The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1885-06-14
GRANTS MEMORY.
The Way in Which He Remembered and Re-
wartled an Old Acquaintance.

Washington Correspondence Minneapolis Tribune.
While speaking of General Grants illness to
an old frontiersman, this morning, who has been
here for three four days on business before
the Land Office, the man of quarter sections and
wigwams, squatter rights and tomahawks re-
marked:
Grant was accused of nepotism while he was
President, and solely on the account that he
never forgot his friends. Instead of throwing
his friends over and corralling lot of strangers
to get their fodder at the national hayrick, he
rounded up the herd and picked out the cattle
with his brand on em and fattened them. ]
know an instance which shows his wonderful
memory and well-known spirit. When Gen
time after the Mexican war, he was sta
toned the frontier That
the day of stages, you know, and the men who
drove those caravans from Horace Greeleys
Hank Monk down to Sombl Gro Wilkes, who was
hung some months ago in Montana for murder
ing pedder. were pretty hard citizens. Their
passengers, OF course, were mostly men, but
once III while woman would be part of the
freight. If you have ever been Yves. you have
perhaps been impressed with the original and
pungent profanity which is indigenous in that
country. Well, to return, one occasion
Grant. then. as said lieutenant, and lady
and John Altman, the now well-known mail con-
tractor occupied solely one OF the stages on the
southern overland route. The driver was
master of profanity and every time horses
hoof struck the ground he would accompany it
with chunk of choice cuss words. He had
voice like calliope, too, and it was extremely
unpleasant for the lady, who happened
to be going :. to join her husband.
an army officer. She blushed and
blushed until Altman could stand it no
longer He cot up, poked his head out of the
window and told the driver if he didn't shut up
he would lick him at the next change station.
That tickled the driver to death, and he amused
himself until the station was reached by enum-
Grating the number of teeth, eyes, jawbones and
ribs he would knock out Of ''the tenderfoot in
side when the station was reached. Altman.
who was a wonderfully powerful man and per-
fectly scienced, took that driver out behind the
shed and beat him up SO badly that coyote
would have run away from the sight. The rest of
the journey silent, as far as the driver
concerned, but Altman and Grant fell into
more genial conversation than that which had
characterized the first part of the trip. After
several hours they separated, Grant having
arrived at his destination.
In 1870 Altman came on to Washington, to see
about some mail contracts for which he had
been the lowest bidder, but which for some
son had not been awarded to him. One after
noon he was standing in front Of Wizards Hotel
when a stout man with full beard closely
cropped stepped up to him and inquired: 'Is
your name Altman?"
John replied that he had the distinguished
honor of bearing that name.
"Do you remember once day, twenty years ago,
whipping stage driver who was swearing in the
hearing of lady passenger
oh yes.' said John.
I'm the lieutenant who was in that stage"
continued the stout man, my names Grant.
Come up to the White House and see me- and if
The very next day John went up. and three days
afterward he was on his way West with those
contracts awarded to him slowed away in his
grip"