Morris tribune., 1881-02-03
One Of His "reminiscences Of Horace Greeley
and Felix Mcconnell. of Alabama.

One of His "reminiscences Of Horace Greeley
and Felix Mcconnell. of Alabama.
Hon. William E. Robinson, member
elect from New York to the next congress,
spent the better part of his life in the ma
tional capital in the capacity of newspaper
correspondent and member of congress.
His experience extends over period of
nearly forty years. He wrote for the New
York Tribune over the signature of Richie
lieu," and here is one of his recently related
"reminiscences of Felix Grundy McC Connell: :
This man Mcconnell was great character
both here and at home in his time. He was
man of fine ability and generous nature,
butga slave to the bowl" continued Mr..
Robinson, in his delightful rambling way,
as one incident in his eyentful career sug-
gested another. ''He was drunk pretty
much all the time, and sometimes became
very violent. He one time armed himself
with a cudgel and sought Horace Greeley,
with the intention of assaulting him as
Brooks afterward assaulted Sumner.
Horace Greeley, when he came to Wash
ington, always roomed with me at Cole
mans Hotel That morning he was COM
ing down, when Mcconnell, confronting
him, said;
Are you Horace Greeley?"'
"'Yes,' said Greeley, peering in his pc
culiar manner into Nee Connelps face andpip-
ing in his veal. voice, 4 am Horace Greeley
well, sir, am Mr.. Mcconnell of Ala
bama, sir, Felix Grundy Mcconnell, of Al
ALBANIA; and Cd d-n you, you have been
abusing me in your paper, and now I am
going to chastise you"
Mcconnell, ~ said Greely, placing his
nose up close to the irate Alabamian's face,
you are disgrace to yourself, a disgrace
to congress, disgrace to your state, and a
disgrace to your family, which is worst of
all. I am told that you have an estimable,
affectionate wife, whose heart you are break
ing by your dissipation. 1t is shame for
man of your ability to prostitute yourself
to base uses. And you deserve the censure
you have received in the press
"'You're right, Greeley, by Cd you're
right! give me your hand, said Mcconnell,
and the two shook hands and became
friends.
Mcconnell was singular character In
many ways. 1t was his custom whenever
he was paid off to thrust the gold congress
men were then generally paid inS2.50 gold
pieces loosely IN his pocket and make for
the bar of Coleman's Hotel, slap handful
of the gl1ttering coins ON the counter, re-
gardless of how they rolled and scattered,
and call everybody in sight up to drink.
He became SO notorious for his drunken
ness in Washington that his constituents
got up a formidable movement to defeat
him. A mass convention was called and
met in the open air. 1t was largely attended,
| and the tide seemed to be setting against
| Mcconnell, when it was checked by an in
| cident that put the crowd in a good humor.
1t seems that in order to get the sense of
the meeting it was necessary to divide the
crowd into two parts, and the president
suggested that the friends of the ether man
should go to the tavern hard by to be count
ed, while those in favor of the renomina-
| ton of Mcconnell were invited to meet in
an adjacent grove.
eat this Mcconnell sprang to his feet and
said: Oh, no, Mr.. President, you can't
come such game as that on me. Every
body knows that my friends would natural
ly prefer to meet at the tavern whether in
yited or not This sally caught the crowd,
and Mcconnell carried the day.
Poor Mcconnell, he finally committed
1 suicide; stabbed himself to death in the Gel
lar of the st. Charles Hotel on the corner of
Pennsylvania avenue and Third street"