Richmond dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1884-1903, 1896-07-28
Sketch of Tom Watson.

"a. II. L., In New York Journal)
Tom Watson, of Georgia, just now the
Populist nominee for Vice-President, is
physically an atom OF a man. His frame
Is small; he Is meagre in flesh, and what
there is seems laid on grudgingiy, as II
nature hesitated to make the man at all.
The entire Individual won't weigh 40
pounds.
But slight, though he be almost to the
point of feeble, Watson has the vivacity
and heat OF fire. No one In Georgia can
cope with him before a crowd, unless 1t
is Crisp, whom he bitterly hates. Watson
face is smooth; no moustache, no beard.
Watson has eyes of gray, with yellow
hair-long this last, and Of the sort that
hangs in straight locks and haunts de-
nance. 1t is divided well over on the left
side, this hair and combed smoothly back
and over without any flourish or effect
toward the beautiful. AS he talks Watson
has a Dantonian trick to gesture, and
whirls his arms, sways his small body
losses his head like a racer This sets a
lock OF hair to waving and hanging
across his forehead and low, it takes part
in his disputes, and, falling and floating
like ponys NAME punctuates his periods
with loppy emphasis. Ever and again as
he talks, his thin, nervous right hand
will recover this disputatious forelock
and with one motion furi 1t smoothly
away back of his ear. where 1t is prisoner,
however only a moment.
Watson's face is fine and sensitive; a
rather bony face, hungry and drawn with
the reading OF many books His fore
head is broad, but retreating; and gives
one the impression that Watson sees more
| things than he thinks. This is true. Wat
son is not SO much an originator as a
perceiver. He sees things, he reads
things, he hears things; he Is not so apt
to think them.
| Consistent with these latter attributes
| is the hawkish tendency of Watson. His
| face. rather prominently phrased as to
| nose Is OF the hatchet, beakish kind. and
/ has decidedly falcon effect. And that's
what Watson is: and II there is aught in
| theosophy-which 1 much misdoubt-thats
| what Watson was-a falcon lie has the
shrilly, raspy voice. the power of strong.
nigh flight. the pinion, the talon. the
beak, and withal the swoop OF the hawk.
He thinks fercely too. and while Watson
may have the wrong side Of the debate
as often as others, one may be sure by
beak or claw he'll set the subject bleed
| ing before he's closed.
When Watson was in the House few
men cared for contest with him. He
| fears no one. His record Is pure, his
| character without stain. His honesty has
| never bred a doubt Industrious 10 the
point OF overwork. with an indomitable
bent to labor and dig. book-fed TO de-
| gree. Watson Is always bitterly full, not
| to say brilliantly aware. OF his subject.
| He has, moreover. a lancet-like incisive-
ness that cuts. And II interfered with
| by taunt, or jeer. or contradiction. Wat
SON can talk like the thrust OF a bowie
knife; his rhetoric stabs. For all these
reasons most members preferred TO give
| the pale, over-trained young man from
| Georgia wide berth In debate. They
got no victory, no honor, and only wounds
/ from collision with him.
Watson dresses well. but not modishly.
| His garb Il not new-fashioned. But he
has ali OF q cats scruples TO ts neat.
| He has no sense Of humor. and life Is
a serious struggle with him. His sense
| of honor Is not only high, but acute, and
| he Is painfully faithful 10 a principle or a
| friend. As you look at him you realize
| after a bit that Watson Is one who
! would ride on a tumbril. and give hIs
| head to the guiilotine for conviction,
| when the North produces a John Brown,
| the South puts forth Watson. Yhey
| are alike to their REGIONS Yet = y