The Wheeling daily intelligencer. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1865-1903, 1883-09-12
PnIYATE pALzELL.

Sketch OF the Dtbttukuthhou hhN.
some Of Sis EccentrieitieH.
WashinOton Correspondence Of Pitts6urgh Dispateh.
l have known Private Dalzell for many
years. He was about the first man l
struck when l reached Washington. We
belonged to the same Greek society at
our respective colleges and to the same lit
erary society here. Forseyeral months Ne
rootnetl together in Washington. There is
an impression abroad that Private Dalzell
Is crazy. l will admit, myself, that he Is
little "off," but certainly not more so than
good many men In business Of equal cal
ibre. The prefix Of "PriyRte" l know to be
not species Of egolism, but that 1t was
adopted as satire on the numerous "Col-
oneis ""Maiors" and Generals" who intest
he Nationol Capital. It was adopted by
Dalzell while in this city, and was regarded
as very clever satire. He has stuck 10 1t
/ remember Dalzell ash first saw him, q
tall, gaunt, sallowcomplexioned, long
haired specimen Of humanity, with most
singularly acute features, prominent nose
and startling blue eyes. There was dis
position on the part OF the literary society
to which we belonged TO make fun Of Dial.
zell, and "guy" him they did for awhile
most numerically. Alonzo Bell, recently
Assistant Secretary Of the Interior, then
a clerk in the Treasury Department, was
President Of the society at the time. We
used to meet in the old Council chambers
at the City Hall, and the nights Of meeting
were characterized by crowds oil ladies and
gentlemen who assembled to hear discuss
ions. On this particular night In question
one OF the brightest minds In the society
whetted itself against Dalzell, and in
consequence ] saw one OF the funniest
scenes I ever witnessed in my life.
The house was crowded, as usual,
and Dalzell upon rising to reply 10 the
satire and ridicule Of his little opponent,
attracted considerable attention and not a
little tittering in the audience. But this
was OF short duration. Dalzell was upon
his mettle. He opened in very low voice,
tremulous with timidity or anger; then he
| Lit on that little fellow inaway that l never
heard in eitherhouse Of Congress or outside
one man light upon another and keep
within parliamentary rules. Perhaps no.
body could have told what be said or how
he said It, but he CAPTURED Che house by the
very force OF his inyectives aud passionate
oratory. He literally, to use the common
expression, wiped up the floor with the
opposition and his time was extended
again and again amid tremendous applause.
The young man who provoked this attack
and very bright young man he was too
never dared TO show his face upon the
Ilyceum flor again. From that moment
Dalzell toek front seat in the debates and
conduct OF the lyceum.
He used to take notions Of living
economically and saving money, and in
one OF these periods rendered himself very
obnoxious to the department clerks by fur
nishing John A. Bingham, then Repre-
sentative from Ohio with statistics oil how
little was actually required to enable a
clerk to live decently in Washington. Dali
cell was living in little garnet for which
he paid s. month, and he showed Bing-
ham the figures to prove he was able to save
81, 900 yearly out OF a 81, 400 salary. The
storm Of abuse heaped upon DaIzeli when
Bingham read those figures may be better
imagined than described. But these
economical fits were spasmodic, and would
be followed by earnest effort. to live like
gentleman. He would go down to a
clothing store and furnish himself with an
entirely new outfit OF broad-ctoth, with fix.
ings to match. Then he would move into
quarters in harmony with his new dignity.
Most OF Dalzell's eccentricities arose
from his delight to shock the proprieties.
He was by no means fool, though a good
many took him for one. His eccentricities
were merely for personal amusement, and
this amusement was derived at the expense
Of those who derided him. He used to
have few bywords which meant nothing,
and which excited a good deal OF astonish.
ment now and then because they could not
be understood. -.
An eccentricity, l remember, was his
carrying raised umbrella over his head
down Pennsylvania avenue on moonlight
nights. This created, invariably, an i'm
mense sensation. This species OF amuse-
ment, however, was broken up by one
night attracting a Tabble Of "hoodlums,"
who made 1t warm for him.