The Roanoke times. (Roanoke, Va.) 1897-1977, 1897-05-18
SPICY TOM And JERRY.
They Will Please Pardon the
Familiarity.
THE RISE OF TWO STATESMEN.

How Speaker Reed Won His Spurs-Con-
gresham Jerry Simpson Before tho
Mast-His First Public Address-Merit
of Brcvity.
WASHINGTON, May 17.-[Spccial. lin
the little room in the Shoreham hotel
which Speaker Reed uses as library
hangs framed woodout picture taken
from the pages Of an illustrated paper OF
many years ago. This picture marks the
beginning of % good deal of tho recent po
litical history Of this country. 1t depicts
the scene when Tom Reed won his spurs
us member of congress. 1t was just go
years ago TINT Mr.. Reed camo down here
as green congressman, and tho Hayes
Tildon imbroglio was the sensation of the
hour. Nothing clso was talked of. a
special committee to investigate tho 1876
election was ordered, and Reed was lucky
enough to get u place upon 1t. Garfield,
Hale and others who hnd more reputation
declined to serve because they wcro afraid
they might get into trouble. Reed ac-
ccpted what they had refused, and it
turned out to DO u good thing for him that
no did. Tho committee, 1t will DO romcni-
bercd, was known MS tho Potter committee,
from tho name of its chairman. It's first
serious work was an examination of the
witness Anderson, conducted by Colonel
William Il. Morrison, tho famous Demo-
craft from Illinois. He induced tho witness
to make revelations which scnndalizcd tho
country and mado the Republicans feel
very sick. That was on Friday. Tho next
morning Governor Clnflin, ono of the Re-
publican managers of that day, camo to
WASHINGTON S,lil tn
him:
What is the matter with NIL our fell
lows? They appear to have run away since
that man Anderson made his confessions.
can't find one Of our men. Guess they
must DO in hiding somewhere"
well, We'll change all that" drawlcd
Reed
"what are you going to do?' inquired
tho governor.
81 am going to cross examine that fell
low Anderson, and I'll tear him all to
pieces"
Reed as Cross Examiner.
When tho Republican managers heard
of this, they tried to coax Reed Off They
said it would DO II mistake. Even if An
derson was linr, he was smart one, and
it would be impossible to catch him. A
failure to shake his testimony would hurt
his purpose. ON mako that chip trot or
jump the harness." ho said
The next Monday the committee met
again and Reed went at Anderson. In half
an hour no had his witness on the run. 1t Is
safe TO say that witness never before had
such IN uncomfortable two hours of it be-
fore congressional committee Tho con-
LESSONS which Reed wrung from him be-
came the sensation of the day. All the
newspapers took it up. Tho illustrated
papers made pictures of tho scene 1t was
great day for the new congressman from
Maine. He wns an unknown man no
longer. That ono feat made him famous.
Jerry Simpson says ho enjoys speaking
to the house OF representatives when
things nro lively. He likes u fight above
oil other things. When there is storm on
tho Legislative waters, and the spray is fly
ing, 1t reminds him of his first speech
Many years ago Jerry Simpson was sail
or before the mast Later he rose to be
tho captain Of IL vessel on tho great lakes,
and In 1878 no was In command of the
barge Ruttcr, which left Chicago late in
October and ran into dreadful storm.
The bnrk was in tow of u steamer, but
the hawser parted in the storm and the
barge was set adrift. She finally pulled
up in shoal water off Ludington Mich,
whcro lifcbont tried to rescue the i'm
periled sailors, but found the sea running
too high. Then the government tug came
out and tried to take the men off Tho
tug brought out u lot of longshoremcn
who wero to try to save the cargo of the
bark, and they would have succeeded no
doubt if the storm had not just then broken
out with rcdoublod fury. The cargo was
of rye, and every sailor knows that that is
slippery stuff to have III the hold of II YES
sci at tho mercy of the winds and waves
A Narrow Escape.
"Tho ryo kept running to ono sidc,"
says Mr.. Simpson, "till our shin was
frightfully listed, and in fact, tho water
was standing ankle deep upon tho Ice side
OF our deck. The seas were now running
pretty high, and it looked as if wo were in
tight fix. ordered the longshorcmcn TO
take to tho rigging and to hold on with
doath grip In order to avoid being washed
away. In few minutes tho crew and I
had to do the same thing. We climbed
into tho upper rigging, with the seas boil
ing through and over our poor craft below
us. felt particularly sad when saw my
trunk and oil my best clothes go floatinr
by. BY this time the ship was pounding
very hard on the bottom, and as every big
sea struck her l thought it would be tho
lust, and that she would break in two and
go to pieces
Fully 5000 people wcro gathered on
the shore watching our struggle against
the elements and wondering if we should
be able to reach the shore alive. Twenty
four hours we stuck to the rigging, and
pretty drcary work it was, you may i'm
aginc. But we knew the gallant crews of
the life saving service were coming, and we
had encouragement to hold out. Finally
the lifcboat reached us, and tho longshore
men were sent ashore on tho first trim.
Then tho crew and / followed. When wc
stepped upon the shore, the people gave lis
q rOYnl welcome. Thcv nnthcrnfl nln,,4 ,..,