Evening capital. (Annapolis, Md.) 1884-1910, 1891-04-20
PRICE ONE CENT


aiow Private John Allen Presented
ha~ Case 20 President Cleveland.
The great humorist of the last Con-
gresS was Private John Allen, OF Mis-
sissippi, who is personally the most pop
ular man in Washington. There are few
men IN the country more sought after
than Private Allen, as he delights in
being called. Every day Mr.. Aliens
mail brings him letters from all parts of
the country, inviting him to banQuets
and TO address public meetings Aliens
appearance is of great aid To him in af-
fecting his audiences. He has a long.
sad face and he is the last man in the
world person would take for humor-
ist. He looks like the custodian OF
great grief. He never smiles when he
talks and there is pathos in his voice.
Ex-President Cleveland is fond Of tell
ing the story of his experience with Con-
gresham Allen. Allen had importuned
the President time and time again about
the appointment of constituent 10 a
federal Office. President Cleveland was
overrun with work at the time, and be-
sides he had good reasons forno wishing
TO make the appointment then. Aliens
constituents were very impatient over
the delay and very anxious that the Re
publican who then held the Office should
be removed.
They made the life of their Congress-
man miserable for several months, and
Allen began to feel that he would lose
his popularity ON account of the office,
and he decided that something had to bo
done to bring the matter to termination
very quickly, so he resolved to approach
the President in unique way.
Calling at the White House one morn
ing he was cordially received by the
President, who supposed he had called
upon official business and asked him
what he could do for him.
"Not a thing, Mr.. President, said the
Congressman. 1 was out taking my
morning constitutional, and l thought
would drop in and tell you something
that happened to be thinking of as WI
passing by, believing as you are an old
lawyer it might interest you.
The President, thinking that the Con-
gresham had some new story that he
wanted to give him the benefit OF, ex-
pressed his delight at receiving call
from him, and eagerly asked him to be
gin his story.
1t was a case that / was employed
upon, began Mr.. Allen, ~and through il
made the reputation of being terrible
liar. The case had hung in the courts fol
several years, and my clients were very
anxious to bring the affair to an issue, as
they knew that when it was it would be
to their advantage. Well, as / said, 1t
had gone on for several years, and at
each term of court something occurred
that compelled continuance of the case.
j had been paid fee in advance, and my
slients grew SO impatient that they began
70 lose confidence in me. / would tell
any clients that their case would certainly
come up at the next term of court, but
when the court met the case would again
be continued, although ] fought hard
always to prevent it. Finally my clients
lost all confidence in me and thought
that the case would never be disposed of.
A great many of their friends shared
this opinion, and was losing my popu.
larity very rapidly. Finally, through
sheer desperation, went TO the judge
and made an appeal to him to help me
out of my embarrassment, but, Mr.
President, he was stern judge and re-
fused to aid me. However, the case was
finally disposed of and he reestablished
my popularity, but it made my blood run
cold, Mr.. President, when made prom
ises in good faith and then had them
broken by some one else. Now, Mr..
President, as an old lawyer yourself,
could you not feel sorry for me?"
"Allen, says the President, II will
send the name of your man to the Senate
to-day. You can tell your people that
you have secured the appointment.