Omaha daily bee., 1903-06-01
BITS or WASHINGTON LIFE.
Minor Scenes and incidents sketched
on the SPOT.

Minor Scenes and incidents sketched
on the spot.
Pension Commissioned Ware recently re-
ceived an application for n pension from a
civil war veteran who does not hesitate
TO tell the truth about his claim on the
nations gratitude. When requested to
specify the circumstances under which he
incurred physical disabilities he sent the
following unique explanation: The way !
got my war ingery was a ketchin OF a
hog. The hog war a SOW hog and our cap
tain wanted her for forege. He was chasin
the SOW and she crawled threw a hoal In
a rale fence. 1t war a big hoal and l thot
l war about the sis Of the hog, and tried
to crawl threw. but I stuk and trim TO
wisle out I throde the raies of and one
hit me on my he'd and nocked me sense
less. I do not think the SOW pig had moth
ing TO do with my line OF duty. for l did
not koch the hog. wich she never wal
csut." Mr.. Ware is Of opinion that such
candor as this should entitle the writer to
unusual consideration.
Commenting on the Postofice department
disclosures, a correspondent of the New
York Post tells Of one officer OF the de-
partment whose position was particularly
open to assault, but who has so far passed
unscathed through the fires OF investiga-
ton. That is Michael Angelo Louis, su-
perintendent Of the division of postonice
supplies. He furnishes the postoflces with
Ink and paper and Irvine, and a lot Of
things that would AFFORD a generous rake
on II handled by a corrupt administrator
Louis has been In the government service
more years than some Of the clerks under
him have lived, and though he has no ex-
pensive habits and no family dependent on
him, he probably could not today scrape
together the money to buy n reasonable
block Of the copper mining stock which
has been going around the department so
freely of late years. In other words. he Is
q poor man at the end Of a long period Of
work In a perfect magazine Of potential
pickinEs.
The worst complaint any Of the postmas-
ters have against him is that he is stingy,
because he requires them to make It plain
that they need the supplies they call for;
while the most serious reflection heard In
higher quarters is that he is extravagant,
because he believes that a labor-saving de-
vice which enables a clerk to get through
20 per cent more work In a week is worth
having. even though the first cost may be
10 per sent more than the cost of an an
tiquated method. So between the two ex-
tremes he seems to be steering his course
very fairly.
Naturally. some OF the newspaper
sleuths'' went for Louis early In the pres
ent investigation. Contractors whom he
had not favored, clerks whom he had had
removed or transferred for fumbling with
honesty. found ready listeners to tales
which they could reel off by the hour,
based chiefly on suspicion s~urcharged with
spite. Louis said little, but went method
ically at preparing for the district attorney
the material on which to proceed against
his detractors criminally, as he had no
desire to maxi money out of the abuse OF
his good name. When asked why he did
not go on with his case at once. he an
swered that he did not wish to put him
self into the attitude of trying to scare
away criticism or heading on inquiry into
his conduct. But he did make one excep-
ton to this rule in the case OF a man who
| was about going out of the jurisdiction
and therefore might escape prosecution
Him he went for tooth and nail, and the
result was a payment by the offender OF
$50 into court and a most complete re-
traction.
Louis is a good-natured. cheerful. little
man. Even in referring to the persons who
have alta ked him on suspicion. and whose
cases he is engaged in making UP for the
courts. he maintains perfect cotnposure.
There is nothing venomous in his retalia-
ton. 1t is a pure matter of business;
these men have assailed his character,
which is one OF his few assets. and though
he cannot wipe that fact away, he must
for his own protection put them TO their
proofs.
There has been apparent during the past
few days an increase in the brightness OF
the white dome OF the Capitol building. re-
ports the Star. This is the first stage IN
the work of giving the entire building a
new coat OF paint. which has not been done
for twelve years. There are twenty men
now occupied in painting the dome, ana
persons with good eyes may see them
perched here and there on frail lookins
supports suspended by ropes, looking like
some peculiar insects creeping about ap.
parently oblivious Of the dangerous height
at which they are working. A larger num-
Der of men will soon be put to work on
the lower part Of the building, and II is