The New York herald. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1840-1920, 1875-01-24

The End OF q Mustache.
Mr.. Fernando Wood at this present time,
no doubt, wishes he had shaved. Long ago
it was said of his mustache that some time or
other it would bring him into trouble, and
now that terrific prophecy is fulfilled. Pope
is authority for the statement that '.Beauty
leads us by single hair, and Mr.. Wood in
some manner finds himself an illustration of
this TRUTH being drawn into the Pacific Mail
investigation literally by the beard.
The trouble of Mr.. Wood seems to be that
he is the owner of superb mustache and
that the mysterious unknown person who ac-
companied Mr.. William S. King to draw
Pacific Mail Company cash from New York
bank was described by the cashier as ''a man
with a remarkable mustache.' Here is
coincidence which the committee of Congress
could not overlook. Especially was this the
case when Mr.. Shanks. in conversation with
few friends, heard Mr.. A. Oakley Hall, apropos
of Mr.. Beck's remark about Mr.. Woods
mustache, say to Mr.. Jarvis in significant
way, 'Jarvis, if they should summon us we
could tell about Wood and the Pacific Mail"
This was enough to give cause for the pro-
foundest suspicion of Mr.. Wood. 1t was
almost as convincing as Mr. Pickwicks let
tiers to Mrs. Bardell about the warming pan
and "chops and tomato sauce" Mr.. Shanks
made memorandum of this startling obser-
vation, which occurred at Delmonico's, and
handed it to Mr.. Reid and Mr.. Reid pub
lished Mr.. Woods connection with Pacific
Mail upon Mr.. Halls authority, and then the
Congressional committee summoned Mr.. Reid
to testify to the fact, and Mr.. Reid referred to
Mr. Hall, who telegraphed to Mr. Wood de-
nying the remark ascribed to him, and the
committee feeling itself incompetent to comb
this mustache as it deserved, at once
adjourned until Monday.
The principal fault is with Mr. Wood, the
unfortunate owner of suspicious mustache.
Those malicious hairs betrayed him and
brought him into his present trouble. 1t is
true that Mr.. Oakley Hall now asserts that if
he used Mr.. Woods name it was an error,
and that his intention was to speak of Mr..
Stockwell. Mr.. Stockwell also has a mustache,
o remarkable mustache, and Mr. Hall, appar-
entity, would like to pull it. Jarvis and he
had nothing to say about Mr. Wood in con-
nection with Pacific Mail, but they could have
told tale of Mr.. Stockwell But if Mr. Wood
had shaved, this blunder could never have oc-
Cured Mr.. Reid would not have been mis-
led into accusing him of being connected
with Pacific Mail Affairs and Mr. Stockwell
would be the heir apparent to the Congress
sonal investigation.
But Mr. Wood is not alone in this misfor-
tune, and if he reads history he can find illus
trious precedents for his grief. There was
Samson whose strength and weakness were
both embodied in his hair, and who became
a victim OF the shears of Deliah There was
Absalom, Also whose hair was caught in 'the
thick boughs OF great oak" and who per-
ished by the luxuriance of his locks Had
Absalom been bald he had not met such an
awful fate, and if Mr.. Wood had been desti-
tute of mustache he would not have been
COMPOUNDED with Mr.. Stockwel The latter
gentleman, we believe, has as remarkable
musache as could be wished, though it is of
different color from Mr. Woods. A bank
officer would probably look upon it with re-
spect; though We do not wish TO intimate
that he was the companion of Mr. King when
the Pacific Nail money was drawn for pur-
poses not yet explained to the committee.
1t would seem as if in this question of
veracty hair would turn the scale, but we
arc disposed to acquit Mr.. Wood OF any COM
plicity in the Pacific Mail affair, and to con-
cede that Mr. Oakley Hall is correct in deny
ing any intentional use of his name in that
unpleasant connection. 1t was mistake
easily made, but we believe Fernando Woods
mustsche to be'innocent. 1t is as white us
the new fallen snow, and no doubt as pure.
1t can curl in derision at the rumors of wrong
doing, and need never ,lroop in distress.
Vainly may his wicked foes attempt to wax il.
And yet if mustache is to compromise and
embarrass its possessor it would be well to
part with it, and the close shave which Mr..
Wood has made in the Congressional commit
tee is n warning which he will do we'll to heed.
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"ELEvIN MILLIONS We observe among
the cases on the calendar an action apainst
William NJ. Tweed to recover eleven million
dollars, alleged to have been stolen bv
him. or others with him, from the treas
ury OF New York. SO far as VIC know
Tweed has not paid back dollar OF this
money, although he offered, through some of
his associates, TO return three million dol
lars, provided the suits against him were adj
justed. Yet all this time he and his friends
are beating at the prison bars and clamoring
for mercy "to an old man confronted by
cruel fate" No one will deny mercy
TO Tweed, but is it not an insult
to justice and reason to expect any
mercy until he returns to the city OF
New York part Of the vast sum he took
from its Golfers? Mercy, by all means, but