The Washington times., 1902-06-22

passed away during the week at
L y Asheville, where he had gene for
his health, which had long been
precarious. 1t is a rather curious fact
that he should die in the old county of
| Buncombe, the home of the famous
North Carolina Vances, with whom, l
believe, he was not related. Bob"
Vance was a Connecticut editor. who
came to Congress, and was one of the
most popular craftsmen that ever
reached Washington in that capacity
| He was the inseparable companion of
| Amos ]. Cummings, and they came to
Congress at about the same time FL
nally Connecticut turned Republican
with a vengeance, and although Bob"
was very popular and made several
good races, he never again came back
to the House. He was lin size) one Of
the smallest men in Congress, but in his
time was one OF the most genial, widely
acquainted and efficient. He had hair
that looked like democrat torch light
procession.
In the days when Amos Cummings and
Vance served in Congress together they
were constant visitors on Newspaper
Row at night, and were the origirators
Of many merry pranks on the corre-
spondents and on each other. One OF the
most amusing incidents of the campaign
OF 1888 was the orga niZation by Cum
mings of a large number of negroes,
headed by street band, which he caused
to march up Fourteenth Street, dis
turbing a pellucii night with fearful
din, to serenade Vance as the Red
Headed Leader 0f the Coon Democ-
racy!"
Who can ever forget the famous din
ner which Vance and Cummings gave at
Losekam's in honor of that unique pro-
duct of the Lone, Star State, Hon. Will
liam H. Martin, who sat for four years
in Congress from Texas? This dinner
was intended as joke ON the old gem
tleman. but he promptly turned it on the
pair of jokers. and the whole party of
had been invited to meet him by putting
the entire crowd under the table.
When Archibald Clavering Gunter
created that striking character, "Mr
Potter. OF TeEas." he had never seen
Martin. Unique as was the imaginary
Hon. Sampson Potter. of Comanche
county. Texas. the Hon. William II. Mar
tin, of Cherokee county, was the coun-
terpart in real life of that interesting
parsonage of fiction. 1t will be remem-
bered that Nj. Potter owned big Texan
ranch. had been noted Indian fighter.
a Confederate officer. sheriff OF his coun-
ty and a State Senator before the ad-
miring Texans sent him to Congress. Mr..
Martin, of Texas. was a hardy repre-
sentative OF the people of his district
He had lived In Texas for fifty years.
fighting Indians and participating In al!
the hardshlps of a southwestern from
tiersman's life. when he was elected to
the House. He had been State Senator.
Confederate officer and sheriff of his
county. AS his life story resembled that
of the famous Texan of Gunter's ro-
nance. SO did the man resemble the
Hon. SampHon Potter in sturdy honesty,
native worth and utter lack of guile. Ma
jor Martin was an uplettered but not an
ignorant man. The ways of civilization
did not come handy" to him after his |
hard life on the frontier, and he made |
some mistakes that caused his cultured |
colleagues 10 smile. and which made him |
the butt OF many merciless paragraphers |
throughout the country. Major Martin |
vas rugged character. little uncouth |
en- the surface but with heart as biz |
- the broadest ranch in his native !