The National tribune. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1877-1917, 1888-05-03

pardOn-seekiug, the Cabinet quarrels, the I'M
parchment trial and the struggle of the Execu-
tive with Congress, made affairs about the Ex-
ecutive Mansion very exciting and full of in
terest, and there was for long time after the
days Of the assassination that it was gravely
feared some attempt would again be made on
Mr.. Johnson's life Two members of the mill
tary staff were always present in the room
when Mr. johnson received visitors, and any
attempt on the Presidents life would have
been a decidedly hazardous matter for the at
lacking party. Thanking the desk of Mr..
johnson on either side, and little to the rear,
were high desks, and at each one stood an Aid
de-Camp Ostensibly engaged in writing, but
really keeping close watch on any strangers
present. At each hand were half-open drawers,
and each drawer contained q loaded army re-
volveT, ready for instant use by hands accus-
toned by training to such work. Col. Robert
johnson, the Presidents eldest son, had been
cavalry Colonel of volunteers and was then
the Chief Private Secretary. He has long been
dead. The other Private Secretary was Col.
William Wallace Warden, then a newspaper
man, but now a law practitioner here with his
brother, Judge Robert B. Warden, the biog-
rapher and close friend of the late Chief Justice
Chase
A BIG POKER GAME.
The visit here of Gen. James S. Brisbin,
Lieutenant Colonel, 9th o. S. Cav, on leave
from Wyoming, recalls good story he wasfond
of telling away back in 1862
One night in the Spring of that year a num-
Der of Army officers were sitting in the old
Phoenix Hotel in Lexington, KY, telling poker
stories and Of big games, and one had just retold
the story of the nerve of the Army PaymasteT
going down the Mississippi to pay troops, who
had saved himself and several thousand of dol
lars from a gambler who bluffed at him by 8
raise Of $4,000 and the demand to put up in
five minutes or quit" The Paymaster looked
at his opponent a moment, then went away to
his nelghbOTlng staterOOm, returned with two
Sergeants, small field safe and four big revol-
vers, and opening the safe, counted the $4,000
and raised back 100000, with the same demand
of the gambler TO put up" The gambler
went ashore st the next wood landing, leaving
his $4,000 in possession of the plucky young
Paymaster.
That was stock story even in those days.
but Gen. Brisbin quietly remarked that he had
witnessed a bigger game than that the night
before, and the money ali up. ION the last
raid to Saltville," said the General, I was
Chief Of Staff to Gen. Burbridge, and Gen.
James h. Wade was commanding the skeleton
regiments Of the 5th and 9th Colored Cav
When we captured Saltville and destroyed the
many hundreds of salt kettles, among the
plunder found there was number of safes filed
full of original packages of Confederate money.
Nade's men had nearly all been recruited from
TIE great contTaband camp at Camp Nelson, and
had not long escaped from bondage in the rebel
lines, and TO most of them the Confederate
promises to pay represented actual money,
deprecated IN value, but still money, and they
loaded themselves down with the crisp pack
ages. One cold night while we were on the
way back TO eastern Kentucky, Wade and L
walked down near campfire where a group Of
excited negroes were playing poker, game
they had quickly learned and liked. We stood
In the darkness outside the circle and watched
the game. Finally good hands were dealt
round aud betting was high. All handsstayed
in, and raises quickly ran above the hundreds,
and 81, 900, $4,000, $4,000 and $4,000 were
laid down at clip, until enc tall trooper blufIed
with raise OF cool 100000, that drove out
ali the players but one other. This man look ed
over his greasy cards again, then saw the pile
and raised quarter OF Million stacking up
| bundle after bundle until the amount was
] there on the rubber pOnchO. The man Of the
/ 100000 bluff layed down at that and the
other man had to lace up the pouches to hold
all the money. / might as well explain, though,
that before this big game was played the coloTed
/ troops had sorrowfully learned that all their
/ Confederate money was really worth was its
value by weight for old paper; but it was the
! biggest game ever saw, anyhow, and the vast
/ ness Of the amounts put up created almost the
excitement Of bona-dde cash game"
Az AGED OFFICIAL DYING.
Lindsay Muse, the aged Chief Messenger OF
/ the Secretary OF the Navy, IS lying very III at
the handsome home he owns ON Eighteenth
street near l street, and possibly before this
paper snail have reached It's thousands Of read
/ ers ne viii be numbered among the silent ma
/ jority who have solved the great problem Of all
I. humanity. How many years Muse is in age
/ he is unable 10 tell himself, but he said TO me
1 several years ago tAat while ne did not know
his age, he was " tall, likely man somewhere
IL the t~enties when he was first appointed
, 10 the position Inc has held and served faith
fully in for almost so years. He was appointed
in 1881, while Gen. jackson was serving his first
term as President, and since that time he has
/ known every officer who served IN the u. S
/ Navy and every clerk in the Navy Depart
ment. Boys have grown to manhood donned
the uniforms, and after serving long years died
old men, since Muse has been guarding the ap-
prOach 10 the Secretaries Of the Navy he served
under. Two great wars have come and gone III
victory 70 the Stars and Stripes while he saw
the heroes Of each one win their honors anl
pass away before him. Only short time ago
-s0mc 10 days-thc aged messenger caught
slight cold that seemed nothing serious, bat hi
I great age told upon him, and he has beer
gradually bgt surely sinking from the loss o
vitality that comes of age. Each day as MANY
Inquiries are made as 20 his condition as ii ht
had been an officer OF high rank, and thrice
each day messenger brings bulletin Of his
condition 70 the Department. Many years ago
through the late distinguished CommodOr
Aulick, Muse WIS enabled TO purchase what wa
then a modest plot of ground on what was thei
a retired street near the Commodore, and nov
the rapid increase of value in that section ha
made him a wealthy man.
CLERKS AFFIDAVIT FEES.
practice obtains in the Department Of tn
Interior that seems 10 me to work great iaius
tice 10 clerks IN many cases, and yet / fea
that the conduct Of some IN times agone ma
brought this about by rebound from careles
leuency IN former days, and the opposite eE
1 treme Of harsh measures now to correct tn
evil 1t is, or has been, the custom in the va
riogs Executive Departments here to ALLOW
each empl0ye who receives a stipulated salar
sick leave with pay during each year in ad
dition to the 30 days allowed by statute
and that sick leave has been limited to
T maximum Of 20 days more except In extrem
ard unusual cases, where the Secretary ma
decide that extra time may be granted withou
doing injustice 10 the public interests In til
Interior Department in the Summer Of 1885,
q long circular was promulgated prcscribu
how and when leaves should be granted. and i
treating Of the subject Of sick leaves after re
strictiug the extent of such leave to 30 days il
each calendar year, goes on TO say: The ne
cessity Of such sick leave must be fully estal
lished by medical evidence, and to the salts
faction Of the officers OF the Department.
} Subsequent rulings, by whom made no oiIicia