The Washington herald., 1913-12-03
Statesmen, Real and Near.
BY FRED C. KELLY.

Senator Thomas OF Colorado is a per-
son who has never been needlessly ham,
pered by too strict adherence to conven-
| ton. He does things in his own way.
For instance he wears a neat, gray wig
in the winter time. but lays IL OF with
the coming of the first spring days.
along with his high sh--s and winter
underwear. When he came to the Sen
ate last year he made a long speech al
most as soon as ne had been assigned to
| a seat-regaTdless of c I'M to the con-
trsry. Always he goes ahead by WHAT
ever route occurs to him. Others can
go some other way if they wish TO. 1t
was the same way hen he was a GRIM
insl lawyer out in Colorado years aga.
Thomas was one Of the most resource
full criminal lawyers in the West. II
he couldn't get a fellow out of Jail by
alibi, habeas corpus, or some other such
conventional means, he would think up
some other way This made him
mighty desirable attorney for murderers
and such people. Many a bright young
murderer had his career spoiled and died
suddenly from hanging, simply because
he lacked the foresight to employ
Thomas for his attorney.
In one case Thomas appeared for \
man accused of numbering a prominent
citizen, who had received a bullet wound
under the shoulder blade. The ques-
ton was whether the man had been muir
dered or committed suicide. Thomas took
an optimistic view OF the situation AMI
advanced many theories to show the
jury that it was a case Of suicide.
But the prosecuting attorney asked:
How could IL have been suicide when
1t is physically impossible for a man
IL.
his own back? Men aren't built with
long enough arms"
Jaw, shucksr' declared Thomas at
that point, and he picked up the re-
yCiver, which comprised exhibit A, and
with his long right arm, pointed the
barrel in the very manner the prosscu-
tor had said couldn't be done.
That won the case for Thomas, and
the murderer went his way rejoicing.
But" suggested one Of Thomas
friends after it was all over. ''the muir
dered man Rad short arms and you
have unusually long arms. doubt If
no could have pointed the gun the way
you did
$50 do l." said Thomas.
1t was Thomas who nearly stopped the
march of Gen. Sherman to the sea- He
was a small boy down in Macon Ga.
when Sherman and mis- followers were
headed toward that town in their cele-
brated trip TO the seaboard. All the
youngsters in the neighborhood thought
the whole thing was extremely pre-
sumptuous of Sherman. Under the lead
ershlp OF Thomas. they set out to stop
the march. When sherman and his
crowd came along the boys began to pelt
them with stones, hunks of mud, and
other rude missiles. One line Of the SOL
diers, acting under orders, turned and
fired a few shots little over the boys
heads.
Thomas then organized flight. He
and his followers ran and ran and ran.
Then they hid themselves and stayed hid
a long time. But they came just that
close 10 stopping sheFman's march to the
sea.
Over the bedroom door Of the hotel suite
occupied by Vice President Thomas Riley
Marshall is a householder rather THE
horseshoe 1t is the Vice Presidents
favorite horseshoe. and he never goes to
bed without glancing up to see II 1t is