The Washington herald., 1910-06-12
HAIR RAISING TRIP
OF CONGRESS TRIO
Democrats Lost in Woods on
Canal.boat Voyage.
pER1LoUs PREC1pICE PLUNGE
"BiIIy" Hughes, of New Jersey,
Leads Exploring Party Into Vir-
ginia Wilds stirring Midnight
Passage of the Potomac Followed
by aIishaps in the Forest.

Frightful mishaps befell a trio OF Demo-
cratic Congressmen In the early hours OF
last Thursday morning. They pirated
canal boat, were stranded in the wilds of
Maryland, crossed the Potomac in a
ferry. and got lost in the dense Virginia
woods on the other side. Pretty Aearly
lost their lives, too. Quite a sensation
was created in Capitol circles when all
the facts became public
Wednesday afternoon Representatives
Billy Hughes. of New Jersey; Claude
Kitchin, of North Carolina, and Jim Col
Ier, of mississippi. left the House early
and started out in search of adventure.
They found It. They rode up TO Cabin
John Bridge, and then Hughes took the
boys down to show EN- the canal.
Seize a Canal Boat.
Just then a canal boat came along and
they boarded her Ike three Capt Kids
in quest of treasure. Reckless with
speed mania, they voyaged clear up 10
Great Fails. and took turns driving the
mules. with never a thought as TO how
they would get back
At Great Falls they abandoned the
boat, foraged around the hotel for din
ner, and finding themselves cut of from
return 10 Washington that night decided
70 cross the river and try 10 get TO the
Old Dominion trolley line in Virginia.
To get down 10 the river they had 70
cross a forty-foot plank three inches
wide across the top OF spillWay. A
misstep would have meant death
To perform this stunt in the dark re-
quired rare courage. and they didn't sue
coed in getting Collier 10 make tho peril
Gus effort until they had blindfolded him.
They woke up a boatman and induced
him TO ferry them across the river for
SIl5& from which they separated them
selves reluctantly. 1t was as black as
stack of black cats.
Help! Help! An Oar Lost.
Midway the stream the boatman lost
an oar, and it took them two hours TO
paddle ashore with their hands. Finally
they reached sthe bank, only to find that
they were seven miles from the trolley
line. II was then II o'clock.
There was nothing else TO do. so the
weary statesmen plodded of through the
woods Collier, who claimed to be an
old-time coon hunter. led the way, with
a handkerchief over his shoulder so that
the others could see him He Dragged
considerably about his wOOdcraft and
said il was easy TO find ones way
through the woods at night.
MistOOk Light for Path.
When the trolley lights finally came
into view Collier thought one OF the re-
Elections was a nice open path and be
galloped down it gracefully. He went
along all right for about three feet, and
then he plunged head first down a gully
When Hughes and Kitchin rescued him
he exhibited sundTy wounds, including a
skinned shin. a split thumb and a scrap
ed elbow He has not been Dragging
about his wooderaft, devoting himself to
nursing his injuries.
And. oh yes; they finally reached the
trolley tracks and caught the last car
IN, getting back to Washington in the
wee sma hours. It was the only luck
they'd had
Billy HtEhes has been keeping in the
background. He says he'll never suggest
another suburban trip-not to those fel-
lows.