The Wheeling daily intelligencer. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1865-1903, 1899-03-03


postmaster appointed In Washington
after Lincoln became President.
Arrick and Ames have long been
dead. Norman Wizard was living some
three years ago. when Washington
paper stated that he had been Ignoml-
nously elected from a Washington res
taurant because he had ordered and
eaten breakfast that he could not pay
for.
When the ordnance committee got to
work, the examinations OF witnesses
were conducted by Schenck and But
Ter. Schenck was the best worker on
the committee; the most conversant In
ordnance technology. and the keenest
interrogation. Despite Buffers great
reputation In this role, think Schenck
was his superior. He did not bully a
witness, as Butler did: but he was willy
and adroit and generally got the an
swer he wanted. Garfield and Logan
took subordinate part, putting In &C.
casional queries or suggestions.
Several OF the ordnance officers were
called, and finally General Dyer, the
chief. Dyer. tall. spare. with lIght-blue
eyes, reddish beard and faded florid
complexion, did not impress me as a
man above the cupidity with which he
was charged, but confess to some
prejudice against him. It seemed to me
when Butler had Dyer under eIamina-
ton, he was like tiger that had got
the scent OF blood. Dyer was shining
target for Buffers sarcasm and inso-
lence. But the chief was wary and
tough; and with oil his ferocity, Butler
did not get much succulence out OF him.
Among other ordnance officers called
were Captain Stephen V. Benet. after
wards chief OF ordnance (now many
years dead); Lieutenant Theodore T.
F. Laidley, (of the Charleston, ". Va,
Laidley family. Other witnesses were
Admiral Dahlsren; General Quincy A.
Gilmore: Prof E. n. Horstord. (the
famous Yale College chemist): A. B.
Wall Gan expert connected with the
Pennsylvania railroad); A. C, Dickson,
OF Springfield, Ills.
1t was treat to sit sometimes long
after sessions and listen to the chat that
went round the committee table. The
four distinguished committeeman were
pretty thoroughly united In their detes-
tation OF the regular army regime.
General Logan would caress his long
black moustache. as he recited the
wrongs suffered by the volunteer SER
WIG lIS Wal liIc w.
West Pointers; and at times he would
get little warm and express himself in
| language that would be too strongly
favored for lady.s pa-lor. Butler
liked to talk of New Orleans. He would
| laugh over the spoon stories and SEEM
ed TO enjoy the detestatlon In which
he was held IN the south. Schenck held
| up his end well In any conversation. He
was witty and grim. I remember that
| for long time l carried on mental
| account current trying to settle in my
| mind which was the homeller of the
| two. Schenck or Butler: and 20 this
| day ! am not sure whether any balance
was every struck.
In his happier moments OF relaxation.
Butler could be eXquisitely suave and
agreeable; but when he was on e1hi-
bit!oI, he was always theatrical; and
there was a sub-stratum OF coarse an
| imallsm In him that made itself heard
and felt in his voice when he was ex-
cited or angry. When he spoke In the
house. and when he was bullying i
witness. his voice was harsh and rasp-
ing.
Garfield was OF different and finer
fiber !Hls mind ran more IN scholastic
and literary channels. He cared. too.
more for the affectionate and tender
| side OF life. He was poet and yet a
| philosopher: and he had a vein OF the
| mysticism which In the uneducated de-
generates into superstition. One even
| ing the talk ran on literature. and final
iy took poetical turn. They were dis
cussing the disputed authorship OF Mrs.
Akers Rock Me to Sleep" and Gar
field quoted the first stanza:
Backward. turn backward. o. Time In
thy flight.
| Make me child again Just for tonight
| Mother. come back from the echoless
| shore.
Take me again in your heart as OF yore.
| Kiss from my forehead the burrows OF
care:
Smooth the few silver threads out OF my
| Over my slumbers your loving watch
Rock me to sleep, mother. rock me to
sleepi"
He went on after pause and recited
| one or two more stanzas, the next be-
| ginning:
Backward. flow backward. o. tide of the
years;
am so weary OF toll and OF tears!'
AS he went on his Imagination kind
| led his eye became suffuscd and his
voice mellowed into cadences that
thrilled like sorrowful music. Then
there was an interval OF silence. All
| felt the charm OF the verse: the exQul-
site touch Of nature In word and voice
| that makes the whole world kin. Any
| further chat on common topics after
that would have been Proclamation. so
| the Committee rose" for that evanIng
or the group that used to gather
around that committee table. Mr..
| SmalleY and the writer are the sole sur
vivors. The rest have Joined that great
| silent majority TO which we will all be
converted soon or late. SO. too, OF the
accusers and accused their counsel and
, most, II no; all. the witnesses.
a peremptory call took me away
| from Washington before the committee
had concluded their labors: but their
report resulted In court OF inquiry for
| the chief OF ordnance. This court was
composed OF General George II. Thorn
as, presiding, General Winfield s. Han
cock, and General Alfred II. Terry. Alb
sorbcd In other matters. l had lost sight
OF the Investigation, when year after
leaving Washington | was summoned
| back us witness before this court OF
inquiry. Here l found Arrick and his
clients again. General Joseph Holt. OF
| Kentucky, was an attendant on the
| sittlngs as the prosecutor for the gov
eminent Robert r. Hit and John j.
McEhone were the recorders for the
court. I was impressed with the
clcap-cut way in which HIT read the
record each morning. McElhone l had
| seen good deal OF before In the house.