The Pacific commercial advertiser. [volume] (Honolulu, Hawaiian Islands) 1885-1921, 1900-04-28


party. while his nearest neighbor. see
ing his opportunity. put few drops OF
some drug in his glass. The poor old
man was instantly seized with cramps
and for some time he feared he might
die. and then he wished he could die.
! This old man had so many practical
Jokes played on him he got so he did
not dare drink with any one, but IL he
were offered a treat would ask fof the
10 cents and go off by himself and buy
a glass where he knew the people
would be friendly 20 him.
Famous FresidentsRooms.
On the second floor of the hotel are
| the presidents rooms, opening over the
main entrance on to a balcony, from
which presidents and orators have
made their addresses to the public, and
this was long the fayorite place OF pre-
senting prominent speakers. From this
point of vantage many OF the anu-slay-
cry speeches were made. In war times
I Colonel Michael Corcoran stopped a:
the Willard with his Irish regiment
from New York. The Irish en'i-slayery
| feeling ran high, and as he addressed
a crowd from the balcony his reference
TO the "old Crane flag with the harp
OF Erin on it," drew more wild applause
than many a cultured and able speech
by the leading men OF the country.
On the same floor are the parlors,
which cover over 2 $50 square feet. The
furniture looks somewhat anitquated.
but az the time II was put In IL was
the pride and glory OF the city and was
as much a show place as was the White
House. In the early days some of Mr..
Noah's housekeeping utensils were
used. but 1t ives found necessary to re-
move these for the safety OF the guests.
and today none OF the really historic
furniture can be found. One incident
which had as much to do with its re-
moval as anything happened in the
public parlor before its time of refur-
nishing. A Mr.. West, member OF con-
gress from New York, was staying at
the hotel. He was short and weighed
somewhere over $50, and he had a wife
and daughter built after the same
model. One night he left the dining
room. his wife on one arm. his daughter
on the other. They strolled down the
corridor, and. stopping in front OF one
Of these ancient settees. sat down sim
ultaneously, with disastrous results. for
the springs gave way under the pom
derous weight. The wife and daughter.
who were at the ends, did not suffer as
much as did the congressman. for he
went clean through the middle OF the
frame and stuck fast, with his feet on
level with his head. Ii took the com
bined efforts of the porters and a host
Of bell boys to extricate him.
The first banquet recorded. which
was given by congress. took place at
EnnuTn IA fuf taa M
II was given to the Marquis de Iafay-
cite in the year 1925. Two hundred
guests participated I'm the affair. Joseph
Prospere, a noted French cook, was inn
ported from New York. and he charged
the modest sum of 500 for his services.
At this dinner Lafayette met the old
soldier who took him of the field when
he was wounded in the fight at Brandy
wine. John Near. this famous man.
was kept at Williamson's a fortnight at
the expense OF congress. and when he
departed Lafayette made him a present
of $1,000.
Ii was in consequence OF what he
heard at the bar OF Wizards that Dan
Sickles shot and killed Philip Barton
Key. and at this hotel. away back in
1920. James Barron stopped the night
before he shot Stephen Decatur az
Bladensburg.
Among the celebrities OF Wizards
was Senator McDougal. OF California.
who was known as a good diner. While
the Fourteenth street sewer was In
course of construction there was
deep cut on that side of the hotel. One
rainy night the senator started for
Newspaper Row. and. forgetting this
cut. dropped twenty feet below the sur
face. He had n narrow escape from
drowning. a policeman came TO his
rescue. and after much difficulty he
was brought 10 the surface. Being COW
cred with mud. he was not recognized
and was asked his name. With great
difficulty he spluttered forth: Where
did you find me?" when told Gin the
sewer" he replied. "Then. I must be
the greatest man in America. Seward"
One on Beau Hickman.
a certain set about the hotel was
much given 20 practical jokes One old
member OF congress was not as clean
~ I'm his habits as his more fastidious
friends desired. The same genius who
doctorcd the whisky took 10 into his
head TO remedy this matter also. ne
got a vegetable growth and sDrinkled
the sheets OF the honorable ren,leman's
bed. The old gentleman tore around
frantically. even took the sheet of tho
bed. plunged Il In water. and wrapped
Il around him. lie spent a good por-
ton OF the night soaking In the bath
tub.
In the spring OF 1861 the hotel took
fire from the carelessness OF a member
OF Congress who had patronlzed the