The morning news. [volume] (Savannah, Ga.) 1887-1900, 1900-04-06
JoHNsoN.s IMPEACHMENT.
A Graphic story Tint Was Told in
Connection With 1t.

Connection With 1t.
cambridge, Ga, April 5.-Editor of the
Morning News: In Sundays ISSUE you
had an interesting article signed by Mil
ION Harlan Northrup. Of Syracuse. n. Y.
on the great Impeachment trial of Presi-
dent johnson.
BY all factions and parties, Sens tor Ross
of Kansas Is recognized as the "un-
known quantity in that great problem,
until his final vote, I vote no." was an
nounced by his own lips. Great strain was
brought to bear upon him by his own
partisans to get an expression from him.
before the announcement of the vote, but
he remained non<committal up to the last.
Many years ago, al little town in
Florida, l spent the night with S. l.
Wales Of Washington, D. c., then the
Washington agent of the present Florida
Central and Peninsular Railroad. also of
the state of Florida. He gave me aver
sion of that great trial l have never seen
in print. He said he was one Of the sec
retaries a. the White House at the time,
and thereby gives coloring to the story
Great strain had been brought to bear
upon Senator Ross to commit himself, but
he had remained obdurate. No one could
safely quote him, for he was the sphinx
of the high court of Impeachment The
evening before the verdict of the grave
and venerable seignors was to be an
nounced, mental tension had reached its
limit, yet the forthcoming verdict was
matter of speculation. Bets were laid pro
and con, and much excitement pervaded
the whole atmosphere of Washington.
In one of the hotel lobbies, the following
incident occurred: The collector Of Gus
toms of Baltimore personal friend OF
the President. was discussing the possible
outcome of the trial. Spving a party he
knew to be close to Senator Ross, he NOV
ed with the friend with whom he was
talking. to the immediate proximity of
this friend of Senator Ross, and in the
course of the discussion said: mo man
has watched these proceedings with more
care and interest than myself l have fol-
lowed all avenues leading up 10 the trial,
diSsected the evidence and carefully sifted
the whole matter and have it down now
to a certainty, certainty so satisfying TO
myself, that I will back with liberal odds.
| will bet $25, 600 to $500 that President
Johnson will be found guilty. 1t may seem
queer TO you, that l should wager against
my frendshiISand the disaster of one of my
best friends, but the matter is so sure 10
eliminate as 1 have worked IL out, that
/ offer these heavy odds"
Senator Ross friend was not an uuin-
terested listener The statement was in
opportunity to take the Baltimore man
aside when he could have an uninterrupt-
ed conversation, and asked him how long
he would allow that bet or wager to re-
main open. Expressing his pleasure at
finding man with nerve enough to con-
trovert his statement, he said he would
hold it open two hours. The party prom
ised to meet him again at the same no.
tel in that time.
Within the time-lmit he returned, AMI
retiring TO a private apartment he said he
would take the bet, and the stakes were
then and there placed in the hands of the
witness to the wager.
When the digniiied Chief Justice called
the names of the senators and excitement
was up to the breaking point the verdict
was reached when Mr.. Senator Ross an
swered no"
Mr. Wales did not say that the bet had
decided the action of Senator Ross. That
he left to his auditors to solve; and those
present drew their own conclusions from
the details of that graphic story.
G. N. Saussy.