The Scranton tribune. [volume] (Scranton, Pa.) 1891-1910, 1897-04-28
Gossip at
the Capital
Special Correspondence of The Tribune.

Special Correspondence of The Tribune.
Washington, April 27-Thc nomination
of Deboe for United States senator by the
Republican members of the Kentucky
legislature has been regarded as a possi-
bility for some time but the well-informed
politicians considered 1t so remote that
they had given no serious thought to 1t.
Dcboe is a magnificent specimen of phySi-
cal manhood, but when that is said of him
it about exhausts his qualifications for a
seat in the United States senate. Another
thing in his favor from the Kentucky
standpoint Is that he Is to the manner
born. With only one exception since the
days of Henry Clay, Kentucky has had
none but native sons in the senate. That
one exception was James B. Beck. If
Hunter had had the good fortune to have
been born in the Bluegrass state instead
Of Pennsylvania he would very probably
have won the election after securing his
party'3 nomination. The Kentuckian's
state pride rs about the stiffest and most
unyielding specimen of its kind in the
country In speaking of Deboe Colonel
John 7. Holmes, of Louisville, who knows
the embryo statesman well, today said:
"A worse selection than Deboe could
have been made with material at hand,
but If anybody had told me fifteen years
ago that the plodding country doctor I
used to meet in Crittenden county was
Clay and Breckinridge and Crittenden and
Beck / would have believed that his hal
lucination was produced by copious in
jections of dope. When l first knew De-
Doe, he spent most of his time abusing
himself for studying medicine, and then
trying to practice it in a community
where his fees were paid In poultry, gard l
truck and other farm products when they
were paid at ALL In few years he turned
his attention to law and deserted the pro-
fossion of medicine altogether.
"About the first case Of Importance he
had was a damage suit for malpractice
against doctor in the county who had
been the principal cause of Deboe quitting
medicine for the law. The phyeician was
great mixer with the country people
and gobbled all The practice of the county,
leaving very poor picking for the man
likely to soon occupy seat in the senate.
He treated patient for smallpox, and,
while he pulled him through, the man
came out OF the siege with his face disfig-
urST for life The patient consulted Deboe
about his case ard Dcboe advised him to
sue the doctor for 5000 for leaving him in
such a shape. When the case came to trial
Dcboe set up that the science of medicine
had progressed so far that there was
no longer an excuse for physician to
bring a smallpox patient through with his
face pitted and dshgured for life. He
succeeded in convincing the jury OF his
way of thinking about the matter and Sc
cured for his client a verdict for the fun
amount asked. The winning of this case
gave him such popularity in his county
that he was soon sent to the state senate,
though the district had been overwhelm-
ingly Democratic time out of mind and he
was an uncompromisirg Republican"
Much comment has been caused in Epis-
copal circles here by the action of a
Mrs. Fairfax in Withdrawing from st.
Marks church, which is the pro-cathe-
dral church of the diocese. Mrs. Fairfax
withdrew from membership in the church
owing to a statement made by the rector,
the Rev. DR.. Devries. regarding the at
tendance of colored people at the services.
Several weeks ago, at a meeting Of the
Bible class, the question was put directly
to DR.. Devries, who answered that Chris
tianity knew no distinction of color or
race and he did not see how colored people
could be debarred from attending a
church which was intended for the use OF
the whole diocese, or how colored people
living in that parish and entitled to par
iSh rights could be deprived of them. a
few days later DR.. Devries received a
note from Mrs. Fairfax, saying that she
had strong views on this subject and could
no longer remain a member of the church.
Mrs. Fairfax Is a Nirginian, and one who
suffered greatly during the Civil War.
She is said TO be a lneal descendant of
Lord Fairfax, by whom the Virginia
county and city bearing his name was
once owned. Her prejudiCes are said to
be very strong, ana on this point in par
ticular they were too intense to allow her
to remain where such views We're toleIat-
ed Her daughter who sang in the choir
at St Marks, withdrew with her mother.
The two transferred their membership to
Trinity church, where the daughter en-
tered the choir. AS might have been
expected, the withdrawal of Mrs. and Miss
Fairfax from the church under such cir
cumstances created great deal Of gossip,
especially as there was no secret made of
their reasons. Another family said that
they would also leave, but so far they
have remained.
Senator Jones, of Arkansas, one OF She
leaders of the Democratic forces in the
senate, and chairman Of the Democratic
National committee, does not favor a pol
icy Of obstruction to prevent the enact
ment of the new tariff legislation. There
will be no factious opposition to the meas
ure In the senate by the Democrats" said
he. 1--WE shall discuss the bill fully and
point out its imperfections. We shall,
however, content ourselves with dig
nihed opposition, insisting only upon full
and free discussion Of its schedules and
a vote upon any proposed amendments.
We shall give the Republicans no assist
ance in passing it., but they, on the con-
trary, viii be permitted TO pass It If they
have the votes"
Every senator and member of congress
was the recipient last week OF a letter
from a Kentucky distillor, containing an
order upon local liquor seller for a bottle
OF new brand of whiskey The orders
were in the form Of handsomely engraved
drafts, such as are used by banks gem
orally, and were numbered with a check
perforator, to prevent counterfeiting. Not
all senators and members called TO secure
the aforesaid bottle, but some of them did,
and very few orders, indeed are there
that have not been pres onted by some one.
Congressmen's clerks I'm many cases have
presented them, ana now and then a page,
who has picked one up from the floor, be-
sides few coiored ronsorial artists, and
an occasional bootback.
WAS II good whiskey? And how big
bottle was it?" asked one congressman
yesterday Of a friend who had "cashed
In" his order the day before.
'HIhn liQuOr w al nj o n