The Savannah morning news. (Savannah, Ga.) 1900-current, 1901-02-27


after his hair and scalp. Dabuey is one
of the most modest of men. He is not
laxative, and if the man under his care
wishes to sleep during the operation per-
formed on him he is permitted to sleep.
1t must not be inferred, however, that
President Mckinley does not know how
to handle the razor. He shaves himself
every morning, and Dabney is only an
occasional visitor and he becomes the
official barber when the Presidents hair
needs trimming and when his scalp re-
quires attention. There is a BARRIERS
chair at the White House, but it has
fallen into disuse. The President sits in
an ordinary easy chair while Dabney
spends the time required to properly dress
Mr.. McKinley's head and shave him. The
Presidential face is somewhat tender and
| demands some care. His beard grows
"stout" and must be handled gingerly.
In the chair the President is one of the
most pleasant of men. He talks freely,
and discusses the current matters of the
day, save politics. That he carefully
eschews. He enjoys the operation, chats
entertainingly, and after his head has
been rubbed and the scalp treated the
President expresses his satisfaction and
goes about his arduous duties refreshed
and contented.
Then Dabney returns to his shop and
waits on ordinary mortals or makes the
rounds of the houses where he is daily ex
pected 10 care for the hair of the women
of many official families. For thirty years
he has welded the scissors and razor, and
tWenty-three years of that time has been
spent in Washington. Among those whom
| he has served or is now serving, besides
! the President, are Secretary Root, Secre-
tary Long, Vice President-elect Roosevelt,
Senator Frye, former Vice President Adlai
e. Stevenson, Justice Harlan, Gen. Miles,
| Admiral Dewey, Senator Hoar, Senator
Carter, Gen. Clarksou, Henry Watterson
| Gen. Tracy, former Secretary of the Navy
and former Senators Murphy and Smith
Among the well known men now dead
who We're haoitues of his shop were James
G. Blaine, Secretary of State; W. w. Cor
corau philanthrophist; Secretary Window
of the Treasury; Secretary Rusk, Senator
| Farley of California, and Senator Voor-
hees of Indiana. In the palmy days of
Chamberlain's Dabney was called there
almost every morning to attend to Sen
ators and members of the House, and was
popular with all of them. He was often
! intrusted with the personal affairs of
| bachelors who were about to become
| benediles.
Discussing the habits of great men in
| the chair, Dabney said Mr.. Roosevelt
was always chatty. He discussed any
| thing that happened to be of public at
| municipalities prizefghts, sports, re-
ligion, or anything that people were talk
ing and thinking about. Blaine and Cor
| coran were reticent. They had little to
say, but were always pleasant. The Ger
| man and French ministers liked their own
peculiar foreign hair cuts, expressed their
| satisfaction when we'll served, but did no
! talking Secretary Root likes good atten-
ton. is pleasant and agreeable, but re-
| served. Secretary Long is a man of few
words at all times. and fewer still when
in the barbers chair. Former Vide Presi-
dent Stevenson had pleasant word when
ever he entered the shop, took everything
good naturally and was easily pleased.
Few men are testy when under the scis-
sors or razor if you only study what they
like and endeavor to give 1t to them"
Since his apo ntment as the White
House barber, three years ago, Dabney
has had many calls not only from prom
| inent officials, but from wives of cabinet
| officers and others in Congress and social
circles, whom he has attended for hair
and scalp treatment. One interesting
! thing in connection with his work is the
| fact that he refuses to use any of the
! numerous so-called remedies for the
scalp in the market. He uses his own
| compounds and the secret of them is
zealously guarded by him.
ment there is staff of nine official bar
| bers. Three are on the Senate side of
the Capitol and six on the House side
| On the House side three men are as
| signed to the Republican cloakroom and
! three to the Democratic. On the Repub-
| lican side Alexander Thomas is foreman.
He has worked there for thirty years,
and has an inexhaustible fund of stories
| of men who have passed in and out of
,N.Y l., n tn, hot
old and a native of Maryland Savoy.
one of his assistants, has been in the
| House shop for twenty-eight years, and
! Robinson, the other, is a com 3arative
newcomer, having been there only six
years.
]. w. Evans of Ohio watches after the
| hirsute adornments on the Democratic
| side of the House. He has stood guard
there for sixteen years, while his chief
assistant, Williams. has pulled a razor
| over the faces of Democratic statesmen
before and after election for twenty
years. The other assistant, Barton. IS
| from Iowa and is still noyitiate. hav-
| ing been on the governments payroll only
! four years.
The House employees, secretaries etc.
have permission to use the House shop IN
to 10 o'clock in the morning. After that
hour members begin to stroll in. and
fazors ana snears ny swiftly until long
| after the House meets. With shaving
done at government expense members are
all anxious to be shaved daily.
The Senate shop II more exclusive. II
is not within the precincts of the cham
Der. Down on the basement floor is a
room deliberately fitted for the BARRIERS
and for baths for senator's The fore
man of this shop is j. l.. Hickman :, bo
has presided in this same shop for thlrtv
four years. He has known every man
personally who has been in the Senate in
that time, and understands well all their
iidosyncrases and whims. Hickman can
make a senatorial head that is dull and
achy at 10 o'clock bright and really bril-
liant by the time the Senate meets. His
two assistants. Sims and Williams. have
learned their lessons thoroughly under
the old master and have served long
years each. Each senator has hls favor