The aegis & intelligencer. [volume] (Bel Air, Md.) 1864-1923, 1875-02-12
Pinch.

| Which his remarkable name is Percy
Bysshe Shelley Pinchback, the last because
the man his octoroon mamma was concu
bine to was an Ohio chap, dealer in orc
ide gold and German silver; Percy to de-
scribe tho character of his infantile wells
Bysshe, no reference to his mother, who
Shelley-lived on the shell road ut the
time Of his birth. 1t is reported of Pinch
that soon after he promised to be a success
in politics he petitioned to the Legislature
| for leave to change his name to Palmerston
Bismarck Sumner Pinehbaque, but his ne.
gro colleagues, upon hint from Packard
cried out, "Den you'll be wantin' to beat
Massa Grant an run TO- de Presidency no
you don't, sarr'
Pinch began low like all great men. He
earned his first dimes by holding horses
for gentlemen driving out on the shell
road; but, unlike Shakespeare, did not in
vest these dimes in volumes of poetry, but
in tickets in the Havana lottery, which.
however, always drew blanks. Still, Pinch
| got IN insight into the business, and pres
emily was runner for policy shop, doing a
thriving trade in saddles" puts" ''cor-
ners," etc., for the quadroon demi-monde
among whom he lived. From this school
Pinch passed to the Academy of Arts. and
became waiter in gambling house. Here,
| bending the plant hinges of the knee till
they were supple indeed, he took in many
check from winning gentlemen, and oil
ed himself sebaceously with palmstric oil,
while sharpening his wits for the coming
ing encounter upon the whrring grind
stone of the "skin-game." 1t is said that
| there is very little about cards that Pinch
does not know; lie is an adept at "draw,"
he can spin the wheel ut roulette, shake
the dice in sweat, or shuttle advantage
cards in old-sledge with any conner; but
his chief excellence lies in the direction of
three.card monte, and there also his af.
fections go. In his little holiday excur-
| sions up and down tie river, before cman-
| cipation, Pinch is accredited with having
made such good use of o Layout" of his
own that his name is even yet memory of
terror among the surviving deck hands and
fire-men of those days.
" hen the ghoul of reconstruction had
fGirly began to feed and fatten upon the
corpse of dead rebellion, Pinch went into
politics. He made himself generally use
full to the carpet-baggers, acting as an un-
obtrusiye file-leader to the most ignorant
| of his race, until he felt he was master of
the game enough to take rank among the
''sharps" in fleeing the "tlats" Then he
set up in business for himself, made an al
lance with Warmoth, and ran on the reg
ular Republican ticket as State Senator.
He was not elected, but, as he was friend
of Warmoth's and Packard's and Casey's
(then in close alliance) and the majority
against him was only $500, it was very
easy for him to Gust his opponent and
secure the seat for himself.
AS State Senator, Pinch speedily rose
to an enviable distinction. He knew how
to vote, and all who wanted his vote knew
how to get it. He was none of your low.
down, no-aecount niggers, to be bought for
five dollars vote. BY no means. Pinch
knew the range of the price-current as well
as any man in New Orleans. He under
stood when to copper" and when to "paro-
IL" and the consequence was his wares
fetched as high O price as any in the mar
ket, and he became sort of negro leader
and an Intermediary between his race and
the leading carpet-baggers. From this
was but step to becoming representa-
| tive.man," and Pinch took the step.
Pinch's private career meantime WAS
rather 0ragease There are some scabfaeses
passages in it which will not bear repeat
ing. He spent his money freely as it came,
and was rather fond of making a night of
1t. Among his boon companions was Mort.
Carr, an ex-Maryland scoundrel who made
| his living by selling his vote as member OF
| the lower House to the highest bidder i;
and George w. Carter, Methodist preach
erfallen from grace low enough to be Speak
or OF the House in Louisiana, q briber al
ways and q brawling sot in his idle me-
ments. Unjust have been under Pinch's
guidance that Carter went into gamb-