The age-herald., 1898-03-20

 Durham played most practical trick upon the verdant major, which furnishes gossip for the story telers about congress to this day. He carried on an imaginary conver- sation for more than an hour between him- self and some one in the convention hall at Palestine MT. Durham put up a job on Martin. He made 1t appear that there was great opposition to Martins nomination and that one of Maj. Martins closest friends was being urged to become 8 candi- date and that more than sixty-two votes had been pledged for him, and it required but sixty-four to nominate. At this Mar tin cursed and swore with great vehemence, saying he was being tricked MT. Durham said to Martin that many of the delegates in the convention wanted to know how he stood on the fisheries question, which was at that time an isue between the United States and Canada Martin was equal to the emergency. He told MT. Durham to re- ply that as he had no fish in his district he would not be tricked into committing him. self. To convince Maj. Martin of the genu- ineness of the long distance telephone, af- ter the imag aginary conversation MT. Dur ham rang up the Western Union telegraph office and asked if there had been at that time a telegram received for Maj. Martin. One had been received and was then in the hands of messenger boy who was on his way to Maj. Martins lodging place to de- liver it. Martin and Durham walked across the east plaza to Maj. Martins place of residence and soon there came a mes- senger boy bringing a telegram conveying the information that he had been renomi- mated without opposition. In the imagin- ary long distance telephone conversation MT. Durham had settled all misunderstand- ings and had informed Maj. Martin that the convention was harmonious and that he would be renominated. The receipt or the telegram confirmed in Martins opinion the genuineness of the long-distance teie- phone conversation, because MT. Durham had already informed him that dispatch had been sent him. This information had been received from the local telegraph of- flee.
 Martin was a brave and courageous man. During one of the exciting scenes in Reeds first congress, when the speaker was count ing quorums which were not present, a con- I test arose between Buck Kilgore and the speaker. Martin was the friend of any man from Texas. When 1t seemed to him PNASO'A~. between the speaker and Kilgore, though no one else seemed to have that impression, Martin took from his pocket long dirk and was whetting it on the soes of his boots preparatory for action. At one time he attempted to shoot George H. Harrles, then a newspaper correspondent, and now the general of the District of Columbia militia, successor to the late Gen. Ordway. Harries was the gentleman who had written the original story of Martin having blown out the gas. Martin had seen Harries and knew him to be the man, but had never | met him. On one occasion these two gen. tlemen were introduced by MT. Durham The introduction was no sooner made than Maj Martin struck at Harries. This was in the house lobby. Harries met the as- sault, and quicker than lightning Maj. Mar tins hand went Into his hip-pocket for his gun. He had it nearly drawn when MT Durham caught hold of his hands, pinion- ing them behind him and pushed Maj. Mar tin through the door into the house of rep resentatives. The affair created a great stir. The major conceived the idea that he was the subject of a conspiracy by the newspaper people and he thratened to kill
 
 
 His second term in congress was quiet and calm as compared with the first. He had never drank champagne until he went to congress Some congenial spirits, headed by Amos Cummings and Dan Lamont, gave him a dinner one night, at which Mai Martin became somewhat hilarious. He had drank nothing but champagne and said he could not understand how a man could get drunk on sweetened water.
 It took Maj. Martin a long time to famil- arize himself with the bathinf privileges accorded the members in the$ tsement of the capitol He complained once to Judge | Stewart of Georgia, who was then a mem- | Der of congress, that there was an absence l of creeks and branches where a gentleman l could go and bathe. He said that in Texas there were several branches on his ranch, l and there was no trouble to get a bath. | Judge Stewart told him that people in Washington did not bathe in creeks and l branches, but in their houses.
 When MT. Durham wrote Maj. Martins | speech he did it in the majors room, at the majors earnest request that it would be written there instead of at MT. Durham's l office MT. Durham observed that there | was very little In Maj. Martins room in l the way of furniture and wearing apparel | The bureau drawer was open and on one | occasion MT. Durham saw its contents. | which consisted of one shirt, one razor, one l revolver and one bottle of whisky. Maj. | Martin, at the time, was wearing his other | shirt. Maj. Martin was, indeed. unique | character in congress. Whatever may be | said about this mans inexperience of the | world he was as honest and courageous as any man who ever lived. He was out of place in congress, and he knew 1t, but his | pride prompted him to stand for a second nomination. He was succeeded by Joseph l W. Bailey, now the youthful leader of the | minority