The times dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1903-1914, 1907-07-28
UNIQUE CAREER
OF FAMOUS MAN
Picturesque Life Story Of II.
Octogenarian and Some
Anecdotes.
ny WAITER EDWARD HARRIS.

e WASHINGTON. D. c., July 27--Tle
death of Senator Pettus. of Ala banls.
removes from the public arena prob
nbly tho most striking and uniou,c
character in the government service.
It was not only the fact that he was
the Oldest member of the United
States Senate that made him sucli a
striking figure OF that body His orlii-
1nality, his democratic manners end
the remarkable magnetism of his pei.
sonality attracted people to him on
sight. and probably no man in public
life ever retired from it by death with
wider circle Of loyal. unqualified
friends.
The news Of his death caused a re-
vival and retelling Of many stories Of
Old Texas, as he was called. Fewer
public men have ever had to stand
for" more stories of a personal nature.
"a Washington racontcur generallY
chose to place upon Senator Pettus
responsibility for Il good story, II BIZ
any means in the world the story cou)i
be attached to him, and tho aged Sem
ator, not q great story-teller himself,
never objected The story Of how SEN
ator PettuR came to bear the cognomcll
of Old Texas is history.
Ills Gnllnntry Mt vicksburE.
E
Senator Pcttus, General Pettus then,
found opportunity to lead company
of Texans In an assault on a redoubt
that was a key to the enemy's posi-
ton. Hc led the charge, which was
necessarily Of most desperate char
Acter, drove the enemy from tho
trenches, and the Stars and Bars
floated where the Stars and Stripes
had been flying. The major portion
of the Texans did no know the ident T.
ty of the stranger who had led then
! and inquiries were made. When it wil
found that their leader was General
Pettus. some man in the ranks movsd
thot he be made a Texan, And there
in the redoubt, with dead and dying
friends and foes about them and the
smoke of battle enshrouding then
those gallant Texans made Genera
Pettus Texan. Old Texas he was
called to the day of his death.
Old Rock Face and Old Chief were
also cognomens of Senator Pettus, the
latter having reference to tho splent.ic
stand which ho made with his con
Hand under General Johnston while
retrepting before General sherman al
little place called Rock Face. Thlt
too. is history.
q. Showed lie Was Not TOO Old.
f me htoFy OF w now foellalOFa 5l'et1us
came to run for a seat III the United
States Senate, although old, SWill bepl
one more repetition. About 1895 Seq.
ator Pettus came to Washington Is,
the purpose of seeing Senator Pueh
OF Alabama. for the purpose OF secuj,
Ing his influence to have Mr. Clcyv-
land appoint him United Stat .!
district attorney for Alabama. Sen,
stor Pugh did not take kindly to iht
suggestion and frankly told Sena,pl
Pettus that the President would no
appoint such an old man.
II am not too old to beat you 70,
the Senate" said General Pcttus, an
he left In about a minute. AS 500
rs he reached Ala bama he begun hi;
campaign for a scat in the Senate, ant
he won with little trouble. Scnatot
Pugh died q few months ago.
Senator Pettus was a second lieuten
ant in a company which served in III,
War with Mexico, and itNwas prob
ably during this service that he IN
bibed a spirit of adventure Whicll/lt. I.
IL, lCont1pued on Ninth Page.I