The Breckenridge news. (Cloverport, Ky.) 1876-1955, 1897-05-19
Not That In the Liquid Form, But
Referring, With Apology, to
"Czar" Tom Reed and
"soCKLEss JERRY" SIMPSON,
Of the Bewhlskered State Of Kan
sas.-Ierry's First Speech.
REED AS A CROSS EXAMINER

many years ago. This picture marks the
beginning of a'gocd deal of the recent po-
litioal fistory Of this country. 1t depicts
the scene when Tom Reed won his spurs as
member of congress 1t was just 20
years ago when Mr., Reed came down here
as a green congressman and the Hayes
Iilden i'm brogiio was the sensation of the
hour. Nothing else was talked Of. A
special committee to investigate the 1875
election was ordered, and Reed was lucky
enough to get place upon it. Garfield,
Hale and others who had more reputation
declined to serve, because they were afraid
they might get into trouble. Reed accept
cd what they had refused, and IL turned
out to be good thing for him that he did.
The committee, it will be remembered,
was known as the Potter committee, from
the name Of its chairman. Its first serious
work was an examination of the witness
Anderson, conducted by Colonel William
II. Morrison, the famous Democrat from
Illinois. He induced the witness to make
revelations which scandalized the ooun-
try and made the Republicans feel very
sick. That was on Friday. The next
morning Governor Clallin, one of the Re-
publican managers of that day, came to
Washington. He met Reed and said to
him:
"What is the matter with all our fell
lowsS They appear to have run away since
that man Anderson made his confessions.
/ can't find one of our men. Guess they
must be In hiding somewhere"
swell, We'll change all that" drawled
Reed.
"what are you going to doH' inquired
the governor.
al am going to cross examine that fell
low Anderson, and I'll tear him all to
pieces. "
Reed ms a Cross Examiner.
When the Republican managers heard
Of this, they tried to coax Reed off. They
said II would be a mistake. Even If An
derson was liar, he was smart one, and
10 would be impossible to catch him A
failure to shake his testimony would burt
the Republican cause But Reed stuck to
his purpose. "I'n make that chap trot or
jump the harness." he said.
The next Monday the committee met
again, and Reed went at Anderson. In
half an hour he had his witness ON the run.
1t is safe to say that witness never before
had such an uncomfortable two hours Of
1t before a congressional committee. The
confessions which Reed wrung from him
became the sensation of the day. All the
newspapers took 1t up. The illustrated
papers made pictures of the scene. 1t was
great day for the new congressman from
Maine. He was an unknown man no
longer. That one feat made him famous.
Jerry Simpson says he enjoys speaking
to the house of representatives when things
are lively. He likes fight above all other
things. When there is "a storm on tho leg
islative waters and the spray is flying, 1t
nd nf hfo frcf
years ago Jerry Simpson was a sailor be-
fore the mast Later he rose to be the cap
tain of vessel ON the great lakes and in
1873 he was in command Of the bark Rut-
ter which left Chicago late in October and
ran into a dreadful storm. The bark was
in tow Of a steamer, but the hawser parted
In the storm and the bark was set adrift.
She finally pulled up in shoal water of
Ludington, Mich, where lifeboat tried
TO rescue the imperiled sailors, but found
the sea running too high. Then govern
ment tug came out and tried to take the
men off. The tug brought out lot Of
longshoremen, who were to try to save the
cargo Of the bark, and they would have
succeeded no doubt If the storm had not
lust then broken out with redoubled fury.
The cargo was Of rye, and every sailor
knows that that is slippery stuff to have
in the hold of vessel at the mercy Of the
winds and waves.
A Marrow Escape.
"The rye kept running TO one side, I"
says Mr.. Simpson, "till our ship was
friRhtfully listed, and, in fact, the water
was standing ankle deep upon the lee side
OF our deck. The seas were now running
pretty high, and it looked as If we were
in tight fix. ordered the longshoremen
to take to the rigging and to hold on with
death grip in order to avoid being
washed away In few minutes the crew
and l had 70 do the same thing. We
climbed into tho upper rigging, with the
seas boiling through and over our poor
craft below us. / felt particularly sad
when l saw my trunk and all my best
clothes 60 floating by. BY this time the
ship was pounding very hard on the bot
tom, and as every big sea struck her
thought 1t would be the last and that she
would break In two and go to pieces.
"Fully 5000 people were gathered ON
the shore watching our struggle against
the ellen snts and wondering II we should
DO able 20 reach the shore alive. Twenty
four hours we stuck 20 the rigging, and
pretty dreary work ii was, you may Inn
ngine. But we knew the gallant crews OF
the life saving service were coming, and
We had encouragement 20 hold out. FL
nally the lifeboat reached usand the long
shoremen were sent ashore on the first
trip. Then the crew and followed. When
we stepped upon the shore, the people gave
us royal welcome. They gathered about
as with dry clothing, with hot coffee and
food. Nothing was too good for u.s. AS
soon as we had been warmed and fed, they
insisted should tell them all about the
shipwreck. They led the way TO a public
hall, set me upon the platform and told
me 10 20 ahead. In this way was IN
duced 20 make my first speech In public
and think 1t was the best speech ever
made
Felicity aud Drevity.
President Mckinley is gaining quite
reputation for the felicity and breyity Of
his public addresses On his way 70 the
Grant memorial exercises In New York
recently the presidents told one OF hi
friends that be- should speak only hV'
uinutoa nt the tomb.
~ remember" said Mr.. Mckinley
'fthat General Grant once told an Rudienc'
IA Hnglnnd that since arriving In theI'
country no had made the longest and poor
est speeches ol bis lie. the poorest, ~
a..