The Anderson intelligencer. [volume] (Anderson Court House, S.C.) 1860-1914, 1882-05-25

How the CODgrcssmen Guzzicd nnd Gorged
mt the Yorktown Celebration Last Ycar.
WAsu1SGroS. d. c.. Nav 20.

WAsHISGTON, ID. c., May 20
A mine Of dynamite has been discov-
cred which bids fair TO cast the somewhat
mysterious Cleveland excursion bills in
the shade for explosive power when it is
investigated. 1t is an item Of S23 900 To
make up deficiency for the Yorktown
celebration. Certain members of the
Appropriation Committee have been
n'aking inquiries, and queer stories are
told. II is said that the Commission.
under direction Of Senator johnson, had
steamer on which large number Of
sailors and members of Congress lived
during the trip. II ia said that they in.
vi,ed all their friends 10 live on The
steamer at government expense for the
three days and four nights they were
there. The result WAS that they boarded
some 500 people in the most extravaganza
style possible. A first class caterer had
carte blanche 10 make it as expensive as
possible, and he fed 400 or 500 people
ihrec times day with the choicest lux.
uries Of the season. This was ihe small
cot part Of the matter, and would proba
bly, be passed over rs one Of those things
Congre-smcn indulge in and say nothing
about, supposDg thai the people who pay
the bills will ner hear Of it. 1t has
leaked out, however, that the bills SHOW
several thousand dollars for liquors and
cigars. An inquiry into the circum-
stances has created a furry of uneasiness
among the managers Of the affair, who
were trying TO get the bill through quiet.
ly. II is said that on me lower deck a
free bar was run, and every one could
get what lie called for without money
and without price. Nothing was too
good for The several hundred men who
made their headquarters o., board the
steamer. The best brandies, whiskics
and wucs flowed night and day like
water; imported champagne was scarcely
lit for the crowd to drink, so instidious
were they about their beverages when
Uncle Sam WAS footing the bill The
most inordina,e scenes were enacted, it
! is said, on the lower deck, unrcstrained
by the presence Of the ladies', who occu-
| pirI the grand saloon above. 1t is re-
pn,ted that the thing kept un till it ter.
minated in horror. The boat started
back at one o'clock, and long after dark
! when stcaming up the bay, the vessel
rang with horrible shrieks of murder
| murder. The cries were those Of man
in mortal terror or agony, and came from
| tie foot of the broad staircase leading up
| to the ladies' saloon. There was n mo.
ment's hesitation on the part of the
crowd who throngcti to the mnin state
room, and then to make confusion worse
cnniunded, two ladies fell in dead faint.
There was pause in the revery 1t was
| found that the cries Of murder came from
n colored man who was being kicked and
beaten by Il white man. 1t was an hour
before quiet was restored among the ex.
cited and frightened people, and word
WAS passed around that the fuss was over,
for Senator Johnson had ordered the free
bar closed. 1t is this sort Of thing that
swclls the deficiency 10 S23,00C It is
reported that about half this amount is
for free whisky. wine, cigars and other
luxuries on the Commission boat The
French and German visitors, the Cabinet
and President were on other boats. The
sensation Of the season is promised when
the bills are called for in the House.