Wheeling Sunday register. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1882-1934, 1901-02-10

Gentlemen recently back from
Charleston naturally tell a number OF
good stories. Things happen at the
Permanent Seat, in the land of per-
RENAL summer, during the sessions of
the lawmakers, and a very entertain
ing volume could be written depicting
in cold print scenes and occurrences
there enacted. One of several good
yarns-but this this is alleged to be a
true story-is related in the words fol-
lowing by a recent arrival:
I'VE reached Charleston all right,
naturally, and found there was quite
a stir over the Laughlin bill, the cleo
trio light bill. and various other pro-
posed measures. There were all sorts
of folks about the State House-polit-
ical grafters, lobbyists, the usual riff
raff of hangers-on, correspondents, dis
appointed candidates for Office, agents
of corporations, well-dressed gentle
men who can play cards if the exigen-
cies of the occasion call for a game, or
DOdy dP Gil hA5h( odkQIudy OfCAlA
and be out bright and early for church,
with a clean shirt and a clean shave,
Sunday morning. / dropped into the
prevailing situation with my habitual
glad smile and was soon perfectly at
home.
There was the usual s~prinkling OF
unique characters and mysterious in
~dividuals, and one of the latter had
been 'piped off, as we say here in
Wheeling, by the wise ones as a Pink
erton detective. He was well dressed,
had the run of the House and Senate
alike, and showed all the indications
of being a good fellow, although a lit
tie reticent and markedly reserved in
his amer He drifted around until
the Wheeling Board of Trade delega-
ton arrived, and then he proceeded to
do a little business. He approached
one Wheeling gentleman, standing
high and justly renowned for his elo-
quence and earnestness in whatever he
undertakes, and introduced himself as
the representative of an Eastern gem
tleman holding a large block of stock
in the local electric light Company. 1t
happened that the Wheeling man was
also a stakeholder, and had recently
been in communication with the East
ern man named, but he held his tongue,
and was content to let the mysterious
gentleman do the talking. The stran-
ger of slick ways said the thing to do
was to beat out the electric light bill,
and the easiest and quickest way Of
doing it was to buy up legislators, and
wished to know who was on the mar
ket, n some details about their price.
And here is where the fun comes in.
1t was currently reported and gen.
orally believed that the mysterious
gentleman was either in the employ
OF two prominent members of the
House, or at least was acting for 1olks
in close touch with them. and when he
wanted to know about the marketable
value of the representatives of the peo-
pie it was the idea to give him a little
play. He was accordingly invited to
an anti-electric light bill conference.
and he mingled with those present,
expressed his views, and mixed around
generally. Finally he approached an
Ohio county man, not a member of the
Legislature, and said: Now, look here;
the way to squelch this thing is to go
rig u n buy people up. l am the
representative of Mr.. -- (naming
a large stockholder) and I've got the
money to do business with. Where's a
good place to begin etc. The Wheel
ing man looked thoughtful for a time,
and then said: Well, I'll tell you. It
just isn't any use to approach any of
the Senators; they are all straight.
But there's n member of the House
who is in the market, and you want to
go right to him. And don't make any
bones" about it. Just go right up to
him and tell him what your business
is, and ask him what he'll take for his
vote and influence. You needn't be
afraid. He's for sale; and he's cheap.
Sail right in and clinch him, and then
Well figure on some of the Others
The detective turned pale and disap-
peared, for the member mentioned was
one of the two reputed to be paying
his expenses. He got out of the confer
ence, and hasn't been heard of since.
He doubtless is possessed of the idea
that lne ways of West Virginians at
Charleston are mysterious and past