Burlington weekly free press. [volume] (Burlington, Vt.) 1866-1928, 1873-09-12

The End IF hie Pennsylvania AreHue FoD-
1 BeaH BrUmHcH lrhoSs Name Nsrer ioas
hHoTH-Ihe BGr-rooms' loss.

The End IF fte Pennsylvania Arenue FoD-
4 BeaU BrUHmoH rhoSe Name Nsrer ioas
hHora-Ihe Bar-rooms' Loss.
For more than a quarter OF a century
dating from about l-i6. one Of the most
noticeable objects OF interest in Washing
ton was-in yariors phases of prosperity
and advcrsity-a singular genius known a.
Beau Hickman. During the whole Of
the period extending from the beginning Of
our troubles with Mexico t. his death he
was as well known, not only to residents
but to visitors, as the Capitol itself: and it
was his boast that he bad been on terms Of
intimacy with every respectable member of
Congress from Webster and Clay down To
the time when respectability in Congress
was the exception and not the rule
Robert Singleton Hickman. a. he vas
known, was born in Maryland about 1913
After a wild and dis,ipated career in all
parts Of the country, bat mainly in the
South. Hickman dritted to Washington, and
there he developed n most extraordinary
passion for dress, his chief ambition being
to shine a. the iop OF the day. He became
an adept in personal adOrnment. and being
easy and graceful in manners. and possessing
some means which he disbursed with liber-
atty, he soon occupied the position Of the
American Beau Brummell. and assumed
that worthy title with all due dignity. lie
h0bnObbed with all the great men OF his day
who were given to sensual pleasures-and
there were lew up 10 twenty years ago who
were nOt-and numbered among his regular
and occasional companions in the debauch
and at the gaming table some of the bright
est ornaments of the Senate and House.
But the time came when he could no lon
ger shine but IN borrowed plUmage, and
Beau became the walking advertisement of
the fashionable tail0rS and the stool pigeon
OF the gamblers. Little by little he went
down in the scale, and when old age besau
to creep upon him he was frequently depeE-
dent for the neceSsarieS life upon the maid
servants of the hotels and upon the charity
Of strangers whom ne levied upon with a
cool lmpudence that was always irresistible
Beau Hickman i dead. \ week ago the
poor wreck. the victim ola wasted life, was
stricken with paralysis. On Saturday he
was removed to the hospital, and Monday
morning he breathed his last.
His real name was unknown. his family.
supposed To have been one of the wealthiest
in Maryland OF Virginia, having sent to
him q stipulated sum every year on cOndi-
ti0n that he should keep their secret He
never told ANYBODY even the name Of the
place where he was born, and nobody ever
knew where be lived in Washington until
one night in Louisiana avenue tre turned
him into the street with hiS wardrobe in his
arms. Frequently at the Washington bars.
while tipping glasses with the politicians,
he sald It was poor city that c0uldn' t sup
port him ike a gentleman, ami it was his
lntertlOn to make Washington support him;
and he did, even to the extent Of levving -
cents from each Of the young bucks of the
town, and larger sums from the larger ami
mails For the last few years Of his life hay
ing been afflicted with inhammat0ry rheuma-
tiSIn, he made no use whatever of intoxica-
ting liquors.