The Evansville daily journal. [volume] (Evansville, Ia. [i.e. Ind.]) 1848-1862, 1858-11-10
Death of a Celebrated Sportsman
Description of the Man and his Es-
tahlishno

Death of a Celebrated SpOrtsma
Description of the Man and his Es-
tablishment.
4 Washington correspondent of the Bos-
ton Post, furnishes the following account OF
sportsman of this or any other country, who
died at Washington, few weeks since:
He had been a resident Of Washington
some fifteen or twenty years, during which
time he amassed great wealth by sporting
or to use the mild and honest language OF
the Avenue, "he realized an ample fortune
out of the successful operations OF his house
His house being the most elegant, and his
bank the most wcighty and substantial IN
the country, it having been for years the
fashionable and fascinating resort of wealthy
planters fast Congressman, aspiring dipo-
mats, and ambitious sportsmen from every
/ part of the world. For many years past he
has lived in the most luXuriant style, having,
like a certain other rich man, {" been clothed
in purple and fine linen and faring sumptu-
ously every day" In person he was above
the medium size, of pleasing address, and a
generous disposition exhibiting in his gen.
eral department to strangers the character
of well fed, good natured clergyman, rath-
er than that Of a hcartless, unrelenting
sportsman.
/ His reputation for generosity was widely
established. If college was to be endow-
ed, a church built, or private charities to be
dispensed, his was sure to be among the
most munifc Mt of the dol attcns. His wife,
now a widow, was of good parcntage; a wO-
man OF rare beauty and accomplishments,
pc Css9ssing SoCi Il qualiji.s which combined
with the dazzling allurements of wealth, in
sured her troops of admirers and courtiers
Rolling down the avenue in her magnif-
cent equipage, which far exceeds in rich
| ness and style that of the President of the
United States, or any other gentleman in
/ Washington, she looked a very queen-be-
ing quite undisturbed by any though that her
presence sent dagger to scores of hearts,
whose patrimony, unlawfully obtained and
contributed to her enjoyment, in the same
proportion that its loss had added to the
woes and wretchedness Of the beholdcrs
! His establishment was upon Pennsyl-
vaRia avenue, between the National Hotel
and the Capitol. Let lis approach and look
| inside.
You enter hy a door Of rariegated stained
/ glass, which, by gas light, reflects all the
.
| of stairs, you reach door, pull the bell
and instantly small aperture opens, and
Il pair of red eyes and Il double row of
! ivory, set in black, which aominally belong
| to Sambo, but which, in fact, are the prop
erty Of the proprietor. \ glance sulIiees--
/ You have filled Sambo eye, and are deem
/ ell passable The door is at once opened
! and yoH are ushcrcd into tie ante-room-
| he va n of =
! large, but elegantly appointed-the chief
attraction being the siGe-board, which is of
| solid marble, and white as Diana's breast.
| Here are. arranged, in long glistning col
umns, decantcrs and cut glass, sparkling like
! brilIiants filed with the choicest nectar
| and blushing to the very necks with the
| glowing vintage Of olden times. If you
/ pass this Rubicon without tasting its spark
! ling but dangerous waters it is not from any
/ dearth Of hospitality on the part of your
! persuasive host The spacious "Sporting
/ Hall is now visible. The walls are adorn-
ed with superb paintings of the old masters
and the new, while pendant from the
/ windows hang curtains Of embroidered lace
covered with golden tapestry of Oriental
magnificencc with mirrors of mammoth
size rejecting your form and features from
a score Of cleaning enhrGures Along the
| hall, at convenient distances, are ranged cir
! cular tables of polished rosewood, and
around which are seated numbers of thought
| full anxious, dark ysaged men, who heed
! you not-their eyes having another and
! stronger attraction. One would naturally
suppose this to be a theatre for jests, droll-
! cry and song, or bachanalian revellings, or
| publistic encounters. Far from it. On tile
contrary, all is hushed, SILENT sepulchral-
'' No real voice or sound
Within these cheeIlesS walls are foUnd.'
You are oppressed with the fearful still
ness and awful silence which pervades the
pace. \ laugh, a joke, or even a curse,
would be a sensible relief. But you hear
nothing of this. An occasional long breath
or half subdued sigh is all that tells the ear
that these mad devotees are possessed of
lungs and life.
An hour inspection satisfies your curios-
ity, and you are about taking your depart
ure, when soft hand taps youon the shoul-
der, and low voice says: 'Please don't
leave, sir, supper VIII be ready in a few min
utes."
At precisely half-past ten o'clock, the
doors Of the dining hall are thrown open,
and " supper ready, procaims an immedi-
ate armistice between the conbatants, and
invites a more healthy and rational duty
The long tables groan beneath their burden
Of gold and silver plate, and the heaps of
delicacies which surmount aud adorn them.
Here are venison from the brown forests of
Maine, turkies from the broad savannas of
the West, canvas backs from the placid wa
ters of the Potomac, trout from Superior,
and salmon from the st. John together
with fruits, flowers and wines for every
taste and from every cline.
The repast over, you are permitted, with
patronizing invitation to = call again" to
make your retreat to the open air, there to
thank heaven that you are not a worship
per within this magnificent yet cherries
abode.
One nights work, few days previous to
the close of the last session, made sad havoc
among the Golfers of this house 1t is said
that distinguished Senator won one hun
dred and eighty thousand dollars on that
night, which broke the bank and caused a
temporary suspension. A new house, how
ever,was soon purchased by him, and being
magnificenty decorated when the " king
of terrors" the great unbeaten and unchal-
lenged, stepped in and closed the game of