Return we now to the pivotal election year of 1922...
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| Detroit Free Press, Nov. 8, 1922 |
...in which a cartoon character was elected mayor of Hamtramck, Michigan.
Or not.
Either the Detroit Free Press headline writer didn't skim any further than the first paragraph of the article beneath it, or was a victim of autocorrect nearly a century before it was invented.
Or maybe John Wallace and H.C. Plass missed out on reporting the real news out of Hamtramck in favor of their own attempt to match wits with Chicago Tribune cartoonist Sidney Smith.
I haven't found any serious reporting that Andy Gump beat the flesh-and-blood candidates to be elected mayor of newly incorporated Hamtramck in 1922, although he did receive at least one vote in the race for Senator from Michigan that year, and no doubt a smattering of votes in various other contests around the country.
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| The Gumps by Sidney Smith, in Chicago Tribune, Sept. 5, 1922 |
For months, the titular character of Sidney Smith's syndicated comic strip had been waging a congressional campaign in the cartoon. Here's how the Detroit Free Press reported the results on Election Day:
"Andy Is 100 Proof," Shout Supporters, "And He Don't Wear a Collar"
A citizen of Hamtramck who appeared at Gump headquarters during the evening proved himself slightly mixed on the issues of the campaign. This gentleman evidently had in mind Mr. Gump's declaration that he was 100 per cent for the people and wore no man's collar. "I voted for Gump," announced the Hamtramck citizen, "because he is 100 proof and don't wear no collar." Mr. Gump invited the caller into the rear room. He emerged, cheering loudly for Gump.
BY JOHN T. WALLACE & H. C. PLASS.
At 1 o'clock this morning the returns so far received in the great Gump congressional race gave:
- Andrew Gump, Independent, 30,906
- Republican candidate, 30,904
- Democratic candidate, 30,901
Feverish activity was evident at Gump headquarters. Mr. Gump's campaign manager remarked it would be advisable to make a round of the downtown precincts to see how the count was going.
"But I will need a little change for taxicab fare and other expenses," said the manager.
Immediately thereafter Mr. Gump was seen writing out a check.
"It's all in," stated John A. Schaufer.
"What do you mean, the bankroll?" inquired Roy Latham.
Schaufer dignifiedly explained that he meant Gump was a winner because he had carried the seventeenth ward.
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| The Gumps by Sidney Smith in Chicago Tribune, Oct. 18, 1922 |
Newspapers which have opposed the candidacy of Mr. Gump, reviling him from the outset of his campaign, stated in their early editions that if he won, his victory would be due to the lavish expenditure of the money he received by compromising the famous breach of promise suit the Widow Zander brought against his Uncle Bim.
"Gump," declared one of these anti-Gump sheets, "has tried to corrupt the electorate."
"Let 'em rave," said Mr. Gump when he was interviewed at his headquarters at the Hotel Dresdemona. "I am 100 per cent for the people. The final returns will show me the winner. I have vanquished the special interests. I wear no man's collar."
"Your collar is wilted," spoke up the Widow Zander, who had been in the campaign headquarters since early in the evening. "Let me run out and get you a fresh one."
"Oh, Min."
"You needn't bother," said Mrs. Gump, coming forward. "I have one in my bag for the congressman."
"Oh, Min," exclaimed Andy Gump.
The Widow Zander melted into the throng.
Just then, a courier brought in the returns from the second precinct, first ward, of Hamtramck. They gave Gump 217; the Republican candidate, 13; the Democratic candidate, 21.
"Mayor [Peter C.] Jezewski seems to be delivering the goods," was candidate Gump's only comment.
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| The Gumps by Sidney Smith in Chicago Tribune, Nov. 2, 1922 |
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Andy Gump has just departed hurriedly from home for his headquarters, having received word from his campaign manager that the election boards in some of the river precincts are counting him out. He showed great excitement, but refused to talk to reporters.
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After reaching his headquarters and listening to his manager's report of crooked counting in certain precincts, Mr. Gump said, "I care naught for my own political fortunes, but the sanctity of the ballot box, the palladium of American liberties, must be preserved at all hazards. I would just as sternly demand that a crook who stole a vote for me go to jail as one who stole from me."
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Candidate Gump has just been in telephonic communication with the chief of police. He demanded that chief immediately send officers to the polling places where tampering with the count is said to be in progress. The chief listened attentively to what Mr. Gump had to say and promised to investigate the matter within the next few days.
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| The Gumps by Sidney Smith in Chicago Tribune, Nov. 6, 1922 |
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The Widow Zander has arrived at Gump headquarters. She was cheered loudly by the crowd gathered in the street as she alighted from her car. An intoxicated individual, however, caused the widow to blush by shouting, "How's Uncle Bim?"
