Staunton vindicator. [volume] (Staunton, Va.) 1860-1896, 1891-01-02
THE PREMIUM JOKE OF 1890.
NEARLY THE WHOLE UNITED STATES
SENATE TAKEN IN BY A SWiMDLER.


/ There has been no swindle, limited in
amount but general i'll its character, more
ardacious than that PLAYED by William
Ienvall' OF Baltimore upon the dignifed
Senators of the United States. 1t may lie
proper TO Say that when search was made
by detectives in Baltimore for civilian
Duvall'' he had disappeared. Though he
| caught almost the whole Senate, his trick
is an old one, and it is now remembered
that he tried it in 1875 on President Grant,
but without success. The history of the
swindle is given by the Washington cores
pondent Of the Philadelphia Record in his
dispatch of the ed Of December:
During the past week an acute observer in
the Senate galleries might have seen numer-
Gus SelfcOngratuiatOrE smiles chase each
other over the countenances OF some of the
statesmen who occupy places on the floor; but
until to-day the reason for these was not APP
parent. Grave and reverend SenatorS-to
some of whom the delights of early fatherho0d
We're but memoIies-sent out and purchased
silver mugs and silver spoons, and had names
engraved thereon. Others folded up samples
of the newsstand most crisp s. OF $40 bills,
while others wrote nice letters to accompany
addressed to the same person at the same adj
dress. To-day, however, the secret got out
The United States Senate has been made the
scene OF a confidence mans operations, and
he would have been working the greatest de-
literative body in the world yet, had he not in
an unlucky moment decided to make a victim
| OF Senator Henderson, of Nebraska, who this
morning found i'll his mail the following
letter:
baltimore, Dec. 20, 1s9o.-Hon Chas F.
Mandeison-Dear Sir: Enclosed you will
find the baptislnal certificate of my little SON
Charles Henderson Duyali, whom l named
In honor OF you. How came to name hin
after you was that wanted to name him af-
ter some prominent Republican, and chose
you because you are from my native State. |
have seen you Oil several occasions, and al
ways been an admirer of you; Little Charles
is getting along first rate, and ! hope that he
may live and be upright and honest as the
man after whom lie is named. He is our first
born, and as soon as we have his picture taken
l will send you one. Also inclosed you Will
find five tickets for an entertainment which is
given for my benefit. would not have troi,-
bled you with them, only last week had my
leg broken while at work, and my friends are
giving this for my benefit. All the income |
had was what was derived from my daily Ia
Dor, and hope you will take them to aid me.
II you do not wish them you can return them.
Ny wife and little Charles are we'll, and I
hope this will find you the same Please an
Swer by return mail and let me know if YOU
received the certificate all right Hoping this
will find you we'll and wishing you merry
Christmas and happy New Year, L remain
yours respectfully,
CIVILIAN DUyALL,
1926 E. Baltimore street
"Answer by return mail, as will be anX-
iously awaiting reply from YOU
The tickets that were inclosed had on their
pink surface the printed announcement:
Grand Entertainment for the Benefit of Will
liam Duyal, to be held at Byrnes Hall, We'd
nesday. December 81, 1890 Tickets ST.
HE STRUCK THE WRONG SENATOR
The broken-legged but happy father had
met his fate. Tie Nebraska statesman re-
called the fact that lie had seen a similar GER
tliicate, i'll which the name of the first-born
child was declared to be Justin S Morrill,
DuvalI, and lie likewise knew that the veneer
able Senator from Vermont had torn s. off
his salary and sent it to the suffering father
Convinced that if Mrs. Duvall could be the
mother OF two tirsrlDorn children she might
have glyenI~Dirth to few more at the same
time, Senator Henderson began to investigate
the matter, and the results OF his inquiries
caused frequent and hearty laughter in the
Senate to-day.
% CERTTyICATEs OF BAPTISM.
According to the certificates which have
been uncovered, there are now in existence
Joseph Dolph Dnvall, William Evarts Du
YaH Anth nHo Higgins pnya John Grn
Watson Squire Duvall, Wilbur Sanders Du-
vail, Edward Wolcott Duvall, George Ed
munds Duvall, Richard Pettigrew Duvall, /
Thomas Power Duvall. Leland Stanford Du-
vail. Philetus Sawyer Duvall, Francis Stock
bridge Duvall. Henry Blair Duvall, George
Hoar Dnyail, Eugene Hale Duvall, William
Washburn Duvall George Vest Duvall,
Frank Hiscock DuvalI, to say nothing OF
Charles Henderson Duvall, all rst-born
children of this wonderfully virile man and
his extraordinary wife Mary Duvall. Incl
dentally all of these children have been
brought into the world within the past three
weeks.
There are those around the Senate who say
that there are several other newly born Du-
walls, among them John Sherman Duvall,
Mathew Stanley Quay Duvall and Arthur L
German Duvall. but the gentlemen thus hon
ored insist that they have not been called on
for either silver mugs or money. They are,
however, regarded with suspicion. The Vice
President did not escape There is a Levi
Morton Duva1l, and he or his father owns a
nice silver cup appropriately inscribed.
A SUGGESTIVE ILLUSTRATION.
The letter which was sent to Senator Man
derson 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 &C.