Iowa County democrat. [volume] (Mineral Point, Wis.) 1877-1938, 1882-05-26
a Congressional Bill.

HOW THOUSANDS OF DOLLARS WERE sQUAN-
DERED IN DRINKING AND SMOKING.
A mine of dynamite has been dis.
covered which bids fair to cast the
somewhat mysterious Cleveland excur-
sion bills in the shade for explosive
power when it is investigated. 1t is an
item of S2S 900 to make up deficiency
for the Yorktown celebration. Certain
members of the appropriations COM
mittee have been making inquiries and
queer stories are told. 1t is said that
the commission under direction of
Senator Johnston, had a steamer, on
which large number of senators and
members of congress lived during the
trip. 1t is said that they invited all
their friends to live on the steamers at
government expense for the three days
and four nights they We're there. The
result was that they boarded some FIVE
hundred people in the most extrava.
CANT style possible. A first class caterer
had carte blanche TO make it as ex-
pensive as possible and he fed four or
five hundred people three times day
with the choicest luxuries of the season.
This was the smallest part of the
matter, and would probably De
passed over as one Of those
things congressman indulge in and say
nothing about, not supposing the peo-
pie who pay the bills will ever hear of
it. 1t has leaked out, however, that
the bills show several thousand dollars
for liquors and cigars. An inquiry in
to the circumstance, it is reported, has
created furry of uneasiness among
the managers of the affair, who were
trying to get the bill through quietly.
1t is said that on the lower deck for
ward free bar Was run, and every one
got what he called for without money
and without price. Nothing was too
good for the several hundred men who
made their headquarters on board the
amer. The best brandies, whiskeys
anu wines flowed night and day like
water; imported champagne was scarce
ly fit for the crowd to drink, so fastidi-
Gus were they about their beverages
when Uncle Sam was footing the bills.
The most inordinate scenes were
enacted, it is said, on the lower deck,
unrestrained by the presence of the
ladies who occupied the grand saloon
above. 1t is reported that the thing
was kept up till it terminated in what
threatened to be horror.
The boat started back at 5 o'clock,
and along after dark, when steaming
up the bay, the vessel rang with hor-
rible screams of "Murder-murderW
The cries were those of man in
mortal terror or agony, and came
from the foot of the bread staircase
leading up to the ladies' saloon. There
was a moments hesitation on the
part of the crowd thronging the main
stateroom, and then, to make con-
fusion worse confounded, two ladies
fell in dead faint. There was pause
in the revelry. Il was found the cries of
murder came from q colored man who
was being kicked and beaten by white
man. 1t was an hour before quiet was
restored among the excited and fright
ened people, and word was passed
around that the fun was over, for Sena-
tor Johnston had ordered the free bar
closed.
1t is this sort of thing that swells the
deficiency to $4,000. 1t is reported
that about half of this amount is tor
free whisky, wine, cigars. and other
luxuries In the commission boat. The
French and German visitors and the
cabinet and president were on other
boats. The sensation of the season is
promised when the bills are called for
In the house.