Evening star., 1899-04-07

over there are a number of extremely in.
teresting questions which have come up foi
the first time in the history of the nation
for settlement. These are of a constitution.
al nature, and one of them will prove o!
especial interest to the people of the Dis
trict of Columbia, it involves the right
of an offceholder to be elected to Congress
while he is residing in the District / be-
l1eVe that in the only two contests that have
been made on this question it has been de-
cided against the offcehoider.
McGraw has strengthened himself Won
derfully by the strong, aggressive manner
in which he has conducted his fights. both
for the House of Representatives last fall.
when he cut down the republican majority
in Wilson'S old district to 500 and when he
made the hard fight for the senatorship
against Scott in the Legislature this past
winter.
For unprecedented nerve and unmitigat-
ed gall I could recommend no man sooner
than my whflom friend and acquaintance,
John Rooney, who frequented Bill Maho-
ney's bar down on State street, Chicago,
from 80 to 81" Thus spoke Mr. S. T.
Brown of Chicago, at the Johnson Now,
Rooney was the windy city title that my
friend travelled under during the three
years that he lived on the town in Chicago.
His real name is affixed to the sign of a
well-known and substantial business house
in st. Louis, where he is now in business
time ] heard of him.
But Rooney is still known among a GER
tain clique in my city as young fellow of
engaging manners, of a gentlemanly ad-
dress and of undoubted courage, as the fol-
lowing incident in his adventurous career
will illustrate:
There was no man in Chicago whom Ma
honey, who was a good-natured Irishman
out for the dollars, would rather have stay
away from his bar than Rooney and
Rooney was regular customer Pay! He
never paid for a drink in his life not when
he was in Mahoneys. For a long time he
ran his credit and treated his friends, too.
There was nothing short about Rooney
when in Mahoney's. He had that Irishman
hypnotized.
''One night 1 loafed in the place and
found Rooney and a couple of friends
standing at the bar drinking beer. He in
vited me up and introduced me with the
air of prince to his Bill Mahoney, the
best fellow in town. Bill, who had seen
me many time before, grunted and
grinned. Rooney called for a drink for me
and Bill handed it over. When it came to
settling the score l paid for the round for
Rooney and his friends. Then Rooney
called for another round. These were hand
ed out and after a time consumed. Mean
while Rooney joking Bill and telling
him that he never expected to settle his
account.
Now, fellows said he, for all-around
goodness of heart there's no man in the
world who comes up to Bill Mahoney. 1
just ordered these beers. l owe Bill $50. 70
now. Don't l, BiD?'
Yep grunted Bill.
And you'll never get a cent of it. Will
you, Bll?'
Nope assented Bill
THE conversation kept on for a minute or
two, and finally Bill, who must have been
brooding over his wrongs, said something
to Rooney which made him mad. Quick as
a flash Rooney smashed Bill in the jaw with
the heavy stone beer stein from which he
was drinking, and cooly turned to walk
out through the door. Mahoney was wild.
He grabbed his revolver, and as Rooney
passed out the door he bazed away at him,
shooting evidently with intent to kill.
'As he put the revolver down and started
to wipe the beer from his face Rooney
walked in by the other door to the bar
room cooly as if nothing had ever hap
pened. He walked up to the bar with
Hello, fellows to us and looked at Bill.
why, how are you, Pip said he.
Hows business? Why, Bill, what in the
world is the matter? Your jaw is all
swollen up as if somebody had hit you.
Bill, if anybody ever hits you, all you have
got to do Is to come to me, and IN fix the
scoundrel. Boys, I'm thirsty. What are
you going to haveF said Rooney, turning
to us. Bill, gimme a beer
And Bill set up the beers