The Ottawa free trader. [volume] (Ottawa, Ill.) 1843-1916, 1876-04-15
Washington Letter.

| Washington Letter.
WASHINGTON, d. c., April 8, 1876
GOOD DEMOCRATIC MEASURE.
Hon. II. b. Banning Chairman OF the mouse
committee on Military Affairs, has repolteu
: hill for the re- organization OF the army which
4 bas some excellent features. Among othef
GOOD things in the bill Is the bold effort OF MI
RAINING to do tardy justice to the non-com'
m;ssioned officers of the army-the very
marrow of the servce-by providing for
their education by the commissioned olncers'
and for their promotion to the rank OF com,
missoned officers when found qualified and
Otherwise deserving. The clause increasing
the nav of first sergeants to $40 per month
deserves, Also special attention. Inc hrsl
sergeant is now the most unfairly paid man
IN the service when his responsibility ana the
importance of his office are considered. MI
Banning will make hosts OF friends by the
noble stand he has taken-not only among the
pon.commissIoned officers and soldiers OF the
! regular army, but among the hundreds OF
thousands of men, nov in civil lite, who serv-
ed "a volunteers, on one side or the other,
durinp the late civil war and are competent
Judges of the Justice and desirableness OF the
changes sought to be made by the OHIO con-
gresham. ,.
enlisted men that the first Napoleon attracted
TO his standard, as private soldiers, superior
class of young men, and so markedly i'm
proved the personnel and general efficiency
of the French army.
DICK HARRINGTON,
sometimes called "Slippery Dick OF safe
burglary notoriety, was in town few days
since, drawn hither, doubtless, by the report
that Nettleship, Hayes, and others formerly
connected with the secret service OF the gov
eminent. were to make unpleasant revelations
before congressional committee. A repor!
prevailed IN Washington, some time since,
that Slippery Dick, who removed to Dela.
ware, his native state, soon after his trial, mao
been converted and joined the church; but,
Judging from his appearance few days
since, the rumOr was wholly without founda.
ton A few years ago, when he was assistant
United States District Attorney for the DIS.
trct of Columbia, no young lawyer stood
higher in public estimation, as regards natu'
raj ability and professional acumen, than he
He was especially brilliant as prosecutor
in the criminal court; and so great was the
confidence of the District Attorney, Judge
Fisher, IN him, that almost every case com
ing before that court vas intrusted to his
management. That he was worthy of this
confidence was attested by the conviction OF
nearly half score of murdercrs, SOME of
whom were defended by criminal lawyers of
national reputation. Dick had Denchdnt for
the flowing bowl and low companions, how
ever; and became reckless. He appeared as
one of the counsel for Governor Shepherd in
the last District investig ation and in endeav
oring to bring into play, before congress
lonal committee composed of lawyers like
nd ,tuti Ia
and j. NJ. Wilson, the same bubbles and SEN
sa,ional effects he had been wont to use in
his criminal practice, was summarilv squelch-
ed Escaping the penalty Of the law through
hung jury and Q subsequent order OF the
Attorney General that further proceedings
against him in the safe burglary case be dis
continued, Harrington was nevertheless con
vicled in the eyes of the community, and soon
afterwards left the city, where, a few months
previously, he had ranked as leading mem
Der of the bar, to return to his native city IN
Delaware, in the hope of retrieving his fallen
fortunes. He looks now very unlike the
handsome Dick Harrington of five years since.
He has grown unnaturally stout; his face has
the purple hue of high feeder and hard
drlnkcr; and, as he swaggers along Pennsyl-
vana avenue, smoking red clay pipe with
a stem half yard in length, one is forced to
Harrington no longer aspires to high profes.
slonal honors. Before the present session of
congress is over, the public may hear more
definite information in regard to his connec'
ton with the blowing open of his own safe
under such suspicious circumstances.
BRUMIDI AND HIS FAIrHLEss WIFE.
Every day, at the Capitol an old man with
gray hair and mild blue eyes may be seen
mounted on the scatfOding, engaged in fresco
painting in the corridors. This is Brumidi
who painted the large allegorical picture IN
the dome, representing War, Peace, Com.
merce, Science ana Art, &c, and which has
been varlously treated by the critics. Wheth-
er meritorous or otherwise, the work Is
pleasing. Ten years ago the old man. now
seventy years of age, married beautiful but
notorious woman of Washington. He was
devotedly attached TO her and never tired OF
giving her proofs of his sincere affection.
Possessed of at least competence, he sur.
rounded her with almost every luxury her
heart desired. Ii was the old story, however
She married him solely for his wealth, and,
after few years, left him tor another and a
Younger mate, whom, in turn, she also de-
serted q few months ago. Before her deser'
ton her artist husband gave to the picture
Minerva, in the dome Of the Capitol, the face
and figure ofhis faithless wife-a fact which
! hut few visitors know. He is a sad old man,
working slowly and carefully, day by day, in
ornamenting the Capitol; receiving not an
artists pay, but simply per diem of $40.
| After his unfortunate matrimonial experience,
| it is not likely he will ever again divorce
himself from Art TO wed q mortal.