The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1884-10-05
COL. MCoMB's DOUBLE.
An Incident in the Life of the Late President
John w. Garrett.

New York Times.
The death of John w Garrett, of the Balti-
more & Ohio railroad. brings up an amusing
"reminiscences Garrett and Col Harry McComb
of Credit Mobilier fame, were fast friends,
though often on the opposite side of the fence in
railroad projects McComb used to stop at the
Fifth-avenue Hotel, while Garrett divided his
time between the Brevoort and the Brunswick
Somewhere along about 1880 or 1881 the Della
ware Legislature had finally consented to char
ter rail line across its territory placing Short
cut within reach of the Baltimore
& Ohio through to Philadelphia with
out obeisance to the Pennsylvania.
But the new charter was in McCombs
hands The Pennsylvania people were cooling
at his elbow Whispers from Baltimore way
had to be most appealing. So President John
w. Garrett journeyed over to see McComb. The
old gentleman proposed to talk business
to McComb for all he was worth, and
bridge over, if pretty propositions could do
1t, little difference of a million OIL so. John W.
got into New York TWO or three hours ahead of
time. He was in a musing mood and not too
proud to walk Up Broadway he sauntered
leisurely, bound for the Brunswick, where he
was to turn on the hoodgates of his eioquence.
He was just opposite the Fifth-avenue, when
along by his side strolled a robust, clean shaver,
smiling man, looking enough like McComb TO be
his twin. The magnate from Baltimore didn't
hesitate Out went his hand with a greeting
more Cordial than anything Manhattan Island
had witnessed in a fortnight. Something like
face Of the new arrival. but Mr.. Garrett swept on
in his eloquent protestations Of joy at the meet
ing.
1--WE will run over to the Brunswick and
lunch" he calculated His friends didn't OBJ
ject. To the Brunswick they went and they
dined in princely style for an hour or more
Right along had the fascinating accents of Mr.
Garrett flown He had no desire to rush directly
to business. Enough for the moment was it to
tell all about how he loved Col. McComb and
what gracious things he hoped some time to do
for him. And the Colonel, Isped he nothing
In silence he ate and in silence he drank; only
the sparkle of an appreciative eye told how he
enjoyed the good things of this life as the Balti
more & Ohios president was able to dispense
them.
'How long do you remain in the city," quoth
Mr.. John w. Garrett.
Champagne had evidently dubbed up into the
region of the Colonels brain
I'm d-dashed if I know" was the rather in
artculate response of the man, who for the first
time had broken silence. I'm d-d-dashed if l
know. Fac is. old man, fac is, I'm just back
from the island to-day, and life is little, just
little kind O shaky for a fellow when Capn
Williams is down on him.
Mr.. John W. Garrett stared.
Then his companion wanted to climb upon
the table and make speech. A lackey inter
fered. For the first time Mr. Garrett gave a
searching looking into his companions counte-
nance. Then the only reason he didn't faint was
because he didn't know how. There are times in
this life when even railroad presidents show
little feeling. This was one of those times for
Mr. John w. Garrett, of the Baltimore & Ohio.
He was on the verge of saying something right
to the point in an ncisive Maryland way, when
a new face peered in at the dining-room door.
And this new face was the face of the real
Colonel McComb-the face of man who en-
joyed good joke, and was not so ascetic to
refuse q few condiments while he promised not
to dwell too often upon some of the embarrass-
ments of true goodness in wicked world.
But to the day of his death l think Colonel
Harry McComb was a little worried because this
second edition of himself was in circulation. On
a railroad train day. when he was in good
humor over the success of some one of his fnan-
cial strokes, he told me the story himself.
But it's rather tough" he said ''to think
that you've got a double, particularly when you
discover that the double is West Side sharper
and bunko man"
| never heard it intimated that Mr. Garrett
was employing missionaries 10 retail his little
pX