Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1895-12-14
THURMAN IN THE SENATE
Reoollections of His Bandanna and What
Its Flourish Indicated
Edmunds His Chief Antagonist and
Their Very Friendly Per-
sOnal Relations.

There is no personality more pronounced
and more indelibly stamped on the memory
of every one about the Senate whose recol-
lection goes back for couple of decades
than that of Allen g. Thurman. The "old
Roman" and his red bandanna are recalled
wildly. His outspoken manner, vigor in de-
bate, love of his friends and more especially
his fondness for his ablest antagonists in
the Senate, his mastery command of En-
glish and clear conception Of legal Ques
tons were all pronounced.
Mr.. Thurman when in the Senate. had the
desk now occupied by Mr.. Faulkner, the
fourth seat from the center aisle in the
third row on the democratic side of the
chamber. Perhaps more conspicuous than
any other of his antagonists Senator
Edmunds and if any legal question coming
before the Senate had two sides they were
sure to line upon it in opposition. They
were lawyers of the highest grade, and
when they came in contact it was Greek
against Creek
Significance Of the Bnndnnna.
When the "old Roman" made use of his
bandanna it was with the sound of fog
horn, and 1t either portended a fray or was
accepted as signal for something unusual
to happen. The fog horn never blew with
out causing Edmunds to look up hastily to
see what was coming. and, OH the other
addressed the president of the Senate with
out attracting the eye of Mr.. thurman.
Generally. after the two had been pitted
against each other on some legal question
they would. as If by a mutual understand
ing, start for the rear of the chamber, there
meet and seek seclusion in the cloak room
or committee room, where they would con-
tinue the argument begun on The floor of
the Senate. These private discussions were
frequently as heated in their nature IS had
been their remarks in the Senate, but they
nearly always ended in a compromise On the
points under dispute, and when they re-
turned to the chamber 1t was for one or the
other to announce some plan by which the
difnculty experienced would be Strengthened
out However exciting the arguments te-
tween the two leaders might have been, they
always ended on friendly terms. They evil
IDENTIFY enjoyed the legal trays. for each
felt he had an antagonist worthy of lis
steel.
His Snuh-Taking Habit.
Senator Thurman was addicted to the
habit Of taking snuff. which he always in
dulged in freely during the early part of
the day. The senatorial snuff boxes, which
still are to be found on either side of the
Vice Presidents chair, were resorted to
by him, and on many occasions when he
did not care to leave his place in the Sen
ate. he would send for Capt. Bassett, in
the venerable assistant doorkeeper always
Carried with him.
Contest With Mr.. Blaine.
Senator Thurman was one of the few men
who could stand up against the late Mr..
Blaine on the floor of the Senate and was
enc Of the men who put that statesman on
his mettie to keep from coming out on the
wrong side of a dispute. An instance is
recalled. showing how trif1e may put a
man at a disadvantage as 1t did Thurman.
Blaine and Thurman were having a sharp
encounter. Thurman had taken his red
bandanna from his pocket. and after giving
a foghorn signal OF something startling
laid 1t on his desk The two leaders en-
tered into heated argument. Sharp re-
torts were sent back and forward, when Mr..
Thurman put his hand in his pocket to
again get the bandanna. 1t was not there
and 1t had fallen from his desk. He felt
through his pockets. with no success, and
bis failure to locate his bandanna so con-
fused him that he took his seat in despair,
and the encounter came to an end 1t was
rot until he had recovered his favorite
bandanna that he was again himself, but
in the meantime Blaine had been given the
advantage in the controversy.