The Anaconda standard. [volume] (Anaconda, Mont.) 1889-1970, 1899-03-27
JERRY MuaPaY's SAD MISTAKE.
How Little Deal He Made in Congress
Wasn't Carried Out.

Wasn't Carried Out.
Colonel John B. Thompson of Ken
lucky was kept busy at Chamberlain's
yesterday explaining to people thae he
wasn't his twin brother Colonel Philip
b., and in several cases he had great
difficulty in making them accept The
statement. 1t is an old story. the ner
velous resemblance of these popular
gentlemen, and some very comical epi-
sodes have grown out of it.
Away back in the Forty-eight con-
gress," said Colonel Phil, ''one ii my
esteemed friends was Jerry Murphy of
Iowa, of Hennepin canal bill fame.
Though opposed politically, Jerry and
l had many a pleasant meeting, and I
greatly enjoyed his society and unaf-
fected ways. During this congress he
was doing his level best to secure the
passage of his darling canal project,
and l was laboring just as strenuously
to get a measure passed for the extern
sion of the bonded period, vital matter
to the distillers of my state.
"All this time my brother John, who
was in Washington a good bit looking
after this same measure. was running
the gauntlet of the dooTkeepers CT the
house and going in upon the floor. They
took him for me, and if one of the
guardians of the floor ever suspected the
wrong Thompson was going in he said
nothing, for he couldn't be positive, and
it was very awkward to stop man
and ask him whether he was member
or only members brother. Anyway,
John never once fell down in his system
of representing the member from Ken
lucky.
"One day he was sitting in the bar
ber's chair in the tonsorial shop of the
house when Jerry Murphy came up to
him and gave cordial greeting. AT this
time Hennepin canal monopolized all
his thinking faculties. He talked it all
day long and dreamed it all night.
Phil said he to John, I've a PROPOSE
ton to make to you. | am in need of
votes for my bill, and, though 1T will
hurt us at home where everybody is
for prohibition, I'll risk local displeas-
ure and get all the Iowa delegation
solid for your darned old whiskey bill.
You give me the Kentucky votes and
III swap you the entire strength of
Iowa
" Certainly, Mr.. Murphy. with the
greatest pleasure, quoth John, who
could hardly help roaring with laugh
ter. It's bargain. sir, and I'll see that
Blackburn and Willis and all the rest
help you out on your measure
1t happened that in a few days
thereafter the house voted on the bond
extension bill and. sure enough, every
mothers son of a hawkeye stood by us,
though they We're really CHANGING the
ire of their constituents. Old Jerry had
kept his word. week later Jerry's
bill came up. and when the vote was
taken the solid Kentucky delegation
was recorded among the nays. All of
us had been against it from the outset
The measure failed. AS soon as its de-
feat was announced, Murphy came up
to where l was sitting in the cloak
room, on the democratic SIDE his face
Ia IL. :,
and fury depicted on his countenance.
"'Phl Thompson in a voice of re-
pressed passion, I want to know, sir,
the meaning of your violation of our
agreement: / thought when you prom
ised me the votes of yourself and col
leagues that the word of a Southern
gentleman was sacred. Can you give
any excuse for this breach of honor?"
Mr.. Murphy I do not know what
you are talking about. l never pledged
my word to vote for the canal bill nor
that of my colleagues. You are labor
ing under some extraordinary mis-
take
81 looked the old Iowan squarely in
the eye and he returned the gaze. My
Cod said he has it come to this, that
gentlemen have to put their agreements
made here in the house in writing?' AS
he said this with shake of the head
that showed how deeply offended he
was, he withdrew, giving me no further
chance for saying anything. but the
fact that l was completely mystifed at
his TRADE Later on he hunted up
Blackburn, for the old man was still
raging inwardly. As soon as he heard
his story, Blackburn burst into laugh
ter.
Jerry said he you did make a
contract all right enough. but it was
with John Thompson, whom not one
man in 10000 can distinguish from
Phil
Then Murphy hunted me up. Phil, |
your pardon; the laugh is on me I'm
blankety blank fool, and the next |
time l swap votes with a man who
hasn't a seat in the house I'll give in |
my resignation as a congressman. ~
Washington Post.