Daily globe. [volume] (St. Paul, Minn.) 1878-1884, 1881-07-24
CoNKLING AT HOME.
Gossip Picked Up at Utica by a Newspaper
Cn,raenonlsnf

GOSSIP k'tcfeO Up 0t Ctscu W u -VctccpDPoT
Correspondence.
at is generally reported" said I,"that
Mr.. Conkling is naughty, austere and un-
approachable. How is that?''
This question was responded to in turn
by Judge Comstock, DR.. Watson and Mr.
Pomeroy.'
"Why," said DR.. Watson, nothing
could be more untrue, and believe that
half the reports regarding his austerity
spring from the fact that he shrinks from
public display. and avoids, whenever pos
sible, all public receptions. But in pri-
vate life, among his friends, and they in
clude. as you have found here, men Of all
classes, from the humblest to the veal
thiest, no one could be more genial and
friendly
"He is not man to sit down." said
Judge Comstock, "and regale a crowd
with vulgar jokes, and he has no sympa-
thy with the drinking and careusing that
is SO frequently associated with politics,
but he loves quiet talk with his friends,
and is certainly a delightful conversation
alist. He hates mere show, and, | be-
lieve, would rather take ride with me
in my old buggy, behind my lS-yearo
horse, than in the finest eQuipage ever
drawn"
"Whv, here is an illustration" inter
posed MIR. Pomeroy "Whenever he
comes home our city baggage man, Bill
Davidson, who is a character, by the way,
brin gs him up to the house in his bag
ga &c wagon, though fifty carriages would
be gladly placed at his service, and you
never saw more devoted friend of Mr..
Conkling than that same Bill Davidson.
Bill was wonderfully delighted at the
Senator's visit the other night, and proud
to carry him from the depot to his house.
Talking of it afterward, Bill said: i
wish | had known it minnie or two
sooner; I'd have fired off a couple of guns,
ANYWAY"
ssSome of the truest friends he has
GOT said Mr. Rogers, care humble men
whom he has helped in one way or an
other during his long residence here.
One of our matters, who is not a poor
man now, but who was in moderate CIR
cumstances at the time, was sued in a
case which involved all the property he
possessed. The parties on the other side
were acouaintances and admirers of Mr..
Conkling, and they sought him for coun-
sci. When he had heard their story he
declined the case, expressing the opinion
that their claim was not just one. The
other man heard of this, secured his ser
vices, and came out of court triumphant. 3"
"You remember, suppose, when he
first came to Ut1ca" said l.
"Oh, yes," returned one of the gentle
men, ;ihe borrowed $50 to come here
with. His father was poor, with large
family, and he did not wish to be a bur-
den to him. He was then about II. l
remember that he came to my house one
evening when there was large company
present, among them a. celebrated doctor
of divinity. He and MIR. Conkling got
into discussion during the evening on
the slavery question, Conkling taking
what was afterward the Republican
ground, and we all agreed that he got the
better of the doctor in the argument.
After he had gone the doctor inquired
more particularly who he was. and wound
up by saying that the country would yet
hear from that young man"
"You spoke just now," said DR.. Wat
son, ssabout his austerity. Why, I never
knew more tender hearted man. l re-
member that me time a man employed
on the railway dislocated his hip, and
wanted remuneration from the company.
| went with a brother physician to eX-
anime him, and Mr. Conkllng was pres
ent. We suspected the man was sham
ming, and in order to test it handled his
leg rather roughly. The man cried out,
and Mr.. Conkling was very indignant.
He denounced the treatment as brutal,
and did not know for a while but l had
forfeited his friendship.
$50 when a poor negro woman en-
ployed about the house broke her arm,
he ran to get bandages and displayed
more concern and sympathy than her own
relatives"
4 81 remember" said Mr.. Pixley, ''when
Grant was here, that an old man dressed
very shabbily had walked seventeen miles
to see the general He only expected to
look upon him, and was content during
the reception at Mr.. Conkling's house to
stand at distance and gaze at the gen.
eral; but Conkling saw him, and went
down the steps and brought HIM straight
up to Grant, and introduced him as if he
had been prince. Afterward he talked
to him himself for some time, and made
the old gentleman feel SO entirely at ease
that it was pleasure to look at him. Mr..
Conkling is always ready to respond to
the cry of the poor or sick, and hundreds
in Utica can testify to his generosity and
charity"
Doctor" said l to DR.. Watson, "you
have been Mr.. Conkling's physician for
many years. What was his condition in
1876, at the time they accused him Of
'sulking in his tent?'"
"He came home from Washington, re-
piled the doctor, completely broken
down. 1t was sort of malaria prostra-
ton, but his eyes were seriously affected,
and he was used up from overwork. He
was compelled to sit in dark room for
twelve weeks, and walked with his body
bent half double When he finally de-
termined to make the speech mentioned
above l begged him not to do it, and when
he came home utterly exhausted by the
effort, warned him, if the effort was re-
peated, it would cost him his life.''
"He was an object of pity and sympa-
thy at that time" said Mr.. Pomeroy, eff
ever man was, and yet the newspapers
were accusing him of hiding, and bitter
ly and shamelessly pursuing him"
81 don't understand it," said DIR. Wat
son. sin the following year, when his
friend Cornell was running for governor,
he did no more speaking than for Hayes
the year before, and yet he was not as
sailed'