The Seattle post-intelligencer. [volume] (Seattle, Wash. Terr. [Wash.]) 1888-1914, 1892-10-25
THEY KNOW M'GRAW.
What His Old Pioneer Friends
Think of Him.
JOHNS LoNa-ToEo, OLD BOOTS
A Story OF His Early School Days-
What Man Who Knew Him in
HouEhton, Me-, Says.

The attacks made on John H. NcGrav by ma.
iicious and worthless enemies have stirred I'D
all the old pioneers aud those who knew him
IN his earlier life in his cause. and they never
tire telling anecdotes OF his struggles and his
triumph over adversity, Of his fidelity aud ef-
feiency as public oficial and OF his strict in-
tegrity man.
Henry L Yesler is often called ''the father of
Seattle. For very many years he KEEP, the mill
which marked the very earliest site of Seattle az
IN inhabited spot He was mayor of seattle and
has known John II. McGraw sine. his FIRST ar
rival Al that time every man knew the other
.n seattle, and knew all about his business He
was asked yesterday to say what he knew about
any foundation for the story secretly but indus
triously circulated BE- certain Democrats that
Mr. McGraw once kept gambling den in
seatte.
'Oh. hdtiesticks,' said the old gentleman;
'who says he kept gambling house2'
"Well. nobody says he did, but there are some
who whisper that they have heard somebody
say they heard somebody else say he used 70
run q gambling house"
sit is lie, iie,' said Mr.. Yesler; when,
where do they say be kept itf'
AT the American house: when the house was
burned down the evidences were found"
"oh. the Lara" repeated Mr. Yesler "why.
Iowned the house; i knew every room In 1t;
was Ia there almost daily. At that time was
wharf master and ! knew everybody in the
place almost say 1t is utterly impossible that
there could have been a gambling room in that
house without my knowing 1t. It's absurd.
tell you MeGrsw never Kept a gambling room.
either in the American house or anywhere else
Gambling rooms were rather plentiful, but
tell you there was not one in that house while
John McGraw had it. McGraw is as square a
fellow as ever met, and he 10 still one of the
bsst men In this town"
Arthur A. Denny. the we'll known pfoneer
and probably the first white man to permanently
locate where Seattle now stands, Is Il man whose
word nobody win question He was asked
whether he knew anything OF Mr.. McGraw's
early career in Seattle. He said yes, he had al
ways known dcGraw. Asked as to the reputa-
ton OF the American house while McGraw was
running il he replied that he knew less OF the
hotels in Seattle than abroad, as he rarely en-
tered one, and was, he remarked with smile
not "much' OF frequenter of saloons, but he
had never heard word against McGraw's repu-
tation
"f Isay know nothing of my own knowledge
Of the interior OF McGraw house. you will
understand that / am speaking literally. /
would probably be the last man to countenance
one who had been engaged in any questionable
Transaction. McGraw has been an upright
capable official in every position he has filled.
II have no apprehension, in my support of
McGtaw, that there 10 anything in his life such
as you say has been suggested. No. all the old
pioneers know MeGraw: there is nothing in that
talk, You may depend upon It l have not Q
shadow Of doubt in my own mind"
Amos Brown Is another pioneer whose
character places anything he may say beyond
all doubt He was asked similar questions rs to
Mr.. McGraw.
II was ia Olympia when McGraw had the
American house and when 1t was burned down:
You know, be only had it very short time. But
knew Actirsw well at that time and have ever
since. tell you 10 is absolutely false that he
ever ran or was concerned in a gamb ing house,
aud that he was ever connected with a skin
game il preposterous / know the story you
speak of. II is being circulated by Thorndke,
who was tin horn gambler. as ii is called, and
be has never amounted to anything He was
chief OF notice when there were only four con-
stables here McGraw beat him for the office,
and he has had it in for McGEaw ever since.
His word counts for nothing. / would take Nc
Graws word for anything. The other maa is
Just about what he was fifteen years ago.
al see Mr. McGraw compelled In selfde-
tense to tell you about paying back Mrs Shows
note with 10 per cent interest He didn't tell
you, did ne, that since he has been in Seattle
he paid of the mortgage his old mothers
farm?
~ come from New Hampshire. and followed
the business of river driving. the same Nc
Graw's father at the time he WAS drowned Nc
Yied when he = They were very poor. aud
one time when he was about II years old, to-
ward the close OF the fall. aud after he had
worked all summer on the little farm bare
footed, he asked his mother If she thought he
could have pair OF shoes to go TO school in.
His siepiAther heard and replied no, but that
John could have pair OF boots he tthe
steplatberl wore the previous winter.
IN tie morning John go; out the old boots aud
when he saw bow they looked be went to his
pair. she said sadly, NO, John, IN afraid not;
You know we are very poor John was deter
mined TO go 10 school, however, so he desper-
aiey pulled them on. but they were so big he
couldn't get his pants down on the outside and
had TO tuck them IN.
He went To school; the bows ranged on one
aide and the girs on the other. They made fun
of Johns boots: andwhen the reading class was
called ont to toe the chalk line Johns boots
were so large that 10 toe the mark he had to
stand back OF the row. He very little
for his aga The teacher walked behind
ami pushed him forward into line. then pass
log down in front he pushed him back TO
get his toes IN line with the others John bore
II bravery, but whom he got home the little fell
iow cried bitterly over his modification.
'Hel!. John McDgaw has grown up TO be a
fue man: he paid the mortgage of his mothers
farm aud made The old lady com fortable, aud
many many people In this town have 20 thank
him for helping hand, honor and admire
him, and though take no sctive part in poll
ties DC suIe Il vote for John McUgaw TOR gov
sr4oI."
Thu fsrn OF ". = Boyd & Co IL one az the
wealtti-ss end hest known IN Seattle The dry
gods house has been established for years and
Mr. boyd was here before Mr. McGraw came
Speaking OF the insiHuail0nS against Mr.. Ne
G-4W's personal character yesterday. Mr.. Boyd
Sal
'-i csa say nothing 10 adj 10 Mr.. McGraws
reputation. he IS lar beyond anything l can
tay nave known John NcGraw Intimately
eses stare BE came here, over hf,eea years ago.
Re &C -..ea al humble position, IL Is true. hat
IL : - % credit that he has eettcred his cond,-
ton. Nr A,uraw has been an honorable man
In everything. and 40 man can. N my esii-
nation. e q, asiiervd tetter"
For political rcasous--Nr Royd having held
avery independent position at all ;.me.-it was
asked OF M Boyd hy Posr.INrELIlGsNcKs re-
porter;
Have you any objection to those remark. be-
!ng pIblished''
''No. uone whatever" replied Nf Boyd: "uo
consideration. political or any other will close
m .ps on that subject / say avsin. McGraw
10 tee Of The most honorable men ever knew
DO you know whether be ever gam
ellag heassf'
Il know that he never did; and / have been
a. these years 50 intimately acqustntet with
a.F,a a