Evening journal., 1911-03-29
NEW NEWS OF YESTERDAY
The Speech That Congress-
man Tom 0ChiItree
Didn't Make
By "HoIIand..

filb lllenob u6eu 10 Call lne idIe ioul
Ochiltree. congressman from the Gal
weston (Texas) district in the early
eighties, Thomas Porterbouse Ochil-
tree. but that middle name was face
tious. probably due to the fact that
Tom Ochiltree was regarded In his day
as the hest Judge Of good beefsteak
TO he found In Washington. Today Tom
Ochiltree is almost forgotten. but for
nearly twenty years he was a national
character. He Was a man who attract
ed attention wherever he went. and on
meeting him for the FIRST time one
could not avoid admitting TO himself.
Here is one Of the most astonishing
personalities have ever seem
Notwithstanding q peculiar and indi-
vidual philosophy Of expression. Ochil-
tree was one Of the wittlest, kindliest,
most sympathetic and most original Of
mon When General Grant was Presi-
dent, he met the Texan. who at that
time was living in or near Galveston.
The originality Of the man, the quaint
ness Of his thought and expression and
the magnetism Of manner, which was
almost hypnotic in It's effect upon
many persons gained for Ochiltreo the
friendship of the President At the first
opportunity General Grant appointed
I him United States marshal for the
southern district of Texas. Tom Ochil-
tree although o good Confederate as
4 long as the Confederacy had any
chance. had accepted the results of
the war in good faith and had become
Republican.
In the early eighties the Galveston
district was still Republican. The
party nominated and elected Tom
Ochiltree TO Congress because Ochilr
tree had an unusual gift for getting
anything that his constituents wanted.
and not as q joke, as the matter was
regarded in some quarters His seat in
the House Of Representatives was al
most directly behind that of Judge
James y. Belford. of Colorado, himself
most essentric personality, but. like
Ochiltree, a man Of strong common
sense. Both men were distinguished
for hair that was fiery red. Belford's
beard was also Of that hue Ochiltree
wore no beard but had a mustache in
which each individual hair stood out
like a fiery bristle. He was a moon
faced man, while Belford had thin,
hatchet-like features. The corner Of
the House i'm which they sat was some
times designated as the "place Of the
burning bush.
tom" said one Of his friends. who
met him one night at Chamberlins.
then the most frequented restaurant I'm
Washington, when are you going to
make your first speech
when I have something TO say"
Ochiltree replied. ~ didn't come here
to hear myself talk
A few evening later. Ochiltree met
the same friend at the same resort,
and said Il am going TO make a
speech pretty soon and I know that It
viii he heard not only in, but out Of
Congress
What are you going to talk about,
Tom?" the friend asked.
81 am going to rise TO a question Of
personal privilege. Then 7 am going 10
ask the Speaker whether the House of
Representatives Is going to play sec
ond fiddle 10 q damned little clerk in
the Treasury Department
Whats the matter, Tom7' HIS
friend asked
We'll, went 10 the sergeant-at-
arms office to get my months pay;
just at this time IL would come in
rather handy" There was no time
when a little money would not be
found TO be decidedly handy by Tom
Ochiltree But the sergeant-at-arms
told me that he hadn't any money for
me. wanted to know why. and he
told me I would have to see some
clerk down in the Treasury Depart
ment, that he was powerless; he
hadn't got the money.
80 | went on a tour Of investigation
and located that little clerk who in
/ formed me that my accounts as United
/ States Marshall In Texas hadn't been
/ made good, that there was a deficit
and that he was holding back my pay
! as Congressman until that deficit was
squared up 7 made some small re-
marks to him. Now. tomorrow / am
going to ask the Speaker whether a
little two-cent clerk I'm the Treasury
| Department can hold up the nay from
a member Of Congress"
But the next day Tom Ochiltree did
not make the speech. II was not neces.
sary. Just as he expected. the House
Of Representatives overnight had he
come greatly stirred up by p report
that a Treasury clerk was holding III
the pay Of member Of Congress.
'If Tom Ochiltree owes the Govern
ment money, let the Government su,
for it, his fellow members declared
I'VE wont~have a clerk in the Treas
ury Department interfering with oul
rights and privileges" At once the,
lammed the necessary resolution
through and IN q short time Ton
Ochiltree got his money without max
Ing his speech.
| Copyright 1911. by r. J. Edwards. Al
Rights Reserved,
Tomorrow Mr.. Edwards will tell q
san Unsolicited Trihute That Amuse,