The Saint Paul globe. (St. Paul, Minn.) 1896-1905, 1901-12-29
FOULKESAvED THE NEGRO
CIVIL SERVICE COMMISSIONER
DOES PEACEMAKER ACT
Excited Mail Carrier Disarmed After
Hand-tO-Hand TussIe With
Exponent of Siren
uOus Life.
FROM THE GLOBE BUREAU,
Washington, ID. c.

WASHINGTON, Dec. Is. : They had
often heard of the new civil service
commissioner William Dudley Foulke,
at the Washington city postofice but
they never got a look at him until a
few days ago. The way the meeting
came about was characteristic.
Mr.. Foulke was riding his bicycle
through N street, in the northwest resi-
dence quarter, when he observed let
ter carrier in angry controversy with
the driver of private carriage drawn
up at the curbstone.
1t appears that the carrier. who is
Southerner, was making collecting
tour, and had driven at pretty high
speed to the place where the carriage
was standing, and almost run into the
horses, which were nervous, FESTIVE an
imals, 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 "nigger." A heat
ed argument had led to an exchange of
explosives, and soon to bandying threats.
Being to the Quaker manner born, and
himself an evangel of peace, the COM
missioner leaped from his wheel and
hurriedly approached the disputants
He chose his time OPPORTUNITY, for, just
as he reached the spot the carrier had
been seized with sudden excess OF
violence and drawn a revolver. The
driver rerched on his box, and with
his horses to care for, was helpless, and
presented a shining mark for his antag-
onist's fire; but before the weapon could
be fairly aimed, Mr.. Foulke, who is
quick in motion, had thrown himself in
front Of it, and was pushing the carrier
away, shouting, Get back! Get back!'
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 it's owners fingers
would have discharged it and reduced
the civil service commission to two mem
bers. Mr. Foulke fiinched not hairs
breadth, however, and between Will and
muscle at last succeeded 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 to reaSSure her as to the part
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.
Having discharged this part Of his duty,
Mr.. Foullxe leaped aboard his bicycle, as
if to resume his journey, but instead,
turned his lace loWdfu Tie poslohioo.
There he made a full statement of the
affair to the proper authorities, having
taken the precaution, in the midst of the
excitement, to note the carriers number,
and make a mental memorandum of his
appearance.
An investigation followed. But the
carriers account of the origin of the
quarrel and that given by the coachman
who appeared as chief witness for the
prosecution, differed SO widely that the
postmaster concluded, in view of the
fact that the pistol was only brandish-
ed and not actually used, to limit the
penalty to thirty days suspension, and
he execution of strenuous pledge OF
good behavior for the future.
The postoffice people are of the opinion
that for simplicity of initiative and di-
rectness of method of execution, the
president and his new commissioner
must be two of kind