The times. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1890-1903, 1896-02-16
THE BIRTH OF A PHRASE
"BHO sTRUCh:BfLLY PATTERsON''?
ORTGINATLD ~ RfCHMOND.
The Circumstances which Brought About
The Famous Remark Occurred Hero
Away Back in 1852.

Hany Tucker, the clever Virginia cor
respondent OF the New YORK Press. writes
that paper urder Eichmond date, the FOL
lowing. which Was printed ia it's issue OF
last sunday.
sec that doctors Office over there?'
remarked one CT Richnond's men-about-
town.
Yes
"That Office marl,s the spot Of one OF
the most Interesting events that ever
tfanspirei in this city, and which gave
20 the wrrld something TO tai. about for
quarter O. Il century
Then the fnan-about- lapsed into
n reminiscent mood anu told the follow
ing story:
THE STORY.
1T was away back in 1862 The Ma
tional Medical Convention VAS ia session
.n Richmond. Among the delegates in
attendance was DR. Allan 5. Payne OF
Tauquier county lie Was powerful
man, and were he living now could give
James Corbett cards ana spades and LEX
him. too.
AT the close Of the convention. which
was in session three or four days. a
chosen few of the delegates were in
viied 70 a spread az the mansion OF tho
late Dr. r. w Haxall. The party was a
gay one. and il was near daybreak before
Tie guests took their departure This
was on the morning Of May 5th. As they
were passing this spot. where q bar
room then stood. a burly wel-formed
man. q butcher by trade rushed ont
Of that basement door and made for the
party of NJ D's like an enragei bull
Several Of them dropped TO the ground
The man stood SIN for moment as II
10 size up the next victim. That pause
vas iatai. Dr. Payne gave him a stun
Ming blow IN The face which fclled him
10 the ground. where DE lay inscnsible
/ The party then went on 90 the city Io-
tei. whore they had apartments.
ut was daylight now. and the doctor
feeling uneasy as 10 the result OF his
knoch-doWn blow. sent his servant out
10 inquire about the man. When the sci-
want returned be said.
% We'll, Master Al. he's breathin'. an
hes mt mighty hard; but / reckon he'll
GREW UNEASY.
Tho doctor feared trouble from the
authorities. however. and hire8 "a fast
team tO take him down 20 old Major
DosWeil $. I'D Hanover county, TO remain
ia scclusiOn.
ON Tie mean time" the man who had
been injured. whose name was William
Patterson. had eained consciousness. and
TWO officers were sent 10 the hotel fo
find the man that knocked him down
"fhe proprietor of tho hotel. Buck VII
liams. was equal 10 tho occasion. how
ever, and called two OF his bcll-boys- tho
smartest i'm the place.
" Here, Won boys. take this quarter:
go down stairs and ash the copper who
struck Billy Patterson. skip"
Down they went and according 10
the instruction o. Mine Host Williams.
approached the officer ana inn0centiy
asked who struck Billy Patterson
This question was repealed every few
minutes. until. Disguised. the officers rec
tired. The boys, however caught on "a
the spirit Of the Joke and went into the
street, accosiinc every passerDy with the
same query Before the day was over
the expression was ON the lips o. half
the population. and in a fow days 30
spread from one end of the land TO the
other. and had even reached Europe.
Some years later Dr Payne visited
Richmond and scnt for Patterson They
met and became fast friends This is
the true story OF tio ram arid rise OF Bile
Isl Patterson