New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1889-10-27
TIE STORY OF A PLAY.
AN INTERESTING INCIDENT OF WASHINGTON
LIFE WHICH DAVID d. LLOYD MADE
THE BASIS OF A COMEDY.


Few Journalists were more thoroughly equipped for
! the responsible place Of Washington correspondent
! to a great NewYorll daily newspaper than David D.
Lloyd, but chief among his mental characteristics was
his Aeenness Of perception Of the dramatic possibilities
Of the political life which surrounded him at the
Capital. 1t IS not surprising therefore, that the play
upon which he was at work until almost the last mo-
ment Of his regeably short should have as the
handspring OF its action an incident Of Washington
official life which ives taken from the mental note
book Of Mr. LOyds actual experience. This Is the
story. fictitious only in respect ~ the employed
which forms the ground work Of The SENATOR the
posthumous comedy which. written by Mr. lloyd and
completed by sydney Resented. IS on the Of pro
ductiOn by William II. Crane the comedian
About a year AGO there lived not far from Capitol
IIill in dingy looking fame house. which appeared
strangely out Of place among its more fashionable
DelghbOis. an old and his daughter.
The formers name was Silas Denman. He had
fought In the Rebellion and his father had fought In
the War Of 1872. and received a small pension on
account Of painful wound in the shoulder. which
almost disabled him. This pension he eked out by
selling such and OutOf theway books as he man
aged TO pick up, but this Jut a pecarous and un-
satisfactory source Of income His pride led him to
refuse al! material assistance from the friends Of his
brighter days and II with regret that he eventually
found himself obliged 70 lean on his daughter who
helped to meet the household expenses by giving
ments.
Mir. Denman differed from hundreds of other broken.
down old men only In that he buOyed up through
all his tribulatons by one great hope He had
claim upon Congress which had been bequeathed to
him by his father, and though for seventy five years
the claim had been unpaid, though AdmniStra
ton after another had let it pass UNDECIDED though
the great Daniel Webster had with much grandilo-
quenco taken 1t up only however, TO lay II down
the old man firmly convinced that day
other the justice of his claim would be conceded
and that he would be placed beyond the reach OF
poverty and humiliation.
The nature of his claim as follows His father,
Captain John p Denman, commanded the General
Taylor. an American priva1eer, during the War OF
1872. on September 90, 1914, he put into Fayal,
Portuguese possession I'm the Azores for fresh water
About shutdown Brtsb{squadrOn Of 1876 g1ns and
1000 men entered the harOor. The British squadron was
Its way reinforce Admiral COchanes feet for the
capture of New Orleans, and it decided TO seize
the American brig TO aid In the expedition. The |
English had twenty and twenty guns to one |
OF the Americans. Old Denman's handful OF men |
fought like heroes. The British lost 300 killed and
wounded, and the Americans only two billed and |
seven wounded but ths odds were too great Captain |
Dcnman scutteI the ship and went ashore. The |
enemy burned his vessel The damage TO the English |
feet however. kept it long at Fayal rehttlng |
that General Jackson was able to reach New-Orleans |
four days before the British arrived. So part OF TIE
victory at New-O Orleans was due TO Captain /
Denman. SIlas Denman's claim before Congress was !
for the value Of the ship that was burned. During !
forty years It was urged by our Government against
Portugal, on the ground that. as a neutral Power,
she bound to protect one bellgercnt against an
other I'm her territory. The failure of our Gov !
eminent present certain evidence made the United /
states justly liable. But long before this captain |
Denman died, and his son took up the claim and had
for years gone on waiting and hoping, bur in vain +,
With this story as a foundation the dramatst went
70 work, and bullled what seems likely to prove |
one of the most interesting OF contenlPotaneous !
comedies The action of his piece begins but fort
night before the adjournment of Congress. Denmans |
daughter Mabel has met the house Of the Secretary
of state who is an old friend OF her fathers and 10
whose children she is giving music lessons, breezy
young Western Senator, man OF wealth ana enter
prise. Becoming interested first in the daughter and
then in the fathers story the Senator resolves, short
as the time allowed him. 10 push through the Den
claim. and the story OF his efforts and ultimate
success is the story Of the play. which, though
comedy Is not wanting I'm strong and dramatic Stua
tons. which a picture Of Washington official life Is
given such a. only man OF Mr.. Lloyds long eA-
perience Of the Capital could huthfuly present