The Seattle post-intelligencer. [volume] (Seattle, Wash. Terr. [Wash.]) 1888-1914, 1895-12-18

wood, as 50 often described. bu. OF gutta-
percaa- II was broken ell TO pieces
One OF capt RaSsstt's annual duties. as
5 wei known. was 20 See that. no matter
bow Far past the actual hour set for final
adjournment the senate sat. the legal
or 'ecancal limit should rot be trans
gressed For this purpose he armed him
self with a long pole, ike that with which
the thrifty boy goes in search OF per-
simmons, and as the hands Of the clock
against the north gallery OF the senate got
dangerously near 10 the hour OF noon. he
poked them gently hack fifteen or twenty
minutes Sometimes he had 20 repeat this
operation twice or thrice
For one thing II for no other. decent
American people owe a debt OF gratitude
70 Capt Bassett-he was the urcompromls-
ing Zoe OF the gelc-hunting vandal- He
was the only man living who knew Just
what desks IN the senate chamber were oc-
cupied by Webster, Calhoun. Clay, Doug
las, Jefferson. Davis and Sumner. These
were the pieces OF furniture concerning
which visitors expressed the most cur.os-
ity. ana II the captain had allowed his Sc
cret TO escape him. every one would have
been hacked TO pieces BIZ the souvenir col
lectors. But his secret goes down with him
20 his grave. Davis desk was asked for
once. during the war. BY party OF Union
zouaves who visited the capitol They said
they wanted to wipe out the last reminder
OF the arch traitor that remained In the
building. Bassett resisted Establishments.
bribes and even threats, and wound np by
making the soldiers little speech, in
which he reminded them that, whatever
Mr.. Davis might have done. the desk he
occupied belonged to the United States
government, and that they had enlisted 10
defend the property OF the government
not TO destroy it. This argument carried
the day.
Capt. Bassett was the second page ap-
pointed 10 the senate. After he had out
grown the office OF page he was promoted
TO that Of messenger. and from that ele-
waited 10 the office OF assistant doorkeep-
er, which post ton he has filed until he
came to be as much OF a fixture in the
chamber as the marble clock. His duties
embraced the general housekeeping OF the
senate, the seating OF the members and
the actual police work OF the sergeant-at-
arms, when that official was called upon
TO act in that capacity. II was in that
capacity that in his younger days he had
TO face the only revolver. save one, That
has ever been drawn in the senate. II was
in the hands of a senator from one OF the
small states, who, being very much In
toxicated. was raising a row. and the ser
geant-at-arms was finally ordered 10 take
him into custody. When 4 message was
received from the president of the United
States or from the house of representa-
tives il was he who announced the fact 20
the senate. Although he had performed
this duty for years, he invariably made
as much fuss over ii as though ii was his
first attempt. His face would turn scar
let, and, as he bowed his head 10 the pre-
siding officer, there was a CULVER in his
voice as he uttered the stereotyped formu-
Ia This was accompanied by a hesitancy
OF speech, as II uncertain whether or not
his remarks would fall on unappreciative
ears. Capt. Bassett had been the recipient
of numerous marks of esteem from the
senators. On the anniversary OF his
fiftieth year of service he was presented
with a beautiful silver snuffbox, the pre-
sentation being made by the presiding
officer. In 1876. on his birthday, an oil
painting Of himself was presented to him,
accompanied by letter signed by Sena-
tor Anthony, ION behalf Of the members
OF the senate, irrespective OF party" and
on the occasion OF his golden wedding he
was presented with a handsome silver
salver.