The semi-weekly miner. [volume] (Butte, Mont.) 1882-1886, 1882-02-18
- 10uls'sLATEsT WONDER.
.,ot,er Old Nan Who Claims
n Have Known the Faith
er of HIS Country.
and Old Facts About Tom
Payne. Aaron Burr, James
Madison and Others.
IL He Telling the Truth ?

Ia He Telling the Truth?
,.o,ruc Washipgton's bo<ly-servant
~. h,n buried ut least ten thousand
. H., Int st. Louis takes the prize as
. .'..'.i in ancient history, and boasts of q
usua named Mr.. Charles jones who
ma" md talked with the father of his
k" "n,rv ~ once met Gen. Washing
.4"" "j,o wa great friend of my faith
""'' # WAS during the last year Of the
",:'.,ar,l's life. when I was years Of
" "a was Il pupil Mt DR.. Steenback'
"s. o, whicj, was situated on the corn.
' ."r Cedar and Lombard streets, in
> X.w York. NV father lived in New
York I'ity, and whenever Washington
..". IN New York he always sent for
' W." father ami went about with him.
~: S,un.s,ck was 4 professor of lam
.',,,., and his school was the lcst Of
=. Emil at the time. It was during the
y. .r,n,cr ni 1886 that Gen. Washington,
'.".'.,,,paniul 10y my father, paid short
';.;t r., tl,c s..Inn,l. 1 saw my father in
..,n,ny with Il gentleman whom 1 did
,"t know. and l ran up to where they
were Standing. This Is my son, SIR
NV father s,is! to his companion, and to
my. charles, this is Gen. Washington
I had often heard the General spoken Of
# horne, but was too young to under
.,,nd the importance Of his services to
,hc country or the dignity Of the posi-
linn, which, he had held, but renlem-
,.r holding out my hand, which the
General took in u very friendly way.
TLr gentlemen cOnverst1 little while,
'rI before leaving General Washington
allied n,c to him and placing his hand
IN nv head, blessed ne and kissed he.
They then went away. I always recall
That event and that blessing. think
j; brought me good fortune all through
;iie. ii you care to see it, l have here
IN invitation, from Gen. Washington
i" nv father, to dinner. The invita-
lion. INV father informed me, Is in the
GENERALS own handwriting, and l have
reserved il very carefully" The ''alDcr
mon which the invitation Is written il
i ordinary letter size, hut yellow with
re. Th. letters are beautifully formed,
md ar. s.,:ih rs amy pcnnlan might be
'c"u,l to own. Tie ink Is very black
and the whole writing very distinct.
Following is the invitation. On n sepa-
rate piece Of paper the approximation
:-wr;,,rn thus:
DOCTOR JONES.
The invitation is written in the con-
yrn,ivi,a! style Of suoh missives and
rus thus: 'a;cneral Washington pre-
>ents his compliments to DIR. JOnea. and
r,,,,s,s tine favor Of his company ut
dinner tu-.lay-4 o'clock Monday, 5th
Nav" /! will he noticed that the word
favor j, Sls.lt in the modern manner.
continuing his "reminiscences, Mr.. Jones
.aid: Mr.. Stcenl:.ch's school was right
!,,rk q: the old court house, on the corn
rM Nassau and Wall streets, and when
a hoy Witnessed many u historical
scene tina, took place there. In the inn
m,4liatc mciyl,lMrll,Mrl Of the school was
he shop Of Tom Payne's intimate
friend, Game. tI,cl,lacksnlitll, with whom
Payne ,,>4.l to live, l frequently saw
Payne. who was u great favOrite with
The lnyS. and uSa"l to like to have them
a'aat him. Payne wa. never tired Ot
slking /" rhii,l,",l, and l we'll re'nc:,l-
"r his arc"unt of how he escaped death
while in Paris, during the reign Of ter
m. Payne was locked up in prison. ami
tally expected tN be gnillOtinesi. II was
tl:e custom il tho. prison to mar K over
he 'i,srs 81 the cells al the condemned
with chalk. One night Payne heard the
'at"i>..::::chiny upon his door, and made
up his '.iin.l that the morrow would tx
his k,>l .!:y on earth. But it SD happened
that the cell next his own was similarly
ma-k,.i. aN;! next morning ~, opening
i'lal d"": it SWING against the door 81
synr> r'i; and concealed the de:athIy
'lalk mar: there. That evening Payne
"a released. Payne was very dis>ips.t
~, 'nl as" yer: l""'r. | think, toe, az
a'> y very unhappy man..
iNN.:" PRESIDENT ADAMS
i"', wien WIS lsul'' said Mr.. Jcne..
lint Adams himself was not really tn
Resident. Ills secretary, sam Maicon.
a.h'sl brilliant young man, WAS regard
t by politicians AMI others Intimate
WIN ">iin.iun affairs. as the Eirtua
rn~h;,n. sini.u,!nl married the Young
~ daughter -; General Schuyler. Ill
Vas r'""ui,,! :,S among the most prom
'''''" ynan- n!cn Of his time, and Nigh
'a'ra>p!sr,i t": ny position in the .''un
~! hli h" 'lisI :. common arunkari
N"'v!'= "'in:l him only the rc;,o!!es'tio1
= ~ ~ .:i..i"rnt youth. ! spent to
IRIS: !'.r- 81 III; life in New York city
WHEN w:t> III" great political theatre q
ne ''n". Ny father encouraged me +
.1s"a !iv.!v interest IN the events tina
",'' ':.n-n!rin-. and il WAS y p:t;'s''r
=. NE !" '!'+n. w:,- present 1t lean
h"r,'.. ~ Matthias IiOtcl, when
NV SM""n Il. fan,nnany Hall, an
ave h:cn"d 10 nEany :an'ou
,"r" '"rr. \ speaker whom
r'"''l'"r very we'll was .Aaro
","'. !'lrr was not very PR
..",'n* IN person, hut woI
'':''E 'r:,;iin, and entertaining t:iS
- =; hi:"wrsi hi: remarkable histor
40 %F":' ;H,'r.:;, and was personal!
:, ,"a,''"'i viii, himself and many
!, '".'f i"r>'!- vino were cNncerne
t,,'" ~ i'''"!slm it" side Of I'll" r:'r!
,,I: N"li!i..., was Mechanics Hal
49,. . .''r !.rrls;. uliy listened TO Ale!
r" u :n'il,""- s:urr'$ great OplHDncn
h"'"''''"r Will the fatal duel betwee
,,., 'rl"" mon. N"lnnly ut the time
Il. "'"-'' !"ii,trl Eurr meant to ki
'"h':*.''.i>!. lsurr's residence, Iticl
1,.. ' l'ii. >,.,iltct in what il now IL
lr rt' iH''' "I New York City, was ne,
-. ""''h,': ,'::ar.. and ! frequently