Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1890-12-22
A NEAT coNFIDENCE GAME.
How . Baltimore Man Proposed to Get
Some Christmas Money.

How . Baltimore Man Propoecd 10 Get
Some Christmas Money.
HE WROTE TO NUMEROUS SENATORS TELLING THEM
HE HAD NAMED HIS FIRsT-BoRN SON ArrER
THEN-rHx LETTER TO SENATOR nASprRsoS--
WHY GRAVE soLoSs LAueH.
Pessimists who point to the results OF the
eleventh census and who argue that population
by birth is decreasing in these United States
are evidently unacqusinted with VIM. Duvall
and Mary F. Duvall. his wife. This couple,
| after much patient endeavor. have at last burg
larized their way into something that il akin to
notoriety, and il their efforts are not soon in
terrupted will move with unexampled rapidity
toward untold wealth.
SEVERAL sELF-sATrsFrEp SENATOR'S.
During the past week an acute observer in
the Senate galleries might have seen numerous
self-congratulatory smiles chase each other
over the conferences of some Of the more dis
tnguished statesmen who occupy places on the
hoor, but until today the reason for these mus
cular chuckles was not apparent Grave
and reverend Senators-to some of whom
the delights o. early fatherhood were hut
memoriss-sent out and purchased silver
mugs and silver spoons and had names
engraved thereon. Others folded up
samples Of the newest and most crisp five or
ten-dollar bills. All of them wrote nice little
letters to accompany the bullion or the promise
to pay, and, singuiarly enough, all of them adj
dressed their gifts to the same person at the
same address. Today there is more of humor
than seriousness in the Senate. Partisan
speeches of the fiercest description will be in
voluntarily interrupted by smiles. while bitter
accusation and sarcastic retort will be sand
wiched between robust strata of never-weary-
ing laughter.
To the people in the galleries these exhibi-
tons of hilarity will be enigmas, but not for
any length OF time. The secret is out The
United States Senate has been made the scene
of a confidence mans operations and he would
have been working" the greatest delberative
body in the world yet had he not in an uniucky
moment decided to make a victim Of Senator
Henderson of Nebraska.
THE LETTER TO SENATOR HENDERSON.
This morning, when Senator Henderson went
through his mail, he found therein the follow
ing letter:
BALTIMORE, IL, 20, 80.
Hon. CHAs. =. MACPHERSON.
Dear Sir: Inclosed you will find the baptismal
certificate of my little son. Charles Henderson
Duvall. whom l named in honor of you. How
1 came to name him after you was that wanted
to name him after some prominent republican
and chose yon because you are from my native
state have seen you on several occasions and
always have been an admirer of Won. Little
Charles Is getting along first rate, and hope
that he may live and be as upright and honest
as the man after whom he is named. He is our
first born. and as soon We have his picture
taken will send you one. Also inclosed you
will find five tickets for an entertainment
which Is given for my benefit. would not have
troubled YOU with them, only last week had nv
leg broken while at work and my friends are
giving this for nv benefit. All the income L
had was what was derived from nv daily labor.
and hope you will take them 10 aid me. III
you do not wish them You can return
them NV wife and little Charles are
well and hope this will find Won the same
Please answer by return mail and let me know
if you received the certificate all right. Hop
ing this will find you well and wishing You a
merry Christmas and happy New Year,
remain, yours respectfully.
WILLIAM DUvALL.
s25 Z. Baltimore street.
Baltimore. Nd.
"Answer by return mai. AS I will be anxiously
| awaiting a reply from you."
The tickets which were inclosed had on their
pinks urface the,printed announcement, Grand
Entertainment for the benefit of Vim. Duvaii.
to be held at Byrnes Hall, Wednesday, Deem
Der 3lst 80. Tickets 81"
OTHERS HAD RECEIVED SIMILAR LETTERS.
Now had Senator Henderson been the only
Senator thus applied to all might have been web
and by this time the broken-egged but happy
father would have had five of Senator Mander-
ron s 4l2 grams. nine-tenths fine silver dollars
in his inside pocket. But it SO happened
that few days ago the Nebraska states
man had seen a similar certificate, in
which the name Of this first-born child was
declared to be Justin Morrill, Duvall. and
he likewise knew that the venerable
Senator from Vermont had torn IS off his
salary and sent il to the suffering father at s25
East Baltimore street Convinced that il Mrs.
Duvall could be the mother of two firsr-born
children she might have given birth 10 few
more at the same time Senator Henderson
began to investigate the matter and the results
of his inquiries caused the laughter which in
the Senate today was frequent, and painful,
and free
LIST OF THE DJvALL BABIES.
According to the certificates which have
been uncovered there are now in existence
Joseph Dolph Duvall, William Evarts Duyal.
Anthony Higgins Duvall John Griffin Carlisle
Duvall, Algernon Paddock Duvall. Watson
Squire Duvall, Edward wolcott Duvall George
Richard Pettigrew Duvall, Thomas Power
Duvall, Leland Stanford Duvall. Philetus
Sawyer Duvall, Francis Stockbridge Duvall.
Henry Blair Duvall and George Hoar Duvall.
Eugene Hale Duvall. William Washburn Du-
vail. George Vest Duvall. Frank Hiscock Du-
vail, to say nothing of Charles Henderson
Duyall: all first-born children of this
wonderfully virile William Duyan and bis
extraordinary wife Mary +. Duvall. Incl
dentaliy, these children have all been brought
There are those around the Senate who say that
there are several other newly-born Duvalls.
among them John sherman Duvall. Mathew
Stanley Quay Duvall and Arthur German
Duvan. but the gentlemen thus honored insist
that they have not been called on for either
silver mugs or money; they are, however, re-
garded with suspicion.
The Vice President did not escape. There is
Levi Morton Duvall, and he or his father owns
nice silver cup appropriately inscribed.
THE BIRTH CERTIFICATE.
The certificate which was sent to Senator
Henderson is similar in every respect save the
name of the alleged child. to those which
other Senators have regarded with so much
satisfaction. The document is little
more than twelve inches long and about
ten inches wide. 1t is printed in the
highest style of ecclesiastical art on cal
endered paper. Allegorical imagery and
scriptural phrases abound. Shepherds
with lambs, shOrn and unshorn, seemed to
haunt the designer. A hen, striving with an
Overlarge brood Of chickens, represents Mrs. |
Duvali and her first-born. 4 pelican, convey
ing food to nest Of his offspring. is evidently
Mr.. Duvall, and if his legs are as thin as the
pelicans are it is not much wonder that one of