The morning news. [volume] (Savannah, Ga.) 1887-1900, 1896-06-01
SPANKED GROVER c.
Thomas Davids Proud OF Having
Drubbed the President
Rom the san Franclsco Examlner.

From the San Francisco Examiner.
Thomas Davids. who died at the home
of his daughter in the little foothnl town
Of San Dimas, fortnight since, had the
distinction of being the only living per-
son of the country who ever visited cor
poral punishment upon his eXcellency
Grover Cleveland, President Of these Unit
ed States
Mr. Davids was pointed out to strangers
by his neighbors during his last years
as the man who had followed literally
SOlomOns ancient advice as to the bring
ing up of children in the training of a
future President. For some little time af-
ter the old gentleman moved from Iowa
to Los Angeles, in 1889 some Of Mr.. Da-
Vid's acquaintance We're quite inclined
to doubt the story that the modest little
Mr.. Davids had ever had as much as
the least possible part I'm bending the
youthful presidential shoot When, how
ever, there came one day a letter from
President Cleveland himself to the old
friend of his father, filled with sentiments
of good cheer for Mr. DaVids in his de-
crepitude ana ADVANCED years, mere was
not a skeptic left 1t is doubtful If any
missive was ever more fondly cherished
than this.
A few weeks ago your correspondent
drove out from Pasadena to call upon
Thomas DaVids. He was then in appar-
ent good health and was, visiting in the
home or his daughter lie was stricken
with apOplexy there few days later and
died suddenly. On the day Of the call
the old gentleman had been helping i'm
was announced he came at once to the
ranch house.
Yes, ! believe / had a little to do
in teaching Grover Cleveland a few
things when he was a little tot of a
boy" said the old gentleman, when he
was told the purpose Of the call and had
seated himself in a big rocking chair out
on the piazza amid the vines and shrub
berry.
what | did for Mr.. Cleveland when he
was a lad, for 1 reckon my way of deal
ing with the boy was what he needed
just at that time, and was the start
ing Of him on his path to the white
This was said in a semi-smiling manner
as the old gentleman put himself in a
"Oh, yes, I wrote him fine, long let
ter nigh onto nine years ago, when he
was President first time. told him
how It tickled me all over to know that
1 had walloped a President of the United
States, what was to be, and how glad
was to see that my little boy friend away
back in old New YORK state had turned
out to be the biggest statesman in the
whole world. Well / went on and told
him what I remembered about his faith
ers family and himself, when he was
little waddling cuss and Parson Cleve-
land had a struggle to make ends meet
and do you know, Mr.. Cleveland sat
down few weeks later and wrote me
the most cordial kind of a letter any one
up at the top of the first page was
letters The handwriting was dreadful
hard to read. He said he remembered
me. too, and thanked me for my letter
because it had revived some old and very
pleasant memories that had been crowd
ed out of mis- thoughts by powerful lot
of work. I'd show you the letter now,
but 1 lost it or had il stolen in Los An
geles several years ago. ia rather nave
lost my watch than that there docu-
you want to hear about how I came to
know Grover Cleveland when he a
little shaver, do you? Well II was IN lo45
or 1913 that Parson Richard Cleveland
moved from Fayetteville Ga little place
near Syracuse, n. " over to Clinton, in
ONEIDA county, and a few miles from Uti-
ca ! was a strong young man in the coun-
try village then, and was working for my
board and some higher educat.on up a;
the big Clinton academy on the Nlll. haa
the Job as sexton In the Presbyterian
church I remember as If it were only yes
terday the day ParsOn Cleveland and his
family came into our town over the Onel-
da turnpike road, one blazing day In sum
mer, with their household goods loaded ia
farm wagons that the members of the
church had furnished for conveying the
new young pastor and his all 70 Clinton.
went up and helped the pastor and his
wife settle in the parsonage near the
church. There were two girls, the Oldest
about l. and two boys-Grover (or as he
was called then Stephen Grover and
brother While.
eOf course 1 soon became well acqualnt-
ed with ParsOn Cleveland and his family.
The pastor was an easy, mild DISPOSE
toned, scholarly man, while his wife was
an energetic. aggressive and determined
young woman, VINO meant to do the very
best possible for her children. Grover was
at that time about six years old. He was
a chubby child, with blue-gray eyes and
large for his age He was not accounted
the smart one Of the flock, and il / had
been going TO name then the one among
the Cleveland children VINO would make
famous name II would have been either
Willie or little Mary Grover had a hard