The Mathews journal. (Mathews C.H. [Court House]) 1903-1937, 1910-07-21

rScteo IL 10 the writer and sent II 70 be
mailed at once.
Although the people OF Virginia
have not known OF this incident. IL
was because the Lame Lion was that
sort or man that business was stop
ped In the Commonwealth while his
body was being consigned 10 the tomb.
he went from strength 70 strength.
Faithful in little things, he was ready
when the big test came. II honor
and honesty and a fair and square
name count for anything in the next
world the Senator got full credit there.
No wonder the people OF his State
honor the memory of a man who in
his hour OF financial distress spurned
$4,000 when it spelled dishonor."
After the sermon DR.. Hall said pri-
vately that the story OF the attempt
20 bride Senator Daniel had now been
told for the first time. He asserted
that he was in a position TO say most
positively that this account OF the in
cident was absolutely true. He did
not WISH however, to give any names
regarding an occurrence which would
have aroused the country had Senator
Daniel preferred to use il as a means
OF advertising his honesty.
In order that the story may be alb
solutely correct it will have to be d.
vested OF some OF the coloring which
doubtless made it impress the lesson
the minister was trying to teach by
the example of the pure, honest life
Oh the dead statesman.
"A Few Inaccuracies
AS a matter of fact Senator Daniel
was never practically financially ruin
ed nor was there ever held a confer
ence of his friends to discuss the sit
uation. Neither would it be correct
to say that when he saw one of the
letters he started. His face turned
white with the mental struggle which
followed" The check in question
was not for $4,000, the corporation
sending it did need an attorney. and
while the story may not have been
printed before one somewhat similar
70 II has been told frequently among
the intimate friends of Senator Daniel.
A representative of the News, who
investigated the story yesterday. had
the following account of the occur
renee told by Captain ]. G. Feather
ston. who was the only man in Viz
ginia besides the Senator who ever
saw the check.
The Story a. Told Here.
II seems that one day during Major
Daniels first term as Senator. and
while tariff bill was pending in Con-
gress. Captain Featherston was sit
ting In Senator Daniels library hav-
Ing friendly chat. The mail was
brought in and the Senator asked Cap
tain Featherston if he would mind
reading a newspaper while he (the
Senator) looked over his mail. They
we're on opposite sides of a table
After some minutes in silence. Sena-
tor Daniel threw across the table
TO captain Featherston an envelope
with smile, to read the letter il
contained and tell him what he
thought Of il. AS Captain Feather
ston picked il up a check for $4,000
dropped out and Captain Featherston
remarked. That's I'll right" or
words TO that effect.
He then read the letter, which was
from steel corporation in Pennsyl-
Vania, and stated that the check was
retaining fee for the Senator's legal
services in law case they had in Vir-
ginia and that they wished him to look
after their interests. When Captain
t'eatherston had read il he asked the
senator what he was going TO do
about IL, and the Senator thereupon
wrote letter. which he showed to the
captain. In this he enclosed the check
ana wrote the senderS that as a tariff
bill was pending and that as he was
member of the Senate and might have
to consider the duty on steel and iron
he felt that il would not be well TO ac-
cept the position of legal counsel for
corporation interested in these prod
ucts lest unconsciously his vote might
be Influenced thereby. He closed by
stating that he returned the check
and, sealing the letter. he sent il by
the next mall he never again heard
from that corporation.
Other WouId-Be Gifts Returned.
There are several other instances
where Senator Daniel refused gifts OF
money on one occasion someone
wanted him TO attend TO some routine
matter in one OF the departments and
enclosed $500 to show his apprecia-
ton. This was returned. On another
occasion the representative OF an arms
factory asked the Senator to Introduce
him TO the Secretary OF War and in
cidentally mentioned that he would
give him $1,000. This aroused the ma
Jor's ire and disgust and what he said
TO the young man is probably well re-
membered by the latter 10 this present
day. Frequently he was offered blocks
of stock if he would let his name ap-
pear on the board of directors of
some newly organized company. These
he also declined. Senator Daniel had
an innate contempt for anything which
even had a tendency to being a shady
transaction and the scorn with which
he would have repealed any twenti-
eth century CRATER would have burned
him TO the quick.-Lynchburg News.