Wood County reporter. [volume] (Grand Rapids [i.e. Wisconsin Rapids], Wis.) 1857-1923, 1881-01-06
WASHINGTON GOSSIP.
Eyarfs- Thurman. ConkIing and
Others Wh0 Interest the General


4
Others Who Interest the General
Reader.
When England and the United States
were getting ready for the trial of the
| Geneva award case, 4 few years ago
| the United States government had Its
| case made out before calling in its
counsel. The papers when prepared
were filed at the state department, and
of course were kept very close, IS it
was known that England had spies here
ready TO sweep down on anything con-
nected with the case which came in
their way. Mr.. Evarts was the leading
counsel or the part Of the United States.
One day he went to the state depart
ment, and asked Secretary Fish to
allow him to take the documents. so he
could study the case up and prepare
| for trial. Mr.. Fish gave them to him
| and cautioned him over and over to be
very careful, and not let them out Of
| his hands. When Mr.. EvartS left the
state department Mr.. Fish said he
would drive down to Welckner's with
him and have something cool to drink,
it being an exceedingly hot day On
getting into the carriage Mr.. Evarts is
| positive that he placed the precious
documents under the cushion of the
carriage. Mr.. Fish also was under the
impression that Mr.. EYarts had put them
| there. On arriving st Welcker's, the two
| gentlemen got out Of the carriage and
/ went into the restaurant. leaving the
documents hidden under the cushions.
They were in the restaurant about
| twenty minutes. When they came out
Mr.. Evarts opened the carriage door
and just raised the cushion to see if
the papers were safe. They were gone.
Everything was pulled out of the car
riage, but no papers came to light. The
two gentlemen searched their pockets.
thinking that they might possibly be
be mistaken in thinking they had left
them in the carriage, but they could
not be found. The cOachman, one
who had been in Mr.. Fish's service
| for years, was questioned, but could
| throw no light upon the subject. Mr..
Fish could not believe that he bad
been bribed by any one who had seen
them leave the carriage, for he was one
of those old colored servants who are
always faithful to their employers. The
papers were not found. nor have they
ever been to this day. The only ex-
PLANTATION of their disappearance was
that one of the English spies had been
watching them, and when they left the
carriage had quietly opened the door,
taken the papers, and disappeared.
When it was plain the papers could not
be found, Mr.. Fish turned quietly to
Mr.. Evarts and said: well, Brother
Evarts, it is your usual luck; you al
ways lose your case"
Senator Conkling, for the three days
that he has been in congress, has had
| the corner Of a dainty silk handker-
chief sticking out Of the outside breast
pocket of his coat The handkerchief is
a dull-yellow silk, plaided with red
stripes, and has red border. Senator
| Thurman also has q great fancy for
colored silk ondkerchiefs, and always
carries them; but he usually carries q
dark one, for he is an inveterate snuff
taker. But, on yesterday, in the SEN
ate, it was noticed that he kept turning
his eyes toward the brilliant handker-
chief showing in the pocket of the
dainty New York senator. Then Sen
ator Thurman was observed to take his
own long-suffering bandana from his
pocket, and, looking at it contemptu-
ously, thrust it back into his pocket.
Finally he got up and walked over to
| Conkling's seat, and, it was plain to be
seen, asked to see his handkerchief
Senator Conkling took it out of his
pocket and held it up by two corners.
Thurman stood off and admired it, and
then stepped up and felt of it between
his thumb and finger, like a lady when
buying a dress. Then Conkling hung
the handkerchief from the centre over
his finger and let it fall in folds, as a
clerk in dry goods store holds silks
so as to show them in their best light.
Conkhng dropped his curly head on
one side, and gazed at it admiringly,
while Thurman again stepped in the
aisle to get a better effect of the colors
When they had admired it sufficiently,
Conkling folded the handkerchief and
| offered to present it to Thurman. Sen
atOr Thurman looked at it longingly,
partly stretched out his right hand,
and then drew it back. Conkling still
pressed it upon him, but Senator Thur
man shook his head, and, drawing his
own old faded red bandana from his
pocket, took large pinch Of snuff, and
walked away down the aisle.