Wood River times. [volume] (Hailey, Idaho) 1882-1915, 1893-12-07
AIS FIRST Two cAsEa

now Coneressman Gresham 0oe Has Seess
Represeutative Walter Gresham OF
Texas the new member from the
Galveston district is lawyer ANA
very wealthy man. He Is regarded
AZ one of the ablest men Ia the State
and has done more, perhaps than any
other man to develop the banking
and railroad system of Texas Since
coming to Washington Mr.. Gresham
has told the story Of his tirst two law
cases as follows:
.When l arrived in Galveston
had S. in my pocket. OF this l paid
Al. 30 for a table and chair, which /
placed ia the center Of little office
that had rented on time hunted
I'M a sign painter and offered him the
remainder of my pile to paint me a
single. He objected at first. but
finally said he would do it although
his D ice was s4) because l was a
young man Just starting in, and he
might want to consult me some time.
A few weeks afterward the painter
did call upon me to engage my legal
services. He was in trouble with his
wife. Having gone home the night
before little under the weather and
smashed a portion of the household
furniture, she left him, with their
little girl, and went to live with her
mother. He offered me $50 in gold
if l would induce her to COME back.
Gold was then worth 81. 40, and a $60I
gold piece looked to me as big as the
capitol. Iaccepted the retainer, and
that evening I went to call upon his
wife, whom 1 had never seen in my
life. was naturally very much en-
barrassed. and we talked about the
weather and the city and legal profess
sion and everything I could think of,
and finally was compelled to state
my business. Then the lady, who up
to that time had been exceedingly
genial and pleasant. became as chilly.
as an icicle, and at first refused to
listen to me. stood my ground,
however, and at length became SO
eloquent that I won her over and
she promised to return to her hus-
band the next day. She did SO, and
the painter paid me the $50 in gold
as he had agreed.
"Some time after this. when the
$50 had been spent, l was sitting
one evening after dinner at my
boarding house chatting, when there
arose hullabalOo out III the yard
and message came that gentle
man wanted to see Mr. Gresham. I
went out and saw man dancing up
and down in a crazy fashion, clutch>
ing his shirt as though the touch
of it against his skin hurt him, and
he greeted me in great excitement.
L asked him who he was and what he
wanted, and he said. all the time
jumping up and down and grabbing
his shirt:
"'Mr. Gresham. I am -, the
painter, and you know l paid you
$50 to get my wife to come back at
ter she had run away" Then l re-
cognized my excited caller. and asked
him what was the matter. 'Well,'
said he, continuing his gymnastics,
i got little full again last night
and went home and smashed little
more crockery and furniture. My
wife got mad, poured pot of hot
coffee over my shoulders land at the
recollection of his punishment the
painter pulled his shirt more vikor.
ously than befOre). Now, l will give
you $3.50 in gold if you will get me a
divorce, so that will never have to
live with that woman again.
II accepted the second case as I
did the first" concluded the Texas
representative. "and won the case
and got my fee."