New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1897-08-08
GOSSIP AT THE CAPITAL
A SECOND DANIEL WEBSTER HAUNTING
THE HALLS OF LEGISLATION.

CLAUDE BENEFITS OPINION OF THE INDIANS
MORE srNNED AGAINST THAN srNSISG-oNE
VIEW OF THE EASTERN sHo' MRS.
BURNETT AND HER SON.
Washington. Aug. Just before the adjournment
OF Congress there frequently In the lobbies
or the Senate and House a man OF imposing pres
ence. whose resemblance 10 Daniel Webster was
so marked as 20 startle those who were familiar
with the appearance OF the great statesman The
timd and supersttious were at first inclined 10 be-
leve the figure ghost. one OF the many spooks Of
dead and forgotten statesmen who are said 70 in.
habit the CAPITOL but spooks do not bu,,onhols
Senators an: members. eat hearty luncheons at
other peoples expense In the cafe 50 even the SUI
perstitIous were at length compelled accept the
person who bore such remarkable resemblance 20
the great son OF Massachusetts AZ a hesh-and-blood
creature. and his story finally became generally
He Is. it seem. from 'out West" belongs to the
horace sKmpoe variety, ana LIS remarkable re-
sempiance to Wepster goes further than mere pei
scnal likeness. He is silvery-tOngued orator and
his eloquence to the highest bidder so FAR Il has
commanded excellent prices.
story is told Of this orator cf the pra!r!es that
on occasion. when political contest was in
progress and he hard up than usual. 10
from his home 10 the seat Of battle y dispose
OF some oratOry TO Of the contestants But
they would have none OF him. wheroupon he de-
termined that he would force them pay FOR hts
services. He went. accordingly. one evening TO the
most-frequented saloon in town and began an adj
dress to the few assembled there. The knowledge
that he was speaking soon collected a crowd and
when the room was quite filled he ceased the gem
eralties he had been indulging in and began at
tack on one of the candidates selecting the richest
one. for private reasons.
He held this poor up TO the contempt. the
rdicue of his audience Whitening sarcasm and
scathing scorn he hurled at tho defenceless poll
tcian. In the time the crowd had sweed
until the could not hold it. Swayed by the
orator. threats of and vengeance against The
man. who a few moments before the popular
candidate, rent the air.
Finally some one was seen to approach the man
eloquent II was emissaTy from his victim VINO
pleaded with the speaker TO 90 into another room
for moment that he might speak to him. The
orator complied willingly, excused himself 10 tie
crowd. and disappeared In few moments be fe-
appeared and again mounted the bllliard-tan.e. lie
continued the speech where he left Of and went On
abusing the unfortunate candidate bur only Tor A
few moments Then he devoted himself 70 the vices
or the opposing candidate, ana never was NOR.
dreadful array presented for the contemplation or
Vow. gentlemen" he said when he had ex-
hausted his adjectives In damnng his second
victim. Il have presented for your instruction tho
vices Of your two candidates but let u turn aside
for moment and review their virtues. You VIII
| admit think that the vices Of the most popular
you gentlemen that hi- virtues are al many
webster. he equaiied Moses in roodncss md
liver his people When the orator Of the even
ing was helped down from his perch thse crowd
that a haf-hour before had been yelling Ike mad
men against the wealthy candidate. were cheering
themselves hoaise, ana lea oy Danlei HroSe'
bed and paraded him about town on their shoul-
ders.
Claude Bennett. former secretary 10 tho Secretary
of the Interior. and for two years general agent
for this Department IL in town for the purpose
Of settling his accounts agent While Mr.. Ben
nett was in the West ne lived much among the
Indians and he brings back a good report Of the
| aborigines He agrees with many noted authorities
on Indian questions in thinking that they are more
| sinned against than SHINING Those with whom MS
business brought him in contact were peaceable ana
lava hiding and he thinks that the troubles which
are constantly arising between the whites and The
Indians come through the bullying Of the former.
Mr. Bennett is borne out in this by Professor Vol
cott OF the Geological Survey. who says that the
survey parties have never had trouble with lndi-
ans and he attributes this entirely 10 the fact that
his men are honest their dealing with them.
Nearly all outbreaks. he insists. can be traced back
to some perpetrated by the settlers against
the savages.
Mr. Bennett has some interesting stories to tell Of
life among the Indians, from which 1t would seem
that while they are learning the virtues they are
acouring as well the vices OF their white brothers
/
! Mr. Bennett TO make an extended trip through the
country The first stage, from the town where he
made his headquarters a little town some twenty
! miles distant he drove. hiring team for the pur-
pose and taking with him an Indian oy the name
Of George TO drive the team back.
! Now George" Mr.. Bennett cautioned him when
! they separated you have plenty OF time before
| Won and want you to drive very slowly. You
! know Mr. Smith thinks great deal OF ms team.
| and he will make big row and make II uncon-
! Portable for both you and me = the horses are
George promised. and when Mr.. Bennett returned
a few days afterwsrd he was grained 20 near on
every side that George had toP~ed ms gd 1i' r
tons and that the horses came PACK ~ sOol III 81
dtion. but he was somewhat qistar ih ne,gb ms
hln Wbo was expatiating on the trustworhness
oS The indian that he had left x $50 o'clock
End had ,bs not george rerSee5 had left X at xsc
| O'clock. and If he had reached Y at S5D o'clock
over the terrible road that connected these to"hs'
fhe horses must have been played out
when he asked George about II thaI worthy IN,
LIE in exactiy two hours but. he explained,
Il tell lie all same white man teli sniIn ;.
,gf' right He say. Good boy. George. Take
| drink Lie, all same go so"
Ex-senator Gibson Of Maryland. is from the
"Fastern sbo'." the garden spot of earth accord
ing 10 the belief OF some, but. unhappiy TINS De.
lief Is not shared by all who live or nave hVed
| t,ora as the following story, which Senator GID
~ sr,irirrlv listened the other evening Is sooo
| evidence. -, - co,,r, ~ a witness
| II ~ ia are vou? >" asked the counsel
| Fifteen sir responded the witness. ..,
| ..r,s,eeno' oueried the counsel increduSusy.
nrorest Your Honor; this witness must De sinp'e'
| he looks sixty" -. ..,,oa tho rudye s,ernly
| - sIxrv-dyc Yer Honor answered the man
A,,rnhiv :.hut | never counts the NIFTY years Ned
! over on the Eastern Sho.
| Mrs Burnett is still IN town. working away IN
arstr,ously AZ her novel, which Is to ne sequel 70
-, Tadv of Quality" This clever authoress Il one
! ~ the favored few who have genius lot n"'u
work and when she begins A BOOK farey ''ss !"
| 80, I'll I, * finished She viii remain here.
.,aro,ore until the last page of her book Is writ
| 49,, and will go away only when her play adap,eo
| .e'' as" a. 81 ouslitv" In which Miss julia