Morning journal and courier., 1886-03-08
FLEECING NEW MEMBERS.
Man Who Plays the Part of
 Needy Constituent.

l A Man Who Plays the Part of a l Needy Constituent.
 l From the Washington Star.l
 1 'Did you ever notice those fellows who hang around here all the time? Those seedy, played-out looking fellows, who look as if l they did not have friend on earth, and stay
 here only because they know of no place else to go. We'll, some of them make lots of money by it. It's their profession. See that | fellow2" He pointed to rough-looking | man, with red. face. who was backed up into the window niche writing card. 'He's | the king of them all. At the beginning of 1 each Congress he makes enough to last him | until the next comes in. He's an expert I've watched him for the past ten years, and | have seen him take in thousands of dollars.
 Yes, am sure may say thousands. Oh but he's clever one."
 He is very versatile, and has a pathetic and insinuating manner about him. He never offers any compensation for the money he asks for. He takes no interest ill legisla- l ton, and is in no sense connected with the l lobby. He doesn't pretend to be able to serve members in any way who give him money, nor to do them any harm if they refuse They can't accuse him of blackm ailing. He makes out list of all the new members who
  see the face of constituent very often. Then he posts himself very well as to their dis tricts, being careful not to come too near home base. Then he visits them, one or two day. and delights them with the sight of a 1 fond constituent, who has come all the way to Washington. The motive Of his visit changes according to the man he has to deal with. If the member is particularly suscep- tible to personal hattery, the object was to see him on the floor of the House in all his glory. But generally he is disappointed office e-seeker. He is always without money, and very anxious to get home He doesn't want small aims. All he asks is to be given enough money to get home, which is gener- ally far enough away to take quite a con- siderable sum. Ten dollars is very small amount for him to collect from one man. He averages about $20 a head. He has homes all the way from Boston to Wisconsin, but he likes most to roam about through the West, and is the constituent of nearly every new western member before the session is over. have seen him pass through several districts hundreds of miles apart in the space of half an hour, and collect hundred dol lars, or may be two or three hundred on the trip reckon his business hasn't a run of more than two three months in two years. Then he lays back and lives on the profits until some more new Congressmen come in As I said, I have watched him for ten years, and expect he has not collected
 
 NIT. Lamar and Gamalfel.
 From the Washington Letter to the Philadelphia
 Prsssl
 Bob Ingersoll visited Washington last week. After making the capital his home for many years, he has removed to New York, where he hopes the profits of his legal business will greatly exceed the comfortable income he derived from the practice of his profession in the District of Columbia. h. gersoIl has many friends among politicians of both parties and one of his admirers is Secretary Lamar. The infdel called upon the Secretary at the Interior department, and Ingersoll, in the course of half an hours conversation, said scores of witty things, which Lamar, lying back upon the sofa in his private office, enjoyed immensely. h. gersoll finally made some remark in ridicule of orthodox Christianity. There was mo mentary pause when he finished, and the Secretary jumped to his feet, throwing his long hair with an impatient gesture back from his forehead. 'Ingersoll," he ex- claimed, 'I hope to live to see the day when you will come to this capital city and preach to the world Christ and him cruci- fled! With your magnificent abilities and splendid oratory you could work a revival such as the world has never seen I hope, Bob, to see the day when this will come to pass, and you could not engage in any gran- der or more noble work"