New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1896-04-26
CAPITAL GOSSIP.
SOME WASHINGTON CHARACTERS
,,,o r~c,uI,R CIAIMs-THE PASSING OF COBB
THE MOUNT VERNON AssociAlioN-
WORLDS FAIR MEDALS.

Two PECULIAR CI,AIMS-THE fAS>iNu 'r ~OD
THE MOUNT VERNON ASSOCIATION
WORLDS FAIR MEDALS.
Washington April % (SpeciaD.-Mahy al. VIZ
nr noeterous claims presented for the consiaera-
ton CT Congress- but the death OF an ii''e
old character in South Washington last "eeN
roc,,,s tuo of the most curious that were even
rororted from q committee. John Riley, Ninety
civ vears old for a number of years the soie DC
cunant OF an old four-story and eaoie pii."
structure built during the last cenlu's' -"
companion Of spiders and rats. ana 'he ic"'e"
and avoided character Of that part OF 'He '''''
died It IL said, OF starvation. he was
wizened old character and the chliuie" anu ~
colored people in the neighborhood TOT yea"
rarded the aged hermit as hant, emu w
IN terror whenever he emerged from MS su"e''
retreat On the front door OF the VI" "
there is still a signboard inscribed;
claim Rilev Corns and Warts Cured.
THE was the old mans only occupation. Dur-
ing the late war he was river steamboat zap
tain on the Mississippi and supplied the Ali''
Of the Cumberland with food and anH'uii''o'''
He saved at that time. two Mississippi euiooa'
from capture at the hands OF the Conieueia' .'
nv skilfully manipulating the supply steamers
under his command and using them as usooa'''
After the death of the old man papers were
found on him from Senators ana iepie'
tves. thanking him for removing oos'repeio"s
corns from their feet. This gentle art ne nao
nractised since the war; and at the time OF ms
death had a claim pending for upward Oh S'''V0o
for the services rendered on the MISSISSIPPI
D,.o- ard for onaratng on the pedal extremitles
~ conservatives Of the American people. De-
snite his great age and infrmities. Riley nad per
feet confidence in the justice OF his clalm' anu
lived in the hope that /: would ultimately oe
paid.
Rilev's claim ard his experience recall one "a
the most curious demands ever made upon '"e
covornment which was reported from the Com
,nittee on War Claims several years ago MS
was tho case of Issachar Zacharie. OF New-1ofh'
ch;ronodist who found an outlet for the eXuoer-
ance of his patriotic spirits during the war III
removing corns from the feet OF the soloieis VI
the Northern Army. With his claim Aachaiie
fled the following letter
Executive Mansion. - o
Washington, ID. c., september %. lsS-
From numerous TESTIMONIALS of the highest char,
acter and from personal experience we ID anerat
the very great success OF DR. l. Eacnaaeh i ~ the
feet by which instantaneous relief is afforded ana
we desire that the soldiers OF our orasS c>t i, may
have the benefit OF the doctors sVrPIisinns s"
VIM. H. SEWARD.
Armed with this letter Doctor Zacharie as
sailed the War Department. and finally sue
ceeded in having the following ORDER issueu ~
the Secretary of War in September, lSo-'
War Department .. ,o,,
washington b. G. September p, 1862;
Dr Zacharie has permission to pass within the
lines Of the United States forces arouna " onerai
ing upon the feet Of the soldiers for corhs' ou'o'
etc, this to continue for E shTsy Say rs STANTON
Continued for sixty days by order W. o. "e"e'"'
Tucker Blake, Assistant st ,SeS Secretary Oh wal
Signed November u 49,
Under the authority conferred by these orders
zacharie proceeded to Fortress Monroe ana OPP
Grated upon the feet of numerous soldiers alleged
nv him TO be at least 5000 in number under
rho command of General John A. Dix. TO the en-
tire satisfaction Of the soldiers and General DIN
With his claim Zacharie submitted letter pui-
porting to have been written by General DiA, Vi
'Shoot him on the spot memory pu rasaOted To-
in the opinion of the committee was preseh'eu "
establish its genuineness. and no evidence was
submitted from the soldiers who were SAID TO
have been his patients. The committee nu,lol
ouslv reported that therefore. in the considera-
ton of this portion Of the claim they were WIN,
put that light and infornauSn donoe E,h;cb
the character of the claim-not to mention us
peculiarity-entitles IL TO receive
Other representations on tne par o, q" X 600
For these services and for other valuable ser
vices incidentally rendered in the course OIL ne
connected with the Army the claiman1 anes s da
he had received compensation ne maui
what he considered to be the very low ana noue ,
charge of So for each man operated upon nno ms
having operated upon the feet OF loooo men,
mada tha entire amount Of the claim $4,000. none
of which however ever sweed the DanK account
OF the benevolent Zacharie
rxpanresantativa Martin best known as
Martin of Texas" while in Congress- was the
hero ON one or two occasions of thrilling escapes
from death by blowing out the gas. 1t seems
houever that he was not the only Texan with an
ant,nathy 10 gas as the following. vouched Tor
nv a Judge from the Lone Star state. Is EVIL
dence: When ex-senator Richard Coke VINO
was succeeded year ago by Senator Chi'oh
came 10 Washington in 1877 to take his seat, ne
succeeded the Republican Senator Haihtoh'
Mr. Coke stopped with his old friend from raj
estine at the Metropolitan. Hotel when the
two retired on the night before the new senator
was % he sworn in the latter was last to get to
he'd and of course, had to put out the hght.
BEFORE getting into bed, the future Senator tried
a. h,or ont tho gas He blew and blew then
%, IN a chair ana blew again, but failed to ex-
tinpuish the light At last an old home idea
s,rucx hin, and grabbing his big SLOUGH hat, MI
Coke made a slam blow at the gas, which LETT
the room in darkness Just then MS lrieho
raised himself on his elbow. and said:
"Dick. that amt no way to put out that sort
O, light. You have TO turn the tncmoscre"S
The "thumbscrews" were then turned. the new
s,a,esmar from Texas and his friend retired 10
rest in a single bed. and the valuable life of
United States Senator was saved
Ronresentative Cobb--"Judge" Cohb-was de-
nr,ved by the House of Representatives, this
week. of sea. to which he never was elected,
bu; which, nevertheless, he occupied for more
than a year. If ne never did anything TO re-
dcund to the credit of Alabama he, at least.
made himself immortal on a notable occasion
IN the House when leaning heavily upon his
desk. he inquired of his astonished colleagues.
Where am / at?" 1t isn't every statesman
that can coin phrase offhand.