The Washington critic., 1888-03-03
WAXEM ON A GRIDIRON
Members of the GridirOn Club Enter.
tain the Member from WaybacR,
THE PRESS AND POLITICS.
The Jedgc Finds the Gridiron
Warm, but He Doesn't Get
Broiled.


distinguished Washington newspaper cor
respondents composing the Gridiron
Club, q number of statesmen and other
prominent citizens foreign and domestic,
were invited to attend the club dinner
gwen last Saturday night at Wolcker's
and among them was ledge Waxem the
Member from Wayback who, with Sec
rotary Endicott, was the guest of Colonel
a. o. Stealey of the. Louisville Courier
Journal The members of the club
present were Messrs. Powers Chicago
Times; Larner Baltimore SH; Towle
Boston Trdrcller; Nixon, n. o. Tines
Democrat West, Washington Post;
Dunuell, N. Y. Times; Mcfarland,
Boston Herald; Curtis, Chicago Nccs
Handy, Chicago Times Underwood,
Boston Adrotisoy Stealey, Courier
journal. Morgan, Boston Globe; Mckee,
Associated Press; Durham, Courier.
.Jotyaol; Depui, n. y. Times; Frank
Carpenter, American Press Association,
and the guests were Rev. Moses p.
Handy, Colonel Clark of Boston; John
Philip Sousa, Mr.. Smith, city; Rep
resentatiVes Compton of Maryland,
Hemphill of South Carolina, Breckin.
ridge of Kentucky, WaXcm of Wayback,
Lodge Of Massachusetts,, Morse OF New
York, Wilkinson of Louisiana; Colonel
Dawson, Charleston Ners and Courier;
Hon. Pat Walsh, Augusta GA Chronicle;
Mr.. Phillips editorial staff y. y. Times;
Secretary Endicott, Senator Sabin, Bishop
Oberly and Mr.. Curtis. After the usual
skirmishing the dinner was attacked all
along the line, the leader of the forces
being Mr.. Powers, president of the club,
,,,1 .. haf,~ la M la
wine, the specch-maklng began. Messrs.
Towle, Powers, Larner, Dunnell, Mao
larlaud and Durham of the club
getting in their deadly work on the
guests in fine shape, relieved only by the
guests. who were called on as sandwiches
TO the efforts of the hosts. Jedge WaXem
sat at Mr. Powers's left hand, ris.d-ris to
Secretary Endicott, an interested listener,
betraying at times n nervousness, re.
inforced by stern determination to beat
down all obstacles and get there with a
speech or ''bust a backin' strap in the
attempt. All the guests except Messrs
Sousa, Smith and Curtis made speeches,
and some. of them were very good, con-
sidering the fact that they had to face a
storm of interruptions and other diverting
Gridiron eccentricities.
Secretary Endicotts speech started in
well.
Mr.. President and Gentlemen of the
Press, he said, 81 experience keen
satisfaction in appearing before you this
evening. [Cheers and calls for More
and Louder and TO arms, to armspl
have long known the power of the press
lyells of Rats 'Chestnuts,' Shoot it,
&c., &c. and / appreciate the compli-
ment Ia voice: Where's Stealeyp1 you
pay me [another voice: we never
pay'J high compliment by invit-
ing me here, and i want to thank
E.s D (t,sn .Nf aVNlr all,
Don't mention it,, Who's John Sufi-
yanP &C., &c.] In my capacity as the
lloud applause, and cries of Let her go,
Gallagherp1 as the-as well as the Ia
voice: You've said that twice'l. Gentle
men of the press luproarious appausel If
you will permit me Ia yell: who said we
wouldn't?l will close my Ia voice; Now
cious [cries of Where's the dictionary
How did it get away from Harvard? Nc,
&c.l. Gentlemen, | [cheers and yellsl -
Col darn it, ! can't make n speech in
tfns--. More yells Gathering OF dishes
and general pandemonium, in the midst
of which the Secretary of War sat down,
with his face so red that his scarlet silk
handkerchief made white mark ON his
nose, and Pat Walsh was called on.
''Gentlemen," said Colonel Walsh, 81
have always known and admired the
mower of tho press and but that wa
The end of his speech, as far as anybody
could hear, though he stood upat leas
three minutes and faced the riotous dem
Onstrauon.
Others rose and fell in rapid succession,
and finally Jedge WaXem was called for
He knew it was coming, and so did the
club, but they wanted to be good anC
warm before they led him to the slaugh
Ter, and they were.
AS the Jedge rose to his feet, silence
so dead that it might be smelt, fell upoi
the disturbers of the peace, and an omin
Gus gloom spread its dark wings over tn
assemblage.
"Mr. Cheerman and gents" said tn
Jedge, fearlessly, II raise in my place o
this floor ['Rats dozen voice
yelled.l Gentlemen may uy rats
rats ! but thar aint no rats" continue
the Jedge, taking advantage of the inter
ruption, "fer thar aint no Chinymen here
and besides it's fust-cass hotel, and tn
rats has all been expurjated. [Great az
plause and rattling ofglasses, in the mids
of which the Jedge spit on his hands an
rolled up his sleeves As | said before
Mr.. Cheerman and gents, | raise in IN
place on this floor to state that am firi
believer in the great and unlimtable powe
wnao Of the press Let KroggS her g Gallagher s
Down with the Dutch, and so on, cam
from all parts of the rooml, and gents
admire the intelligence and honesty q
the men who reppersent that powerful
ingine here this evenin'. Loud and con
tinued applause. You needn't be To-
noisy, gents. I've been in politics tell
can git off a smooth and complimentar
lie purity nigh as well as you fellers can II
the newspapers. [Groans and cat-calls.
But l aint doin' it now, and efyou wan
afiidayits Pm willin' to swar TO any
thing. BLOW away, there sum
out President Powers.l All right
Mr.. Cheerman, will, but Tn
10 be allowed to sue for dama1es eff
am charged with bein' a Chicago man TO
dom it. [Hit him agin, yelled Mac
farland, Morgan, Towle, Clark and Under
wood in great glee.l I'm much obleege,
for that, young fellcrs; it shows me yoI
air from Bosting, whar intellectera
cutter spectickles and John l.. Sullivan
is the only trinity they bow down to an,
whar sluggin' and beans is the hope O
youth and the realization of age. Grea
cheers and a Root hog or die shou
from Fred. Handy and W. II. Curtis.
Thar goes Chicago agin, gents tow
that brstles all over with spa
ribs and hams and turns Anarchist
loose with a string tied to EN-. "
ronrious applausel Feller citizens
when i seen Colonel Endicou rais
10 make his speech u few minutes ago,
knOwed thar was goin' 70 he war, but
didntthink It was goin' TO be war &
determination like II was. Thar he sci
now, eXtermnated from \ to IzzarC
land who is thar TO mourn fer Logan.
lGloomy sience,l That's right, gent
rs time to keep still when the power &
the press sets down on buddin' Howo
and squeezes the fragrance and brillianc
oliten Il. But aint no buddin Aowe
IThere's blossom ON your nose
yelled Colonel Stealey Mebbe thar
and mebbe thar aint, but ef 1t is, it's
Kentucky rosebud and The gentlema
what he has got in his own. More al
plause