Alexandria gazette. [volume] (Alexandria, D.C.) 1834-1974, 1892-11-24
.Gladstoncu Allison has Run his Race

Gladstone" Allison has Run his Race
Although three or four days have
elapsed since the grave closed over E.
Campbell Allison, the news that that
amusing character has gone to his last
account will be read with surprise by
thousands Of persons in this and other
cities who knew him we'll For some
years Allison had been one of the most
amusing characters of New York, and
was known far and wide rs ''the man
with the Gladstone picture,' because OF
his getting himself photographed in
company with William Z. Gladstone
and his family at Hawarden.
A native of Uniontown. Pa, his first
appearance in public that the world has
any record of was as the author of q
pamphlet history of the Duke murder
.se, which occurred in his town about
ten years ago. He made his first money
| from this venture and then went to
Washington rs reporter for a Pittsburg
newspaper. His family connections in
| PENNSYLVANIA were Of the very best,
and Alli5on always claimed to be relat-
cd 10 james G. Blaine and Senator ALI
SON. He was 50 persistently cheeky IN
looking over the shoulders of other
correspondents to find out what
they were writing that some Of
them determined TO play a trick on him
which should cilectually improve his
manner. One of the correspondents
prepared bogus dispatch, describing
an alteration between President Ar
thur and Secretary Frelinghuysen, and
! left it on his desk. Allison discovered
it and read it through. Then he added
some comments of his own and sent 1t
to his paper in Pittsburg, where it was
published the following day. 1t Gre
ated considerable excitement at the
time, but was contradicted and in a
few months forgotten. OF course ALI
sons connection with the paper
ceased.
1t is about tenyears since he turn
ed upin this city and found employ
ment as a reporter, although he could
not write a decent page of English.
| But he was a man of limitless nerve.
and so long as he had good suit of
clothes on his back he had no care for
| the future.
Allison was going up town one night
without a cent in his pocket. 1t was
after 6 o'clock and he was hungry.
Servants lighting up the large banquet
ing hall over Delmonico's reminded
him that that was the night appointed
for q grand dinner to General Grant, at
which number of the wealthiest and
most distinguished men in the city were
to be present. 4 glance at an evening
paper told him the hour fixed for the
banquet. and few minutes before that
time Allison, well dressed, as usual,
and with pad and pencil in his hand
entered the reception room in which
TIE millionaires were talking TO one
another and proceeded to make q few
notes.
Il beg your pardon, sir" said he at
taching himself to one Of the gentle
men, "but will you kindly give me a
few names and your own name, too?
| Our artist will be here shortly to make
the pictures. =
The stranger pointed out all the ce-
| lebrities, gave brief sketch OF his own
career and then when the banquet was
announced allowed the young reporter
to pass into the dining room on his
arm. Once inside the room Allison
seated himself as near to General Grant
as he could get, and the General did
not have one-half as much fun at that
banquet as Allison did.
Allison finally fell in with man
named Dalziell, member Of Rosna
Vokes' company. Dalziell took him to
England and the two started morn
ing paper there call the Courier Of Lon
don. with the intention Of introducing
into England the system of publishing
portraits and paid pulis. The English
people were slow to avail themselves
of the privilege offered them by this
new paper and it was abandoned after
| its third issue.
It was during this visit to England
that Allison won for himself the name
of THE Man with the Gladstone Pic
ture." 1t was on the occasion of the
presentation to Mr.. Gladstone of the
testimonial sent to him from this coun-
try, and distinguished company had
gone TO the statesman's country seat to
take part in the ceremonies. Allison
smuggled himself in with photo
grapher
At the close of the presentation
-..,a.,,1lo. lTr ,pI lIrc Gladstone aO6