St. Paul daily globe., 1888-02-19

he was a student at Columbia college,
and he was noted as one of the fine din
ner giverS of the college. While he
was in Europe he kept his eyes open to
the mysteries OF the French cuisine, and
there is a story that he spent some
months in the kitchen of French
count, an epicurean, studying the meth
ods of his chef.
When Van Buren, was president he
returned to America, and married after
a time daughter of one of the Astors.
lie was at one time partner in his
fathers bank, but financial crash left
him bankrupt. He then went West to
San Francisco and accumulated for
tune there. and in 1858 he was agaiu %
broker on Wall street. In 1865 he came
to Washington with $1,000 in his pocket,
and from that time on until Garfeld's
death he was one of the best liVerS and
one of the most cOurted characters OF
the city. He was a lobbyist of the
higher class. He dwelt only with
prominent men and big measures. He
really had influence, and he did not
stOop to petty means to gain his ends.
S750,0O0 WHICH WAS NOT ACCOUNTED
FOR.
Another lobbyist of the past of some
note was Dick Irwin, who was nerv-
clerkShip in the war department to be
agent of the Pacific Mail Steamship
company. He is said to have been
given $750,000 to pass scheme giving
this company a subsidy of $3,000,000 a
year for ten years, and he stated on an
investigation of congress that he had got
ten this money, but he would not tell
what he had done with it. He was put
in Jail for contempt, but congress never
discovered where that $750,000 went to.
Speaking of this trouble between
Boyd and Thomas, had the two come to
blows, Boyd would undoubtedly have
been punished by the house. In the
Forty-frSt congress Richmond
congressman named Porter was as
Saulted by man on the streets of
Richmond during the time that congress
was in session, and this man was arrest
ed and arraigned for aSSaulting con-
gresham on his return to his home.
He was sentenced to three months i'm
priSonment in the jail of the District of
Columbia, and the sentence was carried
out. The days of Boss Shepherd showed
a great deal of lobbying at Washington,
| and Washington real estate is affected
every year by bills before congress.
There are number of street railroad
bills now pending which will increase
or lower the prices of large amount of
property by their passage, and from
fifty to hundred congressman own
Washington real estate.
PENALTIES FOR LOBBYING.
l close this letter with word about
the laws against lobbyists and stock
jObbing. They are strong enough to
send any one who engages in the busi-
ness to the penitentiary for three years,
and the following section, No. $3.50 of
the revised statutes, will be interesting
to many men, statesmen and eX-stateS-
men, who are now living at Washing
ton. This section provides that every
person who promises, gives or procures
to be offered any money or value to any
| member of congress, with intent to in
tiuence his vote or decision on any mat
ter pending in congress, shall be pun
ished by fine and Imprisonment not ex-
ceeding three years. The same penal
ties are provided for any member of
congress who asks or receives any val
liable consideration to influence his
vote or decision on any matter of legis-
lation, to which is added forfeiture of
his office as member and permanent
disqualification to hold any office of
honor, trust or profit under the United
States.