The Portland daily press., 1872-06-21
Anecdotes of Dean Richmond.

Richmond lost his father when but child,
and he was thrown upon his own resources,
with mother to support, at an age when
more fortunate children are acquiring the ru-
diments of an education. He engaged in the
business of salt-boiling at Syracuse when a
mere lad, or at least some years before at
tanning his majority and while in the prose-
cution of his business he met with an adven-
ture at Sackett's Harbor, the result of which
illustrated some of the peculiarities of his
character. He was in the habit of visiting
the lake towns on Ontario, both on the Amer
i.an and Canadian side, in the prosecution of
the salt trade. Being detained at the above
named port, then Familiarity known as Sack
ett's," and justly regarded as one of the most
dissipated places on the frontier-always in
tested with men of vicious inclinations and
profiigate habits-he had occasion to observe
the knavish devices of gang of sharpers who
made it point to plunder every unsuspect-
ing man whom they could entice into their
tolls. Among their victims was tin pedler
from Vermont. They had inveigled him into
game at cards known as ''three up and
three off," that is, three cards constituted
hand and three points the game. They soon
won all his money, and the contents of his
ped.er wagon, and the horse and the wagon
as well. The poor pedler utterly luined, was
in despair, and being stranger in the neigh
borhood, and destitute of resources he knew
not which way to turn. But relief came
from quarter wholly unexpected. Young
Richmond seeing the distress of the pedler,
and penetrating the tricks by which he had
been defrauded, proposed to take his hand in
the game. The sharpers, delighted at the
prospect of a fresh victim, eagerly accepted
his proposition, and set to work in earnest at
their scheme of plumber But they had a diff
ferent person to deal with from the unsophis-
ticated vender of tinware. The gamblers
found themselves overmatched, and the re-
suit of the game was the recovery of all the
property of which they had robbed the pedler
Richmond then, in the presence of the gam
blers, restored to the astOnished man his
horse and wagon and entire stock of goods.
having taken from him solemn promise
never again to play cards for money. or to
gamble in any mode whatever
Nearly quarter of century afterwards he
was accosted in the streets of Syracuse by a
well-to-do looking stranger, who represented
himself to have been the t;n-pedler who was
extricated from ruin through the dexterity,
flrmness and generosity of young Richmond.
The grateful man informed his astonished
listener that the promise given at "Sacketts'
had never been violated, that he had been
| thrifty and constantly prosperous, and that
| he was then of ample means, and profered
| any pecuniary aid that MS Deneiactor might
| be willing to accept. rrf
Richmond was man of quick perception,
happy in retort, with sententious epigram-
matte mode of saying things, which gave
them great force When Mr.. Lincoln passed
through the State on his way to Washington,
| in the winter of 1861, MIR. Richmond provided
a special train for him at Buffalo and accom-
panied the party to Albany. At Syracuse
Mr. Greeley joined the company. Mr.. Lin
coin, who had keen appreciation of original
and peculiar men, was much amused by the
occasional pleasant passages between Rich
mond and Greeley.
A new sleeping-coach of elegant appoint
ments and high finish was placed at the dis
posal of the President elect. The superb pal
ace cars of the present day had not been in
vented, but this comfortable coach, with its
elevated roof, spacious and complete accom-
modations, and perfect ventilation, was a
great improvement upon the close, low roof
ed, cheaply furnished, and dingy ears that
were in general use at that time. Lincoln,
Greeley and Richmond were seated in this
handsome coach chatting in a free and easy