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Little Chester just called up headquarters. "Is my papa elected?" he inquired. Mr. Gump went to the phone. "Go to bed now, Chester," he said. "You will never grow into a great man like your father unless you get plenty of sleep while you are young."
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The first precinct to report gives, Andrew Gump, independent, 102; the Republican candidate, 103; the Democratic candidate, 101. Mr. Gump looked serious as he scanned these returns. Then he retired to his room, took a flat object from his hip pocket, and closed the door.
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| The Gumps by Sidney Smith, in Chicago Tribune, Nov. 8, 1922 |
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Shortly after the polls closed, Andy Gump, Independent candidate for congress, 100 per cent for the people, cabled to Uncle Bim Gump in Australia, "The battle is over. I stand at the parting of the ways. One leads to the capitol, the other to the poorhouse."
His friends and admirers pointed out that their candidate had always been for preparedness.
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Gump's campaign manager, after a survey of the first returns that trickled in, announced: "Indications are that Gump wins by a neck."
Those in the room glanced at the candidate's neck, and broke into wild cheering.
"A landslide for our candidate!" they shouted.
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Early returns from the silk stocking district along the Boulevard indicated that Gump had been snowed under there. Candidate Gump's only comment was, "Oh, Min!"
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| The Gumps by Sidney Smith, in Chicago Tribune, Nov. 9, 1922 |
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Arrival of returns from the Widow Zander's precinct caused a stir in Gump's headquarters. The caller read: "Republican, 44; Democratic, 41; Independent, 0." Gump leaped on the table.
"The double-crossing, two-faced hussy; not even her own vote!" shouted Gump. Just then the caller yelled, "Hey! A mistake in the transmission — Gump gets 100; Democratic, 41; Republican, 44."
"I always said," remarked Candidate Gump, "that Henrieta Zander was one of the finest women in the world. I knew she would deliver her precinct strong."
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Mr. Gump has just received the following cablegram from Australia: "Hope you are winning; kindly take $100 from remains of your campaign fund and purchase some suitable gift for Mrs. Zander. Will wire bank draft to reimburse you. (Signed) Uncle Bim." Immediately after reading the cablegram, Candidate Gump was seen in deep conversation with his campaign manager. The manager was overhead [sic] to say, "That's all there is; there isn't any more."
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"It seems to be nip and tuck," Andy Gump's campaign manager remarked to him as the returns began to filter in. "That being the case," the candidate responded, "we might as well have a little nip ourselves." They retired to a rear room and closed the door.
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| The Gumps by Sidney Smith, in Chicago Tribune, Nov. 10, 1922 |
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Candidate Gump was greatly cheered by a telegram from Shady Rest, where Andy used to fish with Old Timer before Old Timer was married. Old Timer's wife sent the message, collect. It read, "We know you have won. You can't keep a good man down. I'll bring Old Timer to visit you in Washington."
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A delegation of prohibition advocates arrived at Gump headquarters, and expressed the hope that Mr. Gump, if the returns finally put him in congress, would stand for the strict maintenance of the Volstead act. Mr. Gump replied, "Gentlemen, I wear no man's collar." There was thunderous applause.
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Andrew C. Baird, Wayne County Democratic chairman, admitted shortly before midnight that Andy Gump had a good chance to defeat the Democratic candidate for Congress. "Anyway," said Mr. Baird, "Mr. Gump's Christian name is the same as mine, and I think he will lne up with our party instead of with the Republicans. We also have other tastes in common."
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"I wear no man's collar," Mr. Gump remarked when informed of Chairman Baird's statement. "Nevertheless I will call around to Mr. Baird's office and see what he has to offer."
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At 11:45 p.m. Dave Gordon, deputy county treasurer, claimed the election of Andrew Gump by more than 100 plurality. The Republican and Democratic candidates were said to be preparing to apply to Judges Harry J. Dingeman and Thomas W. Cotter for orders to impound ballot boxes pending a recount.
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Shortly after midnight, marching clubs from the Anti-Saloon league and the W. C.T. U. headed by a big Gump campaign banner swept cheering into the Hotel Desdemona and into Parlor A, where tea, ice cream, sandwiches and lady fingers were served.
Soon afterward, a marching club from the Society Opposed to Prohibition, with a Gump banner at its head, marched into Parlor H. Hall boys were kept busy carrying ginger ale, mineral water, and seltzer into Parlor H. One of the local prohibition enforcement officers stood outside the door, as a guarantee to Gump's temperance friends that no liquor would be seen taken into the room.
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