The St. Louis Republic. [volume] (St. Louis, Mo.) 1888-1919, 1903-04-26

7 about the hottest convention ever held ir
the hottest convention city.
hickey was needed ~then-neeied. and IL
was forthcoming Here is the story as told
mere OF the. origin Of the name. ard this
puts the responsibility OF the christening
Watterson had been locked np for eight
cen hours IN a room In the Southern Hotel
with the other members OF the
on Resolutions. He had been mskins ;
nght for a taHn-fOr-revenue plank in the
After the long struggle he emerged hot
worn. exhausted. but triumphant. He was
immediately surrounded BY a group Of re-
Portsrs eager TO know what the platform
called out: Mr.. Watterson. how about sill
MATTERsoN cHRIsTENED
IT n RICKEY.
oh. damn silver" shouted watte-sou.
Then the custodian OF the star-eyed god
cess OF reform. arm IN arm with Colonel
Klckey, pushed his way through the crowd
70 the bar where both had frequently par
taken Of Colonel Rickey's then unnamed
beverage.
"whatn you have. CoIoneiy' queried the
I'm have-Iu have" hesitated Colonel
Nstterson. oh. make me one Of those
tnos-Shy one of those RickeyS."
me sturdy infant was at once immersed
: and -christened.
A drink Of which Colonel Hickey was IN
Iouhtedly the inventor was sprung at the
Honman House about three years ago when
a host OF Southwestern politicians. including
Gum Shoe Bit Stone and Colonel Hickey
I, rom Missouri. gathered in cheerful reunion.
on these epicurean imbibers Hickey tried
Stone.
This Is a connection OF Tom Cir. Yer
muth, shaved ics-all served in a claret
staSs-well suEared at the rim.
though officially a man OF war. Colonel
Hlckey was the last man In the world 20
provoke hostilities. and his deeds OF vaIor
were chiefly notable for their absence.
rr3oably the most famous engagement in
which C0f0naI RF~Ear- ar-ar ang.-a9 80
the battle Of the Waidorf-As;oria, fought
the night of November Il. 1888.
In this engagement Hickey deployed skill
fully to the Entertainments of Captain ". H.
Wheeler. a retired army officer. who was in
a strong position behind a cafe table. After
q snort parley. in which Hickey accused
Wheeler OF sharp practice in a stock deal.
Wheeler made a sortie and drove Hickey
to the floor with a sharp blow.
further hostfiIties.
Few men ever enjoyed being interviewed
as Thoroughly as Colone. Hickey. His chief
delight was to discuss possibilities OF con-
v~entions and elections. but II the interview
er preferred he would treat OF party and
state policies. ballot or tarin reform. or
free coinage.
HE WAS NOT A
CIN1LSERVICE REFORMBR.
Only one thing did he ever make clear
as 10 his real political convictionS-that he
was not a civil-service reformer.
Five years ago when Mr.. Croker was deep
ly interested in the building Up OF the Dem
pNEdUc Cluo ne proposed ColOnei Hickey for
membership. and al the club he was often
10 he seen when he was not too busy at
Washington directing legislation and other
wise attending to affairs Of state II in
New York at all Hickey was pretty certain
now to be found az the club. the Hoffman.
or the NEUTRALITY-SUSPICIOUS.. and care never had
a seat at his table.
Ups and downs of fortune he had a-plenty.
but they never disturbed his serenity. Dur
ing the second Cleveland campaign he
plunged heavily on his fayorite and was
Practically ruined by the election Of Har-
rtson: After Cleveland came In again ana
the Wilson tariff was under consideration
Colonel ice" recouped through operations
In sugar stock. II vas said that he secured
his tips while engaged In a poker game
in Washington with some OF the Senators
who knew what the sugar schedule was
TO be.
Colonel Hickey knew every man OF promi-
nence in politics and finance In the United
States. For twenty years he vas a familiar
figure about Washington and in the hotel
corridors OF this city and ST. Louis. He
was one of the quartet known throughout
the Southwest as Tn -Four ST LOUIS
Colonies" The others were Colonel Broad
head. Colonel Hyde and Colonel Prather.
Every one who knew Colonel Hickey had
stories to tell Of hin. for he WAS = man