The Pacific commercial advertiser. [volume] (Honolulu, Hawaiian Islands) 1885-1921, 1901-04-25

RTIsER: HONOLULU, APRIL
was proclaimed at once. and every one
became wild with excitement. A
was sought, the name OF
Tom Fitch called out-probabiy by
a young man sprang up
on a convenient barrel and then ana
there gave an address that rang with
a clarion note. AT the close support
was improvised and the young man
placed upon it and borne upon the
shoulders of four men through the
streets. followed by the patriotic popu-
lace. It was an event which has never
been forgotten.
A START IN BUSINESS.
Thus made known to the public
young Fitch, who was lawyer, had
no trouble in getting clients, and was
in demand for jury trials. OF course
he was an orator on great occasions,
and the undiscriminati1g crowd of
gold hunters delighted to hang on his
eloquent lips. No one could say so
MANY glittering and off-hand generali-
ties as Tom: and when he waved the
flag and made the eagle scream after
the fashion of the professional Earnest
Patriots of that day and this, the boys
all said he would have to go TO the
United States Senate from California
and revive the traditions of Webster
and Clay Tom never went but the
ignus fatuus tempted him to lifelong
pursuit The Senate is still his goal
and he will die trying to reach 1t.
While Tom Fitch occasionally weigh
ed law and politics by drains he never
weighed them by scruples, and the
time came when even San Francisco
could not stand his ways and he con-
Guided to remove to Nevada. where the
Comstock excitement was on. Tom
arrived on the lode when the famous
Senatorial fight between Sharon and
Sutro was under way, and at once
the Virginia City Chronicle, and af-
forwards United States Minister to Ha-
wall What happened, Daggett tells
as follows:
MERCHANTABLE ORATORY.
tom sent for me to come over to his
room and l went. There's the bed
he remarked; lie down on it. Never
mind taking off your boots. 1 want
you to stay there until / read you this
speech.
Then Tom started in with one of
the most scathing TRADES about Shar-
on I ever heard. He described the
bonanza millionaire as man who had
been chasing over Europe looking for
one of the old masters so he could have
HIS DlCIeT lOOh. WHY Sdio
! this man bought tapestries which ne
did not know whether to lay on the
! floors hang on the walls, or to give
to his squaw for her wigwam. There
was an hour and half or this sort
of this thing and then Tom ended with
| hair. and was calculated to lift the
scalp Of Sharon. What shall do with
| the thing Daggett?' said Tom, laying
down his manuscript.
Burn it, I advised.
% Not much replied the rising ora
| tor. Long George is running Sharon 8
campaign, isn't he? 1 want you TO take
the speech over and let him read 1t to
the old man. 1t doesn't matter if /
don't get the manuscript back, as
have the story in my head
well" said Mr.. Daggett, 81 carried
| the stuff to Long George at the bank,
and he took it in to Sharon. 1 soon
heard loud swearing in the back room.
| In half an hour or SO Long George
came out and said:
What does Fitch want?'
II answered that 1 did not know.
Well, go and find out
II went over to Toms room and
found him smoking placidly. He said
if Sharon would give him $4,000 he
would not deliver this speech. In fif-
teen minutes after that 1 saw Long
George hand Tom the gold twenties.
THE next day Tom sent for me
again. He was badly in need of SLEEP
and of some ice on his head.
What's the matter?' L asked.
Well he said, I struck faro lay
out last night and 1 am dead broke.
want you to see Long George for me
again.
Can't do it, Tom,' was my answer
Your game doesn't catch Sharon
twice. Better stay bought
But that isn't the lay said Tom
You go and tell Long George that il
the old man will put up $4,000 more
will change the names in that speech
! and deliver it against Sutro.
II did it, said Daggett land Tom
got his 100000"
A LIFE OF VARIETY.
The life of this shrewd adventurer
/ IN Nevada was SenSa tionaI In the eX-
IRENE, and included, among other
things, dule from the effects OF
which Tom still limps. Finally he made
a deal with the railroad and was sent
to Congress, where he was able to stay
but one term. Nevertheless, for a new
member he got frequent chances to
speak and his fame as an orator grew
so great that when he was billeted to
! talk, Senators came from the upper
chamber to hear him, and the public
I galleries We're filled.
Mark Twain, Dan de guile, r. NJ.
gifted literary wife, Anna Fitch, were
chums at Virginia City, and they are
the ones who wrote the Famous combl-
nation story that Mark Twain tells
about in "Roughing IT,
W hen the Comstock failed and Fitch
became too well known to go to the
Senate from Nevada, he resumed his
travels. He tried California again, but
did not get along we'll in politics, de-
. spite the fervor of his campaign
speeches. For a while he was In Ore
gon and Washington Territory. When
ever there seemed to be a chance for
any Territory to become a State he
went there "to live and die among
you" which accounts for his frequent
emigration to Arizona, New Mexico
and Utah. Idaho was tried for a time
and then when Washington became
State Tom was on hand Wherever he
settled" he tried to show good faith
by building a house, and 1.-THE place
where Tom Fitch used to live is a
landmark in many cities.
During the Southern California boom,
when there was talk of State division.
Fitch went to San Diego. He opened
a law office and busted himself for
while, so rumor said, in trying to. cloud
titles. Then he became editor of a