The St. Louis Republic. [volume] (St. Louis, Mo.) 1888-1919, 1903-04-22
JOHN 7. CRISP DIES SUDDENLY
AT HOME IN INDEPENDENCE.
FOLK EXPECTS TO HEAR
Continued From Page One.

was an inexhaustible source Of "Reminiscences
and delighted in telling his experiences and
views
STOPPED THE GRAND JURY.
Crisp spent ten days in ST. Louis since
the adjournment OF the Assembly. He was
the guest OF Colonel GnsvoIi OF the La
clede Hotel. and only left for home abort 4
week ago A day or so ba.ore he had been
called before the Grant Jury to tell wust
he knew Of boodling in Jere-sJ7 City. Il
is said that when he get before tie Grand
Jury he stopped proceedings by delivering
speech that occupied -ncst of the afternoon.
TILT WITH HARRINGTON
On one occasion during lis recent trip to
st. Louis Crisp met his equal In conversa-
ton. While seated in the Ioboy of the La
clede he was introduced TO Lord PAIRING
ton,- just released from the Wcrkhcuse.
The s9e0test lasted shout fifteen minutes
alter which the jackson Counts statesmaa
gave up and retired -.
Crisp had a narrow escape from being q
great man. Lack OF equipoise vas respon-
sible for his failure to attain his higher am
billions in politics. He dreamed OF states
manship. but the absence of the balance
wheel held him in the Legislature.
He was very ambitious to go to Congress
and made a memorable race against Saw
yer. which was characterized by all Of the
vitriolic pyrotechnics and picturesqueness
which only a Crisp could inject into a
campaign.
His defeat was a bitter disappointment
but only his closest friends were aware of
the gall in the cup He turned the same
frank eye and satirical mind to the world,
told his stories with the same old zest,
shook hands with a lingering softness Of
pressure and was the same bluff. hail-fel-
low well met.
The Crisp handshake was in & class of Ste
own It usually left one with the impress
sion that he had been stroked by velvet
Sometimes it made friends. because it was
SO softly lined and kind. but others were
nettled by 1t for the reason that It sug-
gested effeminacy. but 1t was merely
first impression. There was nothing efTem-
mate about John 7. Crisp.
- SEE A NOBLE ROMAN DIE"
Crisp was fond OF posing in heroic atti-
tudes on any and all. occasions. He fire.
quentIy attracted the attention of chance
crowds by placing himself in the lime
dight and Keeping himself there by sheer
force Of his ready wit.
Shortly after the return OF Consul Cen
eral Franklin from China, he and Crisp en-
gagged IN an alteration in a public place
at Kansas City. where were gathered many
jovial spirits. Franklin engaged in a warm
argument with the needle-tongued Colonel.
Crisp became very personal. and Franklin
drew a pocketknife and thrust 1t into
.Crisp's coTpulence.
+ Before further damage. Franklin was
seized by his friends. Crisp waved back
those who came TO his assistance, and. lean,
ing against the railing. cried out: f.
stand back and see a noble Roman diei''
He. was. only slightly cut He was too fat
to be hurt.
MORE ELOQUENT THAN TORNADO.
/ During the big tornado, at Kansas City
when terror sent the street crowds trem-
bling into the stores, Crisp happened to be
in the city and took refuge with a large
gathering in a shoe store.
Without the wind shrieked and howled
with the demonical voice of the tornado.
Parts of wrecked buildings went by in the
murly atmosphere. A window crashed in
and loosened the sound upon the ears OF
the silent, terrified crowd. It was a tense
moment for It seemed that the building
was doomed.
Crisp suddenly mounted chair and hold
ing up his right hand thundered a speech
which melted all the deafness out of terror
fraught ears. and when he had finished the
crowd was laughing and the worst OF the
great storm was over. 1t takes a genius
tongue TO overcome the eloquence of the
tempest whose Aeolian chant is freighted
with the terrifying tales Of impeding doom.
HOW HE HELPED VEST.
Colonel John T. Crisp. more than any
other one man, is responsible for the fact
that George C. Vest is able TO boast that
he served in both the Confederate and the
United States Senates.
He was a Major on the staff Of Colonel
George S. Rathbun. in whose regiment
were most of the members of the Missouri
Legislature. which had become peripatetic
shortly after the war.
Colonel Rathbun was a candidate for the
Senate He was very popular with the leg
islators. and It seemed that he was the
only man in the race.
.sUndaunted, by the odds against him. Vest
threw himself into the fight. He needed
crisp's vote very badly. and the influence
which his support would throw TO him.