The Washington herald., 1907-05-14

Hon. William Russ. former mayor OF
Raleigh, n c., and one Of the biggest
men in the country, called on Hon. Will
lam Howard Taft yesterday for the pG;-
pose Of demanding an explanation. llks-
wise, SEQ. He got the explanation, but not
the SO
To begin at the beginning. Judge Russ,
as they call him all the way from Bat
terry Park Hotel to Cape Hatteras, weighs
in the neighborhood of 800 pounds: not
the near neighborh0od, but it is politer 20
put IL that way. more delicate ex-
preston would be that Judge Russ is OF,
the shady side Of 300 Judge Russ hes
been yearninz 20 see Secretary Taft for
several years. There was a natural feel.
ing of nearness to a man who .rivaled. K
he did not excel, the judges eomprehsp-
slve girth Of figure. More recently the
judges yearning has increased, and With
the increase OF yearning came loss Of
that cordial admiration which he had
acquired for blr. Rooseyelt's Secretary :
War. II was in this state of cooss-8
that Judge Russ went 10 see Mr. 1ast
yesterday. accompanied by Senator Over.
man, or NcrJh tarOilna.
Judge Russ had read in the newspapers
that Secretary Taft was taking a course
of treatment which was gradually re-
ducing his superfuous avoIrdupois He
was much interested he had tried few
anu-fat remedies and had not found
them successful. except for the manlfsc-
turers. But the Taft remedy seemed to
be working toward the desired end, and
the judge began to have faith in it.
Calls for Frequent Bulletins.
His interest was so great that he re-
Quested Tom Pence, Zach McGhee. and
other Washington correspondents OF
North Carolina papers to send frequent
telegraphic reports to their journals of
Mr.. Tafts condition. These reports were
all favorable. They did not end until it
was recorded that Mr. Taft had lost
fifty pounds and tipped the beam at go.
Il may be wondered why Judge Russ
did not write to the Secretary of War for
his weight-reducing prescription The
truth is that he had just about made up
his mind 20 do so ard was on the point
OF asking Josephus Daniels for a letter of
introduction to Mr.. Taft when a man
dropped into Raleigh and set the star of
hope glimmering before the eyes OF Judge
Russ. The man was a doctor Of medi-
cine, and his speciality was an anti-fat
treatment that had been used success
fully on several Of the crowned heads Of
Europe and some prominent American
statesmen The doctor had heard Of Judge
Russ. The judge was flattered
"Yes, sir; your fame as the fattest man
TFwsr rl1.r Il nj hnr
come to Raleigh especially to do you
good" said the doctor. The doctor had
just left Washington. where he had ad-
ninistered a course Of treatment to Secre-
tary Taft In fact. Mr. Taft had heard
Of Judge Russ, and had suggested that
the doctor try his skill on him. Yes, sir;
the doctor was the very man who had re-
duced Taft's flesh. He had brought the
Secretary Of Wars weight down from Si7
TO 237 pounds, and could have done bet
ter If the Secretary hadn't become
alarmed over the size Of his tailor bills.
Judge Not in $1,000 Class.
He gave me S1.000" said the doctor.
modestly.
I'm no $1,000 man." said the ex-mayor.
but I certainly would like to try you"
The doctor suggested a partial course
for a smaller amount. and then. just out
of pare philanthropy and love Of science,
agreed to give a first treatment for $50.
OF course. if the treatment wasn't Sue
cessful the twenty could be returned. but
the doctor was quite sure that Judge
Russ would be only too willing to pay
the full price after he had tried the thing
for a while. So it was agreed that Judge
Russ should take the first treatment. He
handed over a $50 bill to the doctor and
received In return minute directions and
sundry bottles Of medicine, And the
incest thing about it was that he wouldn't
have to diet. He could eat as much as he
pleased. All the newspaper stories about
Taft dieting were just fakes.
When Judge Russ called on Secretary
Taft yesterday he was somewhat sur
prised 10 see how near thin Mr.. Taft
was. 1t didn't put him in a better humOr.
Mr.. Secretary" he said right at the
beginning; you sent a fellow to me
down in Raleigh, who got $50 out Of me-"
MIR. Tafts usually smiling cOuntenanCe
became serious.
Il don't understand you. sir" he said.
Might Hand His Twenty Back.
'Well." said the judge. just a trlhe
flustered, but determined. as a matter Of
principle, to see the thing through; that
doctor who reduced your weight, and who
came to me with recommend from you,
didn't help me a bit. I'm a little sore
about It. and I think you owe me an
explanation and $50, but won't insist on
the money.
Mr.. Taft was amazed. Gradually, by
skillful questioning. he brought out the
story. And when he had heard it, he
laughed one Of those big, hearty laughs
that can be heard all over the War De-
partment building When his mirth had
subsided. he explained gently that Judge
Russ doctor had never treated him, and
that his weight hadn't been brought down
to 237 pounds. but only to $50. as the
newspapers had stated.
He fooled me completely, sir said
Judge Russ He guaranteed to reduce
me as he had reduced you. I declare to
you. sir. that in seventeen days 1 gained
forty pounds I found myself beginning
to eat like a pOrker. (Long pause TO en-
able the Secretary 10 recover from a
convulsion-) If I hadn't quit at the end
Of forty days, I wouldn't have been able
to get in that DOOR
For a while Mr. Taft and Judge Russ
swapped yarns about being fat, and then
the judge said:
Taft Imparts True Remedy.
There's way for you to repay that
So Mr.. Secretary. We're going 20 have
a big affair down in Raleigh when We
dedicate the Bagley monument I've got
charge Of it. The War Department has
a lot OF flags that will help US out in
decorations II We can get them, and II
you'll let me have the flags, I'll drop that
little matter of the twenty and call il
square"
You shall have them, responded Mr..
Taft. But don't put any more trust in