The morning news. [volume] (Savannah, Ga.) 1887-1900, 1891-07-27
BEAU RICKMAN's CAREER.
A Noted Figure in Washington a
Quarter of Century Ago.

d HObeO Figure III washington a
Quarter of Century Ago.
From the Baltimore american.
beau Hickman had no friends, but he
died without enemies"
This is the only epitaph of a character
who has become known throughout this
country as the prince of bummers. To the
general public Beau Hickman il only known
as the great American dead-beat, aud his
tricks and devices for obtaining money, a
meal, or a bed have become historic There
are few who have ever thought that this
hummer may have had history full of
romantic interest.
1t was during the congressional season of
1884 that Robert s. Hickman came to
Washington He was at that time about
21 years old. Who his parents were will
never be definitely known, it being suf-
ticient to know that be came of family
of well-to-dO Virginia planters.
1t Is impossible to determine the amount
of fortune possessed by Hickman when he
first came 70 this city, but it is estimated at
about so 900, good sum in those days 1t
lasted Beau about three years. 1t was
during is golden period of his life that ne
earned the sobriquent, Beau His money
was spent in a princely manner. All that
1t was possible for a young swell with
money to do he did. He attended the races
tis luOuRu ii uuLy u6NOlFeO upon MN, ana
his knowledge of horseflesh made his tips of
great value. He knew more about the
races and possible winners than a paddock
full of jockeys, and was always accom-
panied at the track by select and exclu-
sive coterie of choice spirits.
Beau Hickman, according to his state
ments afterward, got all the enjoyment life
affords out of these years, and for the rest
of the time Intervening until death came
To him hUt 70 10
with as little annoyance as possible. He
was a sturdy. athletic young chap, full of
the fire and life aud had the courtly graces
of Virginia gentleman. Unlike Beau
Brummell, he did not faint at the idea of
work or shudder over badly cooked dish
as though it cnffined his grandfather. In
stead, he conld take q six-barred gate on
one of his Virginia thoroughbreds as grace
fully as he could tread the measures of a
popular dance. Women admired him, of
course, and his oonquests were many and
romantic. Knowing as he did, however
that his fortunes were of the weakest, he
made no effort that we know of to make an
advantageous alliance.
On awakening one morning after late
dinner he had attended Beau set himself to
the task of looking over his mails. Sweet
scented misslves, quantity folded in divers
shapes and fastened by seals Of colored wax
impressed with monograms we'll known in
the fashionable world, Uttered his desk
Among these was formal, austere pack
age. with large splotch of red wax disfigur-
ing its surface. A mott ,e it was from the
bank where Beau had placed his funds on
first coming to Washington, and the cold
hard truth was forced home to him in the
midst of his luxury that he was beggared
"Overdrawn." For the man with many
resources and huge business interests this
means little. For Beau it meant the end
of the delightful life he was leading and
many other things that he didn't care to
think of. He opened the rest of his mail
mechanically and went out to take up his
gay life where he had left off the night be-
fore
Bean was in the fashionable swim threa
weeks after his arrival for the first time in
Washington. He never quilted it until
forced to by the sudden breaking down OF
his fortunes. RontS and balls, select social
gatherings, and all the fashionable dissipa-
ton Of tue day were his occupations. Over
this time of his life hangs the glamor of
riches and luxury. The odor of roses, the
glitter OF wealth, the butterfly colors of
life lntermlngled in this almost ideal exists
ence. showing forth in sharp and bitter con-
trast to the life that followed.
From tlls time dates the beginning of the
beat, and the end of the life of the noneyed
gentleman.
For many years after the breaking down
OF his fortune Beau managed to live by a
sort OF bohemian vagabondage. He became
a sort OF goOd-natured bighWayman call
ing on all he met in life's pathway to stand
aud deliver on the presentation of a good
story or on the working of some clever
scheme for extorting the needful. He really
lived by his wits, for he possessed such q
commodity. He did not confine his snhera
81 action 10 Washington, but often extended
his visits to Baltimore, Philadelphia and
New York and during the racing season
followed the horses about to the various
tracks
In the winter, however Beau ALWAYS re-
turned to Washington. Here he met the
prominent public men of the day, all of
whom were on his list Of patrons. being
regularly mulcted of a set sum called by the
lncorrIglble Beau his assessments. Thesa
ranged for % cents to 81, and it is not on
record that any man that Beau classe5
among his patrons ever refused to nav his
assessments. Had he done SO Beau would
have out him dead, and the next dav il
would have been known from one end of the
avenue to the other that Statesman So,and-
so had been stricken from Beau Hfcknlan's
list, and as things went in those DAYS the
statesman would have suffered more in pon-
ular estimation than Beau in pocket.
Often Beau would be introduced to visit
ing strangers Oy his friends for the purnOsa
of observing the inimiteble manner in
which he would accomplish his object of in
ducIng the stranger to part with his ready
cash to the importunate Beau. The latter
never directly asked for money. but wonId
not hesitate, after telling a good story. To
intimate that the story was worth paving
for.
He was never hard drinker. and often.
when his financial condition was at its low
est ODD, he would, when asked TO drink
with acquaintance, accept the proffered
favor, STIMULATING that he was to receive
the change instead of the drink Often he
would on these occasions select a good
hlgh-prlced cigar, which he would subse.
quently dispose of to a cigar merchant
with whom he had entered into arrange
ments TO dispose of his stock of cigars thus
accumulated.
Although Beau lived we'll for the first few
years succeeding his financial wreckare no
eventually became more needy. In the FIRST
few years of his vagabond life he beat the
hotels and tsllors with magnificent as.
sumption OF impudeuce Slowly. however
he descended into the most absolute depra-
datlon. TallorS refused him credit. and he
was desperately EN- oarrassed to find clothes
to cover himself. After his clothes had be-
come shabby there was but little oppor-
tunIty to work the hotels and boarding
houses, ana so he drifted on downward until
he became shabby and disreputable heat.
Corns and bunious afflicted him soreIy.
aud gave him miserable hobbling gait.
lie bore up manfully, however, and swore
1t was the govt that afflicted him.
In the latter part of August, 1878, Beau
broke down, and was carried to Providenca