New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1893-06-10

the New-Yorl Custom House and the Appraisers
Stores The statement was called forth by his
listening to the reading Of the early dispatches
from Washington telling of the horrible disaster
which took place there. Mr. Dunn was not en-
cited when he made this statement. lie was as
cool as if he We're ordering his dinner, and he
used the words as if he were accustomed to make
such statements.
There secret session OF the Custom House
Investigating Commission yesterday, which lasted
until after O'Clock in the afternoon, when
recess for luncheon was taken. Previous 10 this
several newspaper men had sent their cards TO
the acting chairman of the commission, Daniel
Magone, and he had sent word for them TO wait
When the recess came three newspaper men went
into the meeting room. Every one of the com
missioners present knew that the visitors rep
resented newspapers. Wallace MacFarlane, the
attorney for the commission. reading the
account Of the accident in Washington In an
evening paper to Commissioners M1gone and Dunn.
When the reporters joined the group Mr.. Dunn
asked one of them for what the old theatre
building was used. The reporter told him. Then
the Commissioner spoke slurrngly of the pension
ers. ending with the statement:
Its too bad, wouldn't have cared so much
if they had been pensioners instead Of the poor
clerks"
Every one in the room was struck almost speech
less by this remark Mr.. Masonc looked at the
speaker with amazcment. AMI Mr. M'ctarlana
and c. S. Hamlin. the Assistant Secretary oil
the Treasury, who had by this time joined the
group. seemed to be dsncyed The Comm!s-
siouer did no; seem to he in the least disturbed.
His high hat was the back of his head anu
his hands were in his trousers pockets flnaiiy
one of thc reporters said
"Concressman, that ia a very hard statement
MIR. Dunn then appeared TO realize that lie han
said something which lie should not have said ana
lie winked hard at the reporters and drawled OUT
"Well, / haven't said it,
But 70 Justify him in the brutal statement which
he had made, Nh Dunn compared the pension list
TO Mark Twaiis tTy Of the Mississippi klVcf.
The point Oh TINS story il that the river must DE
just so long anywy, and as il gradually is be-
coming straight, in 100 years OF so II VIII hang
over the Gulf of Mexico like fish pole AT tins
point the conversation changed to the d0lnsS
Of the commissioners during the secret session
Mr.. Dunn comes from Arkansas. He was the
last man regularly appointed TO the nvcstlga'Ims
on 10 relieve Charles ). Falrcllld OF the burden
of dong the work of the investigation. Mr, Dunn
came originally from North Carolina But ms
father moved from there to Alabama in 1885 Hir
Dunn educated in Alabama and at the JACK
son College at Columbia. Tenn, from which he
was graduated in lo34 In so Mr. Dunn i.cd ho.od
a member OF the Arkansas Legislature. Unti
1861 he was a cotton planter. When the war
broke out he enlisted in the Confederate army and
served with it during most of the war. Two
years after the war Mr.. Dunn branched ont as il
lawyer. He has practised at the bar of his State
ever since except when he was in Congress. In
both 1872 and 1876 lie Presidential elcctor
on the Democratic ticket. He has served several
times in Congress. beginning with the XLVlth Con,
ercss IL then that ne became ac1ualh'ed
with John e.. Carlisle.
Mr. Dunn is man who speaks slowly and dis
tinc,y, weighing each word before IT is uttered,
and il was only on Thursday that he nsulted Ap-
Iraiser Cooper by asking him if a dead man ran
the Appraisers stores.