Pittsburg dispatch. [volume] (Pittsburg [Pa.]) 1880-1923, 1890-06-22

Still he kept . good brand of Kentucky
whisky in his committee room, and heard
to-day an incident which occurred there
during an all-night session of the Senate
some years ago.
THURMAN'S LITTLE SWALLOW.
Senator Eaton was sitting at his desk die
tating to his stenographer when Senator
Thurman entered and said:
Eaton, 1 want swallow. What have
you got to drink"
81 have some whisky" said Eaton, and
with that he handed Senator Thurman
tumbler and told his secretary to bring the
jug. The secretary attempted to pour the
whisky into Senator Thurman's glass, but
the jug was full, and he was acting so awk-
wardly that Thurman motioned to desist,
and reached out his hand for the jug. The
secretary gave it to him, and Thurman tax
ing the handle in his right hand gave a
slight twist OF the wrist and threw the jug
poured out the amber-colored liquid until
the glass was brim full. There was full
gallon of whisky in the jug, and he did M t
spill drop. He then drank the glass neal,
smacked his lips and left the room. As lie
went out Senator Eaton looked at him and
said:
"Well, If Thurman calls that swallow
would hate to ask him to take q full drink. :"
AN HISTORIC DRINKING PLACE.
Washington is noted for its fine whisky.
You can get good "jigger" in any block,
and one of the most noted drinking places
of the Capital is in a little old house on the
south side of the avenue about halfway be-
tween the Capitol and the Treasury. It is
Hancock's saloon, and it has been patron
lied by statesmen since the days of Presi-
dent Harrison's grandfather. 1t was here
that Clay, Webster and Calhoun came to
drink, and the old negro bar tender, who
still stands behind the counter, tells me that
John C. Calhoun liked sherry, that Henry
Clay liked his whisky straight and was very
fond of good julep.
This saloon is kind of curiosity shop. It
has the relics OF 100 of the most famous men
and thieves of the past. Here are the auto
graphs of all the noted men in our history.
Here is an old pair of shoes that Washing
ton wore, faded buttons from the coat of
Andrew jackson, and q seedy white hat
which once adorned the head of Zachary
Taylor. Here are JEFF Davis drinking
glasses, and the table on which Henry Clay
played cards. Here are relics of the assassi-
nation of Lincoln, and mementoes of John
Brown, and an old umbrella of Beau Hick-
mans. Beau Hickman was the prince of
Washington deadbeats. For more than 80
years he worked the statesmen and strangers
for drinks and loans.
"A GENTLEMAN OF GALL.
The lobbyists and dead beats of Washing
ton have been reduced in number during
late years. The civil service examinations
have radically reduced their power of per-
suading office seekers that they can furnish
them places, and you do not now see adver-
tisements in the Washington papers offering
S100 cash and 10 per cent of the salary re-
ceived for Government position. Five
years ago such advertisements were common.
Nearly all OF the big companies and big in
terests have Lobbyists stationed at Washing
ton who know these sharkers, and who
warn their friends against them.
know one man who lives we'll here on
an income of $40 month. He is Republi-
can or Democrat according to the man he
meets, and he would drink with Mephis-
topheles and take meal with the devil
himself if he could get an invitation. He
is man of ability and has been in the
diplomatic service and was once appointed
Consul to Zanzibar. He was away from
Washington this time three months and
then came back, saying that he had cruised
all around over the Indian Ocean and
couldn't find the place. He had wonder
full story to tell about how he had saved the
daughter of an English duke when she had
fallen over tn e side of the ship into the Bay
of Bengal. He plunged headlong from the
ships rail after her, caught her as she was
sinking for the third time, and,
BY TREADING THE WATER,
to keep her afoat and away from
the sharks until boat was lowered and the
sailors restored her to her fathers arms.
This story of Judge Blanks got into the
and shortly after this another
story appeared in the form of special dis
patch which stated that the English Duke
had died and out of qualification for the sal
vation of his daughters life had left Judge
Blankety, Blank, of North Carolina, e10, 900.
All of the Judges friends congratulated
him. His credit became good for day and
he took advantage of this to call upon the
leading clothier of Washington and to get
com plete outfit from toe to crown. The next
day it began to be seen that the story was
fshy, and week later it became a gray
haired lie. The judges clothes, however,
new for several months, and on
the strength of them he got many a meal
and many a drink.
Returning to drinking at the Capitol, the
Senate restaurant is now very well patron
lied by the members of the House. Its bill
Of fare includes all sorts of fancy drinks,
snd there is not much use of asking for cold
tea. There is rule against the sale of
liquors. but it is not operative and there is
no rule which prevents a man keeping q
bottle In his committee room. Senator PEN
1leton used to have good brand of cham
pagne in the Library Committee, and it is
not uncommon for Don Cameron to give a
unch with wines to some of his Senatorial
do In of bo
THEY KNOW WHATS WHAT.
Senator Wolcott, of Colorado, is said to
be an authority on fancy drinks. voorhees,,
If Indiana, comes from such a malarious
district that he had had to learn how to
udge whisky. John Sherman is not averse
% little good wine, though it is said he
never takes more than a thimbleiul OF
whisky, and his brother, the General, is
ond Of old rye. Nearly all the army officers
lrink more or less, and the best wine cellars
u the Capital belong to the members of the
,avy. Many of them get their liquors from
broad, tree of duty, and every now and |
hen one is ordered to a far-away station, |
md he auctions off his supplies.
got some very fine claret the other day |
which came from sale of the wines of |
lionel Sackville West. the last Minister to
he United States from Great Britain, and |
-ou now and then get a bottle of old Ma
eira from Supreme Court Justices cellar.
The diplomats use the California wines
argely, and Senator Stanford has the finest
f these in his cellar. He has one brand Of
Fhite wine which he sends out to sick peo-
lie, and he. thinks that some of the best
Tines in the world come from the Pacific
oast vineyards.
FRANK G. CARPENTER.