The Findlay Jeffersonian. [volume] (Findlay, Hancock County, Ohio) 1870-1881, 1872-07-26
Sgisfellaneuns.
ANECDOTE OF DEAN RICHMOND

, dren are acquiring the rudlments OF az
> education. He engaged in the busi
ness of salt boiling at Syracuse, when
q mere lad, or at least some years be
| fore attaining his majority; and while
in the prosecution OF his business be
met with an adventure at Sackett'e
Harbor, the result of which illustrated
some of the peculiarities of his char.
acter. He was in the habit of visiting
the lake towns on the Ontario, both
on the American and Canada sides, 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 infested with men of
vicious inclinations and profigate hab.
its-he had occasion to observe the
knavish devices of q gang of sharpers
who made it point to plunder every
unsuspecting man whom they could
entice into their tolls. Among their
victims wasa tin peddler from Vermont
They had inveigled him into a 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, the
contents OF his peddler wagon, and the
horse and wagon as well.
The poor peddler, utterly ruined,
was in despair, and being q stranger
in the neighborhood, and destitute OF
resources, he knew not which way to
turn. But relief came from a quarter
wholly unexpected. Young Richmond
seeing the distress of the peddler, 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 PROPOSE
ton, and set to work in earnest at
their scheme of plunder.
But they had different person TO
deal with from the unsophisticated
dealer in 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 peddler. Richmond then,
in the presence of the gamblers, re-
stored TO the astonished man his horse
and wagon and entire stock of goods,
having taken from him a solemn oath
never again to play cards for money,
or to gamble in any mode whatever.
Nearly a quarter of century after.
ward, he was accosted IN the streets
of Syracuse by a well to do looking
stranger, who represented himself to
have been the tin peddler who was
extricated from ruin through the dex-
terity, frmness and generosity of
young Richmond. The grateful man
informed his astonished listener that
the promise given at "Sackett's' had
never been violated that he had
been thrifty and constantly prosper
ous, and that he was then OF ample
means, and proffered ano yecuniary
aid that his benefactor might be vii.
ling to accept.
Richmond was a man of quick per-
ception, happy in retort, with, SEN
tentous, epigramatic 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, Mr.. Richmond
provided a special train for him at
Buffalo and accompanied the party
to Albany. At Syracuse Mr.. Greeley
joined the company. Mr.. Lincoln, who
had keen sppeciation OF original and
peculiar men, was much amused by
the occasional pleasant passages between
Richmond and Greeley.
A new sleeping coach of elegant
appointments and high finish was
placed at the disposal of the President
elect. The superb palace cars of the
present day had not been invented,
but this comfortable coach, with its
elevated root, spacious and complete
accommodation, and perfect ventila-
ton, was a great Improvement upon
the close, low-roofed, cheaply furnish
he'd and dingy cars that were in general
use at that time. Lincoln, Greeley
and Richmond were seated in this
coach, chatting in a free and easy
manner.
"This is something like it, Dean,"
said Greeley, "but why don't you
have all the cars made in this way
The common lrisereble old things are
nothing buisance.'' "We adopt the
improvements as they are invented"
was the reply, shut the changes have
to be gradual; we cannot afford to
throw aside the substantial cars that
have cost great deal of money, and |
stock the road with those that are
more expensive merely for tie COM
fort of passengers. Whenever we
build new ones, we incorporate all |
available improvements
"Oh, that'sno excuse" !" was Greeley's
rejoinder. ''The people confer upon
you corporations special and extraor.
dinary privileges, and / tell you they
viii not be content unless you give
them the best accommodations to be
had. Why don't you put on this
kind of cars at once 2"
"Why don't we, sure enough? Why
didn't you start your Internal old
Tribune with three hundred thousand
subscribers p
"Horace, I think Richmond has
rather got you there, "quietly remark.
ed Mr.. Lincoln.
In an article on q recent fair in
that city, the editor OF a Macon pa.
per says . brother editor took a
valuable premium, but an unkind
policeman made him put it right back
where he took it from.
A flighty Michigander claims to
have invented Q telegraphic railway.
by means Of which persons and par.
GELS sggregating 1900 pounds In
weight can be transmitted in a car
suspended from telegraph wire at
the rate Of q mile minute.