The Helena independent. [volume] (Helena, Mont.) 1875-1943, 1890-10-14
JUST HOW 1T HAPPENED.
Dlonel Pepper, of Kentucky, Tells OF
That International Episode.

,lonel Pepper, of Kentucky, Tells of
That International Episode.
Colonel James Pepper, the millionaire
Kentuckian who won an international rep
utation fortnight ago by the very vigorous
method by which he extorted an apology
from clerk of the Hotel Metropole in
London, who was reported to have spoken
disparagingly Of all Americans, was con-
spicuous figure in the corridor of the St.
James hotel recently, says the Now York
Sun. The colonel is six footer, big chested,
with ruddy complexion and thick, black
mustache. He is about 40 or 45 years
old, and bubbling over with good spirits.
His trip abroad was wedding tour. just
before his departure he married Mrs. Kean,
a widow. He had made somewhat ex-
tended sojourn in Paris before he crossed
the channel and took quarters at the Hotel
Metropole, where the episode occurred that
made him conspicuous in London.
Scores of New Workers besieRed the colo.
mel with inquiries about the encounter with
the clerk, and, after he had been shaved,
the colonel came into the corridor, wearing
high silk hat, check trousers of the Eng
lish pattern, and a cutaway coat, and, drop
ping into one of the cushioned settees, he
deposited his tall hat on the seat beside
him and told all about it.
The colonel had been stopping IN London
with his wife and Mr.. Hart, an American
importer of champagne, and the latter's
wife. They had Just returned from the
theater and the ladies Of the party had
walked over to the hotel elevator, which the
colonel said was damned slow machine,
anyhow" when the explosive interview with
tho unfortunate clerk took place. The clerk
at this time was standing at the farthest end
of a counter that the colonel estimated was
about fifteen feet long. He walked up
and asked the clerk for the key of his
door. The clerk was chatting with a man
who the colonel assumed was an English
man and paid no attention whatever to his
request. When he repeated it the clerk
turned toward him impatiently and said:
I'm serving another gentleman When
the colonel expressed dissatisfaction the
clerk said in an off -hand way: when l
get through I'll attend to you"
This reply, Col. Pepper said. was 80 un-
like anything that he had experienced on
the continent that his anger was reused in
stantly. "Come here a moment" he said in
determined tone to the clerk, II want to
speak to you" The clerk cut short his CON
fab with the supposed EnRlishman and
stepped over to the Kentuckian. Before
he was aware of the oolonel's purpose the
latter leaned over the counter, seized both
lappels of his coat and shook him with all
his might.
The colonel said the clerk concluded that
he had made a mistake, and reached for the
key and handed it to tho American. The
latter went up stairs to his room, with the
intention of retiring for the night and dis
missing the incident from his mind when
he was overtaken on the stairs BY another
guest, who told him that he ought to Rc
down stairs and thrash the clerk, for the
reason that the latter had spoken in very
disrespectful way about him. He asked
WHIT had been said and the guest told him
thRt the clerk had declared: "That man il
only an American, anyhow, and they ar.
always in hurry. made up my mind *
keep him waiting for once, anyway"
The colonel hurried down stairs and call
ing the clerk over repeated to him what tn
guest had reported to him.
..You have been misinformed," the clerl
said, 81 never used such language
Then the humor of the situation forced
itself upon the ooloners mind and he re
solved upon practical joke. He knitted
his brow into terrible scowl and agar
seized the clerk by the shoulders.
II want you to take back everything 70,
have said about tho Americana he cried
land beg my pardon far what you have said
about me. II You don't I'll blow your heas
off,
The colonel says that the clerk, believing
that he was one Of the 6re-eaters of tn
south that he had heard Q good deal of tall
of, became thoroughly frightened and alb
jectly apoloRized.
The colonel said the story that he has
dawn q blunderbus or some other deadl,
weapon upon the unfortunate clerk vas du,
aeubtlen = ~ ovex-aotive Imagination O