Fergus County argus. [volume] (Lewistown, Mont.) 1886-1946, 1889-05-16
WASHINGTON LETTER.
Ifrom our Regular Correspondent.l
WASHINGTON, May .. 1889.

WASHINGTON. May 3. 1889.
Yesterday morning brought President
Harrison back to the White House, tired
and worn and paler than ever from the
tedious ceremonies at New York. lie did
not appear in his office until later in the
day. and the Office seekers and tourists,
who are unusually numerous, being on their
way home from the Washington centennial,
were unable to see him. II isexI,-cted that
tomorrow "a number of minor changes in
the depart ments will he made and a sort of
reign of tcrr~r lsc inaugurated. The rtImor
may not, however, have any better basis
of fact than when first started IA month
ago.
Apart from church services in the morn
ing there were no ceremonies here cclsbrat-
ing the centennial of Washiugton's ina,igli-
ration. Department business was, ofcourse,
absolutely suspended, and n mad desire Ia
ga out in the country seemed to take pos
sessio. of the people, freak that left the
city streets deserted. The races at Ivy
City divided the palm of popularity with
two big excursions te Mount Nxrnon, To
which hundreds Of people made their first
pilgrimage. The sward at Mount Vernon
WAS as beautiful as need he. the trees all in
leaf aud most oi the flowers in bloom.
The White House was deserted aud even
the noise oi the Typewriter was no longer
heard ia the land. The football of "a soli-
tary Waterman vibrated lonely through
the deserted corridors. aud not even an
Easter bridal party had the harlihood to
enter the portals. Secretary Blaine was
the only head of depart ment in the city.
lie sat in his hotel reading, receiving his
friends aud telling every inquirer in strong
English that the newspapers " hich had said
that hc had suffered n partial stroke oi
paralysis were williul and malignant liars.
The death of Chairman Barnun raises
immediate onlecture as to his possible sue
cessoi. Among the older Democrats their
curiosity gives way to genuine sorrow for
his death. To that element in the party
Mr.. Barnnm was almost "a political demi-
god. and no hope of finding So good "a man
ior his successor Is entertained. senator
I'ugh and ex-Att"rncy General Garland sa y
that senator t.urnan III Maryland will bc
seie,te,i. The only objection To- senator
Gorman IL that he ~ not "A man of trs,
class ability. senator Gorman made his
reputation originally 10y securing places for
his constituents ia the Washington navy
yard and the government printing office.
l,.tt "A t.t H.,
plan of campaign which filled mort hcrn pro-
lection states with southern free trade
speakers The disastrous results To the
Democratic party all the world knows. and
the folly al sending such men as Mr.. Mill,
of Texas Ia speak in northern cities shall
never bc repeated. II is possible that SEN
ator Gorman's hopes will be dashed To the
ground aud II wholesale aud radical rcor-
garization of the national committee be
effected. In such AN event there will he
enough quarreling in the party To- give II
zest To the mex x,<year.
The local papers are ringing the praises
of a DItrli detective On tlecity force named
Raft. \ week ago the body of q rolored
girl was found several miles from the city.
bearing evidences Of violence. A dozen de.
at once on the trail. The inimitabl. Rafl
found colored man who had washed -
wagon in the creek near by "n the day the
murder was probably committed. lie was
arrested. and the proud detective assured
the world that he had solved the mystery.
day later an enterprising reporter sue.
cee,ls in securin. picture of the body. II
is printed in the Evening star. The next
morning citizen reports to the police tina,
the picture resembles one Eliza Foster, the
had frequently quarrcled with her Of late.
The citizen has also discovered that the
Foster woman disappeared about the time
the murder was committed, and was hea rd
quarreling with Thomas On the street the
night before. Thedetectives go to Thomas
house and find him -ereneiy chewing hog
and hominy. They thrust the photograph
under his nose. His hands drop to his
side; the half-chewed food falls from his
open mouth; the face is cent torted: he II in
~ palsy of fear. Ia day he breaks down
aud coniesses, and the man who was wrong
fully accused is released. Still the detec
tives receive all the credit. of course the
newspaper that had the Yod sense to Sc
cure the picture and Tie citizen who re-
ported his suspicion are only humble in
strumenis through which the asiute dctec-
tive worked.