The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1895-02-10
GENERAL LOGAN'S LIQUOR.
Am Story Told by His Old
COlOred Body

DOuS
New York Recorder.
Daniel p. Slater, the Mayors messenger,
is a Herculean colored man, who although
not yet forty, has had a varied and inter-
esting career. He was born in Virginia of
slave parents in 1856 and when the war
broke out his parents and other adult slaves
were kept in ignorance of the fact until the
Emancipation proclamation was issued.
Then the entire slave household was hur-
ried off to Tennessee, where ultimately they
obtained their freedom at the close of the
war.
Daniels father was a very devout man
and when his son reached the age of fifteen
intended to make him a preacher. Dan,
however, did not take kindly to the idea
and ran away from home.
He got a position in a hotel as a waiter
and from that job progressed by easy
stages to Washington, where he became the
body servant of the late Gen. John A.
Logan. Upon him fell the solemn duty OF
moments an event of which Daniel never
speaks without a tremulous voice and tear
stories of happenings in the Generals
household, in most of which he personally
figured.
1t was his duty to see that the Generals
supply of those things which make for
social happiness in guest room of a United
States Senator was never short. Daniel,
however, noticed that the finest WHISTLES
were disappearing in an u~naccountable
manner and suspecting that the purloiner
of them was a. fellow servant he determined
to lay a trap for the miscreant. AS his
duties took him away from the house dur
ing a portion OF the day he thought his
only way to detect the culprit was to mix
a cathartic in one of the bottles. This he
did and placed the bottle in a position
which made it easily accessible
1t unfortunately happened, however, that
General Logan had arranged for a meeting
with some of his friends that day, at an
hour when Daniel was called away. AS his
guests were partial to good whisky. the
General treated them from his store, and
there being but one brand 9aou In the cabinet
tie which came to his hand. Always n
keen observer of men, General Logan no.
ticed that his friends made wry faces as
they drank the liquor. He then proceeded
to extol its merits, told it's age and how
it came into his possession. He then at
tempted to persuade his friends to try a
second glass.
They unanimously asserted that it was
the best liquor they had ever tasted. but
should be preserved for a future genera
ton. knowing his friends to be men who
rarely balked the second tubler, the Gen.
eral was puzzled. and took a sample him
self. 81
9 by thunder. 1t has a queer taste" he
:, AT that moment Daniel entered the room.
His, eyes fell upon the bottle. and he knew
~htfrnatiett Depicted upon his face was OBJ
served By all. and noticing his manner. the
What the matter with this whisky.
..Dat whiskyss'' retorted Daniel.
Certainly, that WHISKY" replied the Gen.
eral.
Did yo' drink dat whisky? asked Daniel.
Yes"
A of you gemmeng"
What do you mean by asking these
questions?' roared the General.
Well. | s'pose / must done gone and git
anudder job. den. I done dose dat whisky
to ketch a coon who's been stealin' it,
Daniel was not compelled to get another
job, but General Logan left orders that he
had better keep out of sight until the recol-
lections Of that good liquor" were dimmed
in his memory.
After the Generals death Daniel came to
New York, where he obtained a position as
butler In Colonel Strons,s household. He
did not remain long with Colonel Strong,
however, and then tried his fortunes in
Philadelphia. There he got his first notion
OF becoming a politician, and when Mayor
Strong was nominated he came to New
York, asked for and obtained the position
OF doorkeeper At Colonel Strong's head
quarters In that capacity he became q
terror to strikers, a. no mfn could pass
the portal without giving JAis name and
reasons for Wishing the caRdtdafe. On one
o~<caslQn ~ bertcd Wtli4h Brookfeld cut