in the victory of his party, was just "tickled to death" personally with his obligation. He had won his bet, but also had to
pay a paradox in local political history.
"We paraded and all that," said Mr. Shattuck in relating the
incident, "and I cheered with the rest of 'em, but that blamed
Capitol dome and its dizzy height kept bobbing up in my mind
and making me seasick. That's the worst part of a man bragging, you know, it sometimes gets him into trouble.
"TOWN WAS WAITING.
"Well, I had the debt to pay and the town knew it. There
were not so many of us here in those days and a stranger was a
curiosity. We were just plain 'Bill,' and 'Hank.' Everybody
knew his neighbor's business and his given name, you see. The
dome had to be painted and I had my obligation to meet.
"So one day I got up spunk and looked the situation over. I
announced when I would climb that dome and had a pretty fair
crowd to watch me in case I fell. I got out of a window, the
highest one accessible by an inside ladder, and started my climb.
And I was one scared man. But the further I went up the calmer
I became and I took no chances. I picked my way carefully and
before I knew it was right on top of the big ball which caps the
dome. This looks like an apple from below, but is really two feet
through, I should think.
"Just to show my defiance for my Democratic friend in the crowd
who had come to see my downfall, I mounted the ball and stood
upright. Here I fastened a good-sized American flag and unfurled
it to the breeze. I accompanied the ceremony with several lifesized whoops for Garfield and the Republican party. Then I
arranged a copper wire so that anybody from the lower windows
could fasten a rope to it and draw the rope up thus making it
possible for painters to fasten tackle conveniently and work to the
pinnacle. I reckon the wire is still there.