The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1901-12-26
A STRENUOUS COMMISSIONER.
William Dudley FOuIke's Lively Adj
venture at the Capital.

Washington Letter in New York Post
They had often heard of the new Civil
service Commissioner, William Dudley
Foulke, at the Washington city postof-
fice but they never got look at him till
a few days ago. The way the meeting
came about was characteristic.
Mr.. Foulke was riding his bicycle through
N street, in the northwest residence quar-
ter, when he observed a letter carrier in
angry controversy with the driver of
private carriage drawn up at the curb
stone. 1t appears that the carrier, who
was Southerner, was making a collecting
tour. and had driven at pretty high speed
to the place where the carriage was stand
ing, and almost ran into the horses, which
were nervous FESTIVE animals and showed
some fright. The colored driver had drawn
them back and made a quick protest
against the carriers carelessness, which
the latter resented as impudence which
he could never brook from a niger" A
heated argument had led to an exchange
of eXpletives and soon to bandying threats.
Being to the Quaker manner born and him
sci an eVangel of peace, the commissioner
leaped from his wheel and hurriedly ap-
preached the disputants. He chose his
time Opportunely, for just as he reached
the spot the carrier had been seized with
a sudden access Of violence and drawn a
revolver. The driver, perched on his box
and with his horses to care for, was help
antagonists fire; but before the weapon
could be fairly aimed, Mr.. Foulke, who is
quick of motion, had thrown himself in
front of ii, and was pushing the carrier
away shouting: Get back! Get backr'
The excited man struggled. and two or
three times Mr.. Foulke looked down into
the barrel of the pistol when a very slight
twitch of its owners fingers would have
discharged it and reduced the Civil-service
Commission to two members. Mr.. Foulke
ninched not a hairs breadth. however, and
hafx will nd af IaCt 4
in compelling the carrier to withdraw from
the field. Then, seeing the mistress of the
carriage descending the steps of the house
before which the quarrel had taken place,
he went back 10 reassure her as to the
share the driver had taken in the affair and
save the man from unnecessary blame. She
proved TO be Mrs. Truxton Beale the
daughter of the late James G. Blaine Hav-
ing discharged this part of his duty Mr.
Foulke leaped aboard his bicycle as if to
resume his journey, but, instead turned
his face toward the postofiice. There he
made a full statement of the affair TO the
proper authorities, having taken the pre-
caution. in the midst of the excitement to
note the carriers number and make a mem
tai memorandum of his appearance.
An investigation followed. But the car
rier's account of the origin of the quarrel.
and that given by the cOachman. who ap-
peared as chief witness for the prosecution.
/ differed so widely that the postmaster con-
cluded. in view of the fact that the pistol
was only brandished, and not actually used
to limit the penalty to thirty days suspen-
sion without pay, and the exaction Of a
strenuous pledge OF good behavior for the
future The carriers excuse fer carving
a concealed weapon in defiance Of law was
| that he had been attacked by footpads once
| or twice and had 10 defend his mail: but
he disavowed any intention of drawing il
| on ordinary persons. and declared that on
| this one occasion he had been carried away
/ by anger.
The postoffce people are of opinion that
! for democratic simplicity OF initiative and
0irectness Of method I'm execution the Pres
/ ident and his new commissioner must be
/ two OF a kind.