The Washington times., 1901-07-08

| or razor-I forget the particulars-and
| now ne was in the workhouse- She want
| ed TO get him pardoned. and poured forth
a stream OF mitigating circumstances tnat
| washed him white as snow. wrote out
( the glst of what she said in the form of
a petition to the Commissioners for the
| pardon OF the erring one. Before asking
| her TO sign II, / read it off to her, while
She listened in rapt attention, then asked
| her II IT was all right. All roight! she
exclaimed, it is swate and beautiful.
| GOD bless yer kind hear-rt-yer jist loike
are own dhear hhy that's in the wur-rk-
mouse dis minnitr
MIR. Nye, secretary to Commissioner
boss, mas also had some interesting eN-
pcriences with the public, as the follow
ing win show:
Probably one of the most comical ex-
since have been secretary to COmmis-
sloner RoSs was one which took place
quite while ago. A tall, disheveied
bteary-eyed, red-faCed. periodical board
er with Intendent Stoutenburgh called
ana insisted upon seeing the Commits
sioner. / finally drew out of him that he
wanted permission to go to the Asylum
Hospital, and / therefore turned to the
telephone to talk to the Sanitary Of
flcer about him, who reported that he was
a chronic drunk and absolutely worth
less, and that If would send him down
10 hlm he would get rid of him. | turned
round and directed him to the Sanitary
started out.
AS At Itll the room ! UOllctu IL lOii6
ruler sticking out of his boot so l
Immediately set out to hunt for mine,
but 1t was nowhere to be found. | tele-
phoned this to the Sanitary Officer, who.
when he found that the old codger dld
not report TO him, sent his assistant out
to look him up. He found him in
saloon within square, and took MN
over to the Police Court and then called
for me as witness against him. This
was more than | had any desire to do;
nevertheless, there was nothing but to
go over to the court.
He was called up in his turn, and
was invited to give my testimony, after
which the prosecuting attorney eulogized
him in a manner which showed familiar
acquaintance; and then he was asked
what he had to say. He simply rolled
up a leg of his trousers and showed
large sore, and at the same time ap-
pealed to a visionary war record.
His personal bonds were taken, ana
he was sent by the judge TO the Asylum
Hospital. to which he had first applied
to me for permission TO go. AS ne was
leaving the court room heard MN
humble: What lot red tape dem
Commissioners make before yer can git
what yer want. Ef I'd a been boss. 1t
wouldn't a taken all dis foolishness ter
git a permit ter de hospital.
Among the numerous characters VINO
call upon Commissioner Ross, one OF the
most interesting is an Old irish lady, VINO
has a splendid record of over twenty
years service as bum boatman at
the United--States Navy Yard. She has
letters commencing her high character
and business integrity from a large num-
ber of our leading citizens. including sew
eral of our great naval heroes. Whenever
she calls, she stands at attention, sa-
lutes, gives cheer Fer the Buys IN Blne
and the American Flag. and then callS
for vases or pitchers of water, in Whlch
she deposits large bouquets of flowers for
the Commissioner, and leaves with me a
potted plant. some hOarhound candy, or
other kindly remembrance; and then, If
the Commissioner should not happen to
be in, she INDUCES in her peculiar style
of conversation and manneriSmS until she
is entirely satisfied. and. finally gives me
the pasS-grip peculiar to her order, stands
attention, salutes. cheers Fer the Buys
in Blue and the American Flag, gives
the pass-grip again, and takes her depar-
ture.
''She is only one Of many that attest
the Immense popularity of the big-hearted
sympathetic Commissioner on whom they
call. Several years ago, without the
knowledge of anyone in the District
Building. she had a petition for the re-
appointment of Commissioner Ross drawn
np and went out and got over fifty sign
ers 10 it, and among them some OF our
leading business men.
1T would not be hard to understand
why Commissioner Ross is so popular
We're one TO hold for a short time the
position ] now occupy. The colored and
white foreign and native, ignorant and
wise. humble voter and Congressional
leader. all pay their tributes to his :act-
fui yet always sinC ere manner of treat
ing all who may H.
Some time age the president of one
OF the largest corporations in the District
of Columbia, a man of great determina-
ton of character, called upon Mr.. Ross
in regard to obtaining some faVorabi
District legislation for his company. After
a long interview, he came out of the
Commissioner g room. and, walking over
to my desk, he said: Wei, that man
Ross beats anybody L ever saw. You go
to him dead set on getting a matter
through. and he turns it down: yet he
does II in such manner that you have
to say I'm d-n glad ] saw him, any
how
"A few days age stopped in the store
Of one of our leading Pennsylvania Ave
nue. merchants, and, after chatting a lit
tie on other subjects, he went to his desk
and drew out letter with which | was
of course familiar) and Tead me the last
paragraph. as follows: Regretting that
it was impossible for me to serve you to
better purpose at this time. l am, very
sincerely, yours He then said, Now, how
In the world can a fellow feel angry at
such a man, even when he wants to-. "