Pittsburg dispatch. [volume] (Pittsburg [Pa.]) 1880-1923, 1889-09-23

not always able to crafty, for lack of funds.
General Clark, the clerk Of the House, used
to amuse himself bribing Pinchover with
glass of beer to eat hard-boiled eggs, shell
and all. He used to crunch them up and
swallow them with apparent avidity.
Some of the newspaper correspondents
would write out railroad passes for him,
and he would present them in all sincerity
on the trains running between Washington
and Baltimore. He insisted on his right to
ride on them, and the conductors learned to
know and humor him.
Another mlld-mannered crank named
Morris died some four years ago. He had
claim against the Government for S2O, ,OOO,-
OOO, and he was q regular visitor at the
Treasury Department. On all subjects Dut
that OF his claim he was sensible enough.
FAITH UNsHAKEN IN SIXTY YEARS.
There are q number of cranks who are
seen constantly about the halls Of Congress.
One of them, who has an imaginsry claim
! against the Government, is generally De-
| lleved to have been a daily visitor 70 the
Capitol for 60 years. He likes to talk about
his claim, but he is silent on all other mat
ters pertaining to his life There is another
old gentleman, cousin of the Hon. Ran
dolph Tucker, of Virginia, who is con-
slant attendant on the proceedings OF the
House, and who takes great interest IN
the debates in progress. He is an en-
thusiastic Democrat, and he betrays his po-
litical bias by extravagant gesucuIatlon
whenever a Democratic orator is on his feet
Clara Morris, the old woman who keeps
the notion stand in the passage between the
rotunda and the old hall OF the House OF
Representatives, is one Of the oldest charac-
tiers in Washington. She visits the halls of
the two Houses of Congress at certain hours
each day, and attracts great deal OF atten-
ton by her peculiar dress. For long time
she used to sit in the gallery of the Senate
every afternoon, waving q little flag. 1t
was to give her an occupation that the prlvl-
lege of keeping a notion stand was granted
her. She is not so demonstrative now.
"Aunt Clara" as she is commonly known,
was
CONTEMPORARY WITH CLAY.
She is shrewd enough in business matters.
She has given her son and daughter excel
lent educations, and sent one of them to col
lege and the other to Europe to complete
their preliminary training.
The Executive Mansion is besieged with
cranks at all times of the year. Sergeant
Dinsmore, whom Cleveland dismissed, but
who came back with the Harrison admins
tration, can spot crank at thousand yards,
and as be is constantly on duty at the main
entrance of the mansion during the day,
they never get q chance to see the Presi-
dent.
Most of the cranks who come to the White
House are possessed of the idea that they
have been given some post of responsibility
by the President-possibly in charge of the
army or navy. Occasionally crank ap-
pears who thinks he has been made Presi-
dent, and who wishes to take charge of the
White House Immediately. One man who
laid siege to the White House for many
years was an italian, who had scheme for
laying out the Potomac fats artistically
which he wished the President to lay before
Congress. He proposed to lay out the large
tract of land Immediately in front of the
White House in the design of an American
flag of huge proportions. The design was to
be carried out in beds of flowers and gravel
paths. The plans were drawn with great
care and precision; but the designer could
never persuade anyone to give them much
attention.
POLITICS NO BAR TO HIM.
There is an old gentleman, whose name I
do not know, who has been in pursuit of
the position of Collector of Customs at
Eagle Pass. Tex, for many years, under
and Democratic administra-
tions alike. He is tall, thin man with
dark complexion and jet-black mustache,
and he wears silk hat at all seasons of the |
year. No one seems to know where he got |
the idea that be had claim on the Govern
ment; but it is too deep-seated now to be
eradicated.
A man named Dunlop attracts a great |
deal of attention from people who pass |
Willard's Hotel. He dresses in most extra.
ordinary style. His shoulders are padded
out to an enormous size and the back of his |
neck is painted black. He wears little
round hat on his head, and on his nose a
pair of glasses. He carries an umbrella in
all weather. He looks like a comedian made
up for burlesque part. Although he is
sensitive and resents any undue notice, he
is vain as well, and his room is said to be
walled with mirrors.
There is romantic story behind his hal
Inclination. 1t is said be was madly in love,
and, after a quarrel with his iancee, he
sprang on his horse, which stood at the door,
and rode madly out into the night. His
horse was found riderless in the stable the
next morning, and he was found senseless in
a ditch by the searchers who went out after
him. He has never been in his right mind
since. He is harmless, and as his parents
are wealthy, he is allowed to wander about
at his pleasure. O'BRIEN-BAIN.