Wood County reporter. [volume] (Grand Rapids [i.e. Wisconsin Rapids], Wis.) 1857-1923, 1886-04-22
PACIFIC-COAST "REMINISCENCES.
Exploits of Senator Jones and Admiral Ammel

Exploits of Senator Jones and Admiral Ammen
A Washington correspondent of the New
York Tribune writes: Senator Jones' of
Nevada, at one time was worth $4,000 900:
to-day it Is doubtful whether his bank ac-
count is worth One-thousandth part of that
sum. Still, he is not without hope of re-
trieving his fortunes. He is interested in
some valuable mines up in Alaska, which
are beginning to pay largely. Jones is
rarely seen in his place in the senate. He
prefers looking after his business inter
ests to listening to the dull debates carried
on by his colleagues. When he was first
sent to the senate he was worth a great
deal of mOuey, and he spent it freely.
Before he had served out his term. how
ever, he had lost nearly the whole of it.
Yet he has been returned without difficulty,
not only once, but twice, since then. This
shows, l think, the great personal popu-
larlty of the man. He has the good sense
of avoiding quarrels, and never speaks Ill
of anyone. He has met here in Washing
ton great many of his early California
friends. There is, for instance. Justice
Field, Of the supreme court, who was a
justice of the peace in Marysville, CAL
when that town was little more than a
collection of tumble-down shanties.
A few doors from the Judges home was
boarding house where Jones and George
G. Gorham, who many years afterward be-
came secretary of the United States SEN
ate, boarded. Adjoining the boarding
house lived an Irishman, who had a very
pretty daughter, whom he was in the habit
of treating rather harshly-to use a mild
Observation-Disclosures he had partaken of |
too much mountain dew. This greatly |
scandaliZed the gallant boarders next |
door, and they succeeded in arOusing the |
sentiment of the town against Murphy. |
One fiue night, a vigilance committee, |
of which Jones and Gorham were mem |
bers, waited upon Murphy and informed |
him that he must stop padding his |
daughter or stand the consequences, |
which meant ducking, probably, in the |
creek near by, ride on a rail, or q coat |
of tar and feathers. I am not informed |
what the outcome of that visit was, but |
presume it accomplished it's object. The |
treatment at the hands of her father does |
not seem to have done much harm to the |
young lady, except to cause, perhaps, |
some temporary inconvenience; for she |
grew up to be fine woman, and became
IN after years the wife of Senator William
Sharon and the mother of Lapy Hesketh
the wife of st. Thomas Hesketh, of Eng
land. GOrham, who had shown himself to
be such an efficient champion of little
Miss Murphy, was, not long after he left
Marysville, nominated for governor, and
Jones. the present senator, was put on the
same ticket, though forget in what ca
pacity. Judge field continued practicing
his profession at Marysville. Time and
subsequent events separated these three
men, and they did not meet again until
they confronted each other at the capital |
here, the one an associate justice of the
supreme court another q senator from
Nevada. and the third as secretary of the
senate.
There is another acquaintance of Justice
Fields California days living near here,
who is the hero of more serious adven-
ture than that of the rescue of little girl
from the hands of brutal father. / re-
fer to Rear Admiral Ammen, who from q
naval officer. has turned into farmer of
the most enthusiastic kind. His farm
near Laurel. Md, with its fine mansion and
grounds, which he calls "Ammendale," is
a model of its kind. The admiral is fire.
quently seen in Washington, where his
well-knit frame, silvery hair, and kindly
face have been familiar for many years.
He and Justice Field were passengers to-
gether on the California steamer Ocean,
Queen. Admiral Ammen, then only
lieutenant. was in cearge of contingent