By Sue Gentry Centennial Edition Editor
Independence Examiner Centennial Edition May 1984
Henry Rummel, who operated a harness and saddle shop on the north side of Independence Square for many years, was the only man to ever beat Harry S. Truman in an election. Rummel, a Republican, won the eastern judgeship on the Jackson County Court, defeating Mr. Truman, the incumbent Democrat, in 1924.
The late Henry Bundschu, a boyhood friend of Mr. Truman and a Republican, recalled the circumstances in an interview for The Examiner several years ago.
"It was in the spring of 1924," Bundschu said, "and the Republicans had been unable to get a candidate to run in the primary for eastern judge."
"Major John L. Miles (who was sheriff) told me he had tried to get several prominent farmers to file without success," Bundschu said. "I suggested that one of Miles's deputies, Henry Rummel, file and Miles agreed, with the understanding Rummel would withdraw as soon as Miles could find some outstanding qualified candidate.
Without telling Rummel, Bundschu went to the courthouse and filed him. Later Miles suggested to Rummel that he withdraw, and Rummel refused saying he had made an alliance with the Shannon faction (the Rabbits as opposed to the Pendergast Goats).
"Believe it or not," Bundschu said, "Rummel won, the only opponent ever to defeat Truman for a political office."
And Bundschu added, "Rummel never paid me back for the $5 filing fee."