Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1905-12-29

never provoke the fire-eaters again by dis
cussing the slavery question. But to the
surprise of everybody, he reappeared In
his seat at the opening of the next session.
and at the first opportunity delivered an
other speech even more radical than that
which provoked the anger of Brooks.
Mr.. Dawes said that about 1870 o'clock
on the night after the delivery of that
speech, Mr.. Summers butler rushed into
his room at his boarding house. brea thless
with excitement, and asked him to come
to Senator Summers house at once. Mr..
Dawes, who was partly undressed, drew
on his clothes and, taking stout cane
which he always carried, hurried to Mr..
Summers residence on F street opposite
the Ebbitt House He found the great man
IN his library drawing up memorandum
of instructions to his friends and execu-
tors, for, as he coolly informed Mr.. Dawes,
he expected to die that night. He said
he had just been visited by vigilance
committee of shareholders from the south
who warned him that he had been con-
demned to death by their organization be-
cause Of his latest speech and that the pen
atty was likely to be visited upon him at
any time.
tinued. with the hope and expectation that
you Will summon Senator Wilson and the
rest OF the Massachusetts delegation and
remain with me through the night. Your
society will be consolation, and I should
IKE 10 nave you witness my death II am
attacked In such manner that 1t will be
impossible for you to protect me-"
On Guard All Night.
Mr. Dawes remained with Mr. Sumner
While the servants of the house We're sent
Tor the other members of the delegation
When they arrived Mr. Summer explained
to them the warning he had received and
mis- expectation Of an early death by vio-
fence. Then he took from his library
shelves history of Rome and read aloud
the story of Caius Tiberios and Gracious,
the honest tribunes who were assassinated
because of their efforts In behalf of the
peasantry After he had finished reading
he solemnly announced his intention to die
as they had died. with the same composure
and the same resignation, which he said
was justified by his confidence that his fate,
like theirs, was the penalty of his devotion
TO the poor and the oppressed. Placing a
mark IN the book so that the delegation
might refer to 1t after the expected trag-
edy was accomplished, he laid it away upon
its shelf and sat down calmly to await the
end.
The Massachusetts, members remained
with him through the night. One of them
had revolver; the remainder had no better
weapons than walking sticks, but Senator
Surnner refused to allow them to GO after
arms and seemed rather to covet martyr
dom than to avoid 1t. The night was long
and nothing occurred to disturb Its solem-
nifty. At daylight 1t was decided that the
guard should be continued but that the
delegation might go to their homes by
turns. to advise their families of their safe
ty and change their linen.
One of the first to leave who lived at
Willards Hotel, across the street, had not
been gone more than fifteen or twenty
minutes. when he returned with an aston
ishng story he had heard in the office of
the hotel. 1t was of three young southern
bloods, who. as a practical joke, had called
upon Senator Sumner the evening before
and nearly frightened him to death with a
story that his assassination was intended.
They had conceived the idea over their
ner's house had made the hotel merry with
descriptions of the manner In which he
received their warning.
The Massachusetts, delegation shook hands
with one another when their anxiety was
thus relieved, and congratulated Mr.. Sum
ner that the danger was not serious; but
they We're never able to convince him that
he was the victim of hoax