Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1894-11-03

set the operator is patted on the back and
asked to have something. Then the returns
take on another complexion, and the oppo-
sition, not to be outdcpe, call on the oper-
ator to stand by then, and again the liquor
Is served.
1T has frequently occurred that by mid
right clubs of this kind will be beseeching
us to send them another operator, as the
man they hav> has gone off to sleep, leav-
Ing them stranded. Then an operator will
agree to receive the news who is unknown
TO us, almost novice at the business. The
dots and dashes are too complicated for
him and as a consequence no news is re-
ceived. He Is perhaps working at politi-
cal clab, who desire, or rather hope, for
a certain kind of returns. Not to be out
done. his wits are called into play and he
makes up the returns himself / know Of
a case Of this kind that occurred during
the last presidential election, wherein the
returns given out were just the reverse OF
those sent and as a result the club was
hilarious with enthusiasm and joy. I'M
agine their feelings when the true state Of
things became known. 1t took months for
them to live down the derisive jests fired
at them by their political foes. The same
in Philadelphia, but a high railroad official
who had worked his way UP from the
ranks tapped the scheme In time. and for
the remainder of the evening sat at the
table and turned out copy Of gilt edge
order.
JeWeIIS
IT can recall the time when Marshall
Jewell was chairman of the national COM
mittee of the republican party and heard
him tell how he was elected governor OF
Connecticut through his knowledge of teleg
raphy. 1t was early in the seventies that
he was a candidate for governor, his OPP
ponent being James English Jewell had
beaten English once before, and at the fol-
lowing election had been beaten by him.
so that each of them had served one term
as the governor of Connecticut
Although political opponents, they were
very warm personal friends. But there was,
naturally, some rivalry as to who should
take the odd trick as Governor Jewell ex-
pressed 1t. The campaign was, therefore, a
very hot one, and the politicians realized
that whoever won would gain the victory
by very small majority.
zone day Mr.. Jewell had been visiting one
of the Interior towns of Conn ecticut max
ing short speeches in his own behalf, and
in the evening he was driven to village
where he would be able to make railroad
connections for Hartford. his home.
His train was late. Nobody was In the
station except the ticket seller, who was
also the telegraph operator. He did not
know who his distinguished guest was, and
as the evening was rainy, Governor Jewell
was obliged to sit in the waiting room.
THAT dull. monotonous sound of the
clicking telegraph instrument was all that
could be heard, and Governor Jewell sat
there listening to the various messages as
they flashed over the wires. At last he
heard a name which was that of very in
fiuential politician of the party opposed to
JEWELS election. This politician was n
Albany.
Naturally, JEWELS interest was at once
aroused when he heard that name, and
without intending to be an eavesdropper. he
heard distinctly the message as Ii passed
through the little sounder In the ticket sell
ler's office 1t was an appeal to this poll
tician to do certain things, and 1t contained
an intimation of the strategical point in the
campaign Ell glish's friends were making.
In other words, Ii was complete revelation
of the secret plans of JEWELS opponents.
The governor at once changed his plans. In
stead of going to Hartford, he went to New
Haven, summoned the politicians Of his
own party, revealed to them the tactics of
his opponents, and before midnight plan
had been devised to neutraliZe this Stra tegy
of Governor English and his friends. Both
parties worked with a will and contested
every inch of the ground up until the day of
the election.
ION the morning after the election it was
found that the vote was very close. The
majority would not be more than two or
three hundred either way. The decision
was finally shown to be in JEWELS favor by
less than two hundred votes, and when the
vote was anayZed ii was discovered that
he had gained practically the whole of his
majority in that district where his OBJ
ponents expected to do great things, and
were foiled in a manner which they never
knew how to explain.
Several years after he had served his
term, Governor Jewell told an intimate
friend of the fortunate message which re-
vealed to him his opponents plans, and in
this way the story came out When he was
repeating the story to a group of friends
at congressional committee headquarters,
of which L was one. he concluded by say
ing: so you see that IL / had not learned
telegraphy l would rot have taken the odd
trick "