The Salt Lake herald. [volume] (Salt Lake City [Utah]) 1870-1909, 1902-03-16

call the greatness % AflRNAitA H. --N-'--
Alabama at the moment
'.Incredible!' exclaimed the old gen
tleman with a well-simulated express
sion Of surprise. Why, Dixon II. Lee"
is was the greatest man that ever en-
tered the capitol
Still the listener was forced 10 ADMIT
that the name Of Mr.. Lewis had not
lodged in his memory.
IN what did the greatness of Lewis
Of Alabama consist Mr. Lane was
asked.
In his girth. was the amused reply
In his FalStaffian measurements. IL
deed. if what we know of Sir John be
authentic in the description Of his per-
son. he was a slender, graceful indi-
vidUal in comparison with Dixon II.
Lewis of Alabama.
Il am about 10 tell you something
that may seem entirely out Of the cues
tiOn. but il is literally true. Dixon H
Lewis of Alabama weighed a trifie over
800 pounds at his death He weighed
more at his death than he did when he
was an active member on the floor of
the lower house of congress, but he was
an .S00-pounder from the beginning Of
his stay in Washington.
4. q 9
Nor was he a man Of great height
His greatness was ciTCumferential. The
pavements and paths Of Washington
were narrow in those days. and YOU
may be certain that Lewis Of Alabama
could not walk arm-in-arm with his
friends. His friends had either TO pro-
coed before or trail behind him.
Indeed, l once saw the colossal
Lewis sandwiched In that manner be
tween no less a pair of men than Henry
Clay and Daniel Webster. Clay walking
along in front, half turned around and
conversing earnestly. and frequently
ducking his head from side to side in
order to catch an occasional glimpse
of Clay in the van.
The three men lived in the same
boarding house in Four-and-a-Half
street-Mrs. Petitioners. Of renowned
memory as a favorite cook for states
men in that day. Mr.. Lewis was an
amiable gentleman. a man Of the high
est character. witty, learned, Of exalted
/ intellect, in fact, and he had the respect
and affection Of the eminent men of all
parties who We're his contemporaries
/ in congress in the '40s His tremendous
/ size was natural for Lewis was a very
moderate drinker in those days Of
[ heavy drinking men of station, and by
/ no means a considerable eater.
4 once heard Lincoln allude in rather
/ a curious manner 10 bullets" proceeded
/ Mr.. Lane, when the talk veered around
/ TO the subject of the first of the mar
+ ty~ presidents. Il had d friend named
/ Hatcher, who lived in the north. but
/ who was a native Eilginian, and when
+ the war began he decided TO join the
( Confederate forces. He stopped in
/ Washington and called upon me
ff0Du4.=4a . 3 &C.
way to enter the Confederate army.
Hatcher had a great admiration for
/ President Lincoln. and he told me that
he would like to call upon him 7 had
often met Mr.. Lincoln even in the days
. when he was in congress. through my
father, and I took Hatcher 60 the White
/ House to present him to the president.
Hatcher stood SIX feet five inches
in his bare feet, and he was gauat
figure Of a man. presented him to Mr..
Lincoln. not hesitating (. say frankly
that my friend was about to Join the
southern army
90 How do you do, MI Hatcher said
Mr. Lincoln, cordially taking Hatcher
hand.
Excuse me. sir, Hatcher said my
friend, smiling at the presidents mis-
take.
Wei. it might ftangiy be PoIeax,
said the president. surveying H8tcher's
great height I believe you are taller
than I am, are you not%
The two men stood back to back
and Hatcher had the president topped
by some inches
"A grave expression crossed Lincoln
features.
My friend said he. addressing
Hatcher, I fear you viii have a peril
Gus time of il in the service to which
you are about to attach yourself Men
of our size were ever frst-rate marks
for bullets
i am of the opinion that Lincoln
often played the bUnOoH Cor the sake OF
relieving a heavy sadness depressing
his heart. One night. during the war
I happened 20 be one of q party as
sembled on the rear r0rtico of the
White House. MT. Lincoln wax there
TO review General Bleukert's division
which was about 10 depart for the
front
4 don't recall Just why the review
was held at night. but at any rate Fl
was d weird scene, nearly every one
or BIenkerts soldiers carrying a torch
Lincoln watched the passing Of tn,
. thousands Of soldiers with one Of hi.
arms flung about a pillar. Just as
couple OF officers had passed and giveI
p the sword salute, a ventrii0qUisti,
voice. il the drawI Of a country bump.
kin. was heard % excIaiu.
What's all this about I never heer,
uotEil' abaCut all this here
we all looked up. startled. for ia.
. voice was UnGUesuOnaDly Lincoln IS
. But there he was. with his arm stu