The Mason County journal. [volume] (Shelton, W.T.) 1886-1927, 1889-06-07
SENATOR VESTS JOKE.
How the Missouri Statesman Came @
Emigrate from Kentucky.


Emigrate from Kentucky.
While Polk Laffoon was waiting for
his train last evening he entertained a
party of friends in the rotunda at Al
exander's Hotel by relating several
hits of unwritten history about some of
the big guns as Washington. One story
In particular will be of interest to the
admirers of Senator George G. Vest, of
Missouri. 1t illustrates how trifiing
things turn, at times, the whole course
of a mans life. Mr.. Laffoon said the
story was told to him by Mr.. Vest him.
self.
''Vest was raised in Owensboro,'
said Mr. Caffoon, 'sand when he was a
young man he was far from being an
angel. In fact he was very much of a
AXE, and ardently addicted to both
cards and whisky. About the time
Vest was indulging his taste for the
paste-bos rds most unrestrainedly. one
of those spasmodic moral waves struck
Greensboro, and all the gamblers and
gambling places, then enjoying a
heydey of prosperity. were ban
ish5d. The boys were hard up for
place to satisfy their thirst for poker,
and they looked about for some place
to play, without running the risk OF
beii-: seized by the dreaded hand of
the law An old fellow. who had some
sort of nondescript craft anchored at
tho w harf oamo to 1bo;r rol;of ond1bo
boys were in the habit of playing in
the cabin of his boat every night As
happens everywhere where cards are
played, there lived in Greensboro a
shark. He played close and generally
won, letting no chance escape him.
Every time he got about $50 Or $50
winner he would suddenly remember
that his wife was sick and had sent
him for medicine, or would have some
other excuse for quitting. One night
Vest and a friend, both of whom were
broke and about half full of corn-ju;ce,
sauntered down toward the boat where
their sheckles had disappeared into
the old sharks pocket. They saw
from the light aboard that a game was
in progress, and they knew the old
shark was playing. Vest and his COM
panion both blessed the squeezer in
the unstinted manner their condition
would suggest, and finally Vest said:
Tll fix him. Taking out his knife
he severed the cable which held the
boat to the shore. Out into the
river the craft drifted When it
Shark made his usual excuse and rose
to go. Out of the lighted room into
the darkness he went He made step
where he thought the gang plank was,
but it was. of course, not in its place.
and with a yell he went down into the
river. The others heard his cry, and
by means of ropes rescued him. The
game had been so absorbing that no
one had noticed the motion of the boat
after its release from the wharf When
the shark reached shore wet and mad,
he secured a buggy and drove back to
Greensboro. 1t was that fellow Vest
that did this said he, and I'm going
to kill him. He secured double bar
relied shotgun and started to look for
Vest. The old shark was a dangerous
man, and Vest. being warned by his
friends, concluded he had nothing to
tie him to Greensboro, so he left at
once. He went 30 Missouri, where he
had cousin who was clerk of one of
the local courts. Vest went into his
office, there began to study law, and
later commenced to practice. He be-
came a leader in politics. was elected
to one office after another, and today
is one of the ablest men ever in the
United States Senate. If he had stayed
in Greensboro he would probably have
gone on in the old rut and never
amounted to a hill of beans. BY the
way. Senator Vest never drinks now"