Northern Wisconsin advertiser. [volume] (Wabeno, Wis.) 1898-1925, 1901-01-03
MANY RECALLED BY RECENT
MORRIS TRAGEDY.
DRINK THE CAUSE OF ALL
A Long List of Horrors Connected
With National Capital, Suicides
Being Especially Numerous--At
nnosphere Provocative to Drinking
Some of Taulbee's Escapades.

4
of Auditor Frank H. Morris by big
Sam" Macdonald is but the latest OF
long list of crimes which have oc-
Cured here among men in public life,
every one of which is traceable to ex'
cessive use of intoxicants.
The political atmosphere of Wash
ington seems to be provocative of
drinking. Time was in departmental
history, previous to the reform of the
civil service and the initiation of COM
petitive examinations as medium for
appointment, that drinking to excess
was almost the rule. Nearly every ap-
pointee was a political or personal
favorite, and he was held in place by
his influence" no matter what was
his conduct.
Under the new civil service regula'
lions inefficiency from all classes has
been reduced to a minimum, but many
of the old employees, like Macdonald,
never could escape from the habit ac-
quired and fostered under the reign Of
political favoritism; and many Of this
former generation who are still in the
service have been in one way or an.
other protected under the new regime.
No other city in the country, and
probably no other in the world, pre-
sents so many tragic chapters in the
life of bright, promising and promi-
nent men.
Only a short time ago one of the
brightest clerks in the pension bureau
was executed for most fiendish muir.
der of young girl, almost q child
who had lived in his family, the crime
being a result of excessive drinking.
A few years ago no clerk in the
treasury department was better
known than Ben Worrell, one-legged
veteran of the civil war. He had for
years been chief of a division, but his
inattention to his duties led to his re-
duction in rank and pay, just as Sam
Macdonald was forced from a higher
to lower class for similar reason
One evening Worrell had been en-
joying himself with friends. He sep
arated from them apparently as cheer
full as he ever had been in his life, and
without hesitating for a moment
walked around to the western stairs OF
the treasury department and there
where for years he had made his en-
trance and exit, put bullet through
his brain.
Cooper Maginn was another bril-
liant government employe who took
his final life departure in a similar
manner One evening after unusually
witty converse in good company he
; left his circle and stepped around the
; nearest corner. A flash, a report and
Maginn was picked from the street
with bullet hole In his head.
Everybody will remember, when it
is recalled, the fate of the brilliant
Congressman Taulbee of Kentucky.
Washington life was too rapid for him.
Judge" Kincaid, correspondent of o
Louisville newspaper, wrote history
of some of Taulbee's escapades, under
orders from his employers.
One day when the house of repre-
sentatives was in session Taulbee
came from the hall, met Kincaid in the
corridor, had hot words with him and
struck him in the face. Kincaid sent
his card in to another Kentucky men,
Der, and, when the latter came out.
borrowed his revolver. A few min
utes later he came upon Taulbee on
the stairway leading to the cafe, and
shot him through the heart. Kincaid
lay in Jail for some time, but was &C
; quilted upon his trial.
Such tales as these could he multi
: piled into volumes. Members of the
house and senate, high government of
fcials, diplomats and attaches of lega,
tions belonging to titled families, al
most without number, have thrown
, away discretion in the life of this polit
ical little city, and have speedily been
} lost to name and fame. The congress
sional record is sprinkled with maud
lin speeches made upon the floor of
house and senate, and hundreds of
other speeches have been made which
were, fortunately for their makers.
kept out of the records pages.
Among the department employees
murders have not been so many, al,
; though the list of suicides is volumi.
nous.
, Macdonald was popular with his
, friends. Like his brother, the opera
singer, whom he greatly resembled
physically, he was fine example of
the work of nature in her effort to
make a perfect example of human
animal. He is six feet three inches,
and of almost perfect proportion. He
was of genial temperament except
when stimulated beyond sanity.
For a few years, however, MacDon-
aid has exhibited a growing morose.
ness, and at times when drinking was
disposed to be violent. He tired
his friends with denunciation Of Audi
, tor Morris. HE is from Cleveland
and am from Steubenville," he would
say. "and Ohio men ought not 70 go
back on each other" He had bat him
self to blame for his reduction to a
lower class, but he sought to throw
the responsibility on others, and
singled out Auditor Morris as his OBJ
ject of hatred.
II is already predicted by MacDon.
AIDS old friends that in the event Of