The daily Gate City. [volume] (Keokuk, Iowa) 1855-1916, 1914-04-26
Some Experiences by keokuk People
in Seeing and Talking With
Distinguished People
of the World.
IRWIN HAS SEEN MANY
Program at Westminster Brotherhood
Banquet, Brought Out Num-
Der Of Interesting
Incidents.

| Possibly no Keokuk person has had
! the privilege of seeing as many world
notables, as has John r. Irwin, who
was one of the speakers at the annual
banquet of .he Westminster Brother
hood, held Friday evening. It will be
remembered that his father, the late
John N. Irwin, was governor Of Ari-
Portugal and during these years, his
son, then but small boy, accompan-
led the family to .he west and to the
other side of the ocean, where he saw
rulers and great people. His talk at
the brotherhood meeting was a most
interesting one and his fathers gift
tof speaking was incidentally brought
out during his remarks.
John A. Logan was The first great
man he could recollect. He visited
at his fathers house when he was
youngster AT Phoenix, Arizona at
ball given In honor Of the new COVER
nor-his father, he was impressed as
| boy with man decorated in uniform,
the governors adjutan. general, WHO
was afterwards noted at Buckley
ONeil, the first volunteer in the war
with Spain and who was killed at San
Juan after making the remark that the
/ Spaniard had not yet moulded bullet
which could kill him. O'Neil was
prominent in the west as journalist,
soldier, sheriff, mayor, gambler-noth-
! ing there was that he would not tao
kle. At one time he captured band
of train robbers and saved the ex-
press company $350,0O0.
While in Arizona. he saw Francis
J. Heney and in Keokuk met Senator
w. B. Allison, D. B. Henderson, Robert
| Cousins, George r. Vending. Col. D.
B. Henderson, William E. Curtis. Pete
Hepburn and others. prominent at
/; that time.
| On board ship. sending his first
wireless messages. he saw The wizard
Marconi, whom he said looked more
like an Irishman than an Italian and
/ who spent his share time on the ship
making love to an American girl.
| In London, he was at a dinner party
with Ambassador Joseph H. Choate.
In Brussels he saw Minister Townsend
to Belgium, in Paris he saw Ambassa-
dor Porter who was instrumental in
bringing the remains Of John Paul
Jones back to America and in Madrid.
he saw Bellamy Story. United States
minister to Spain, whose wife taught
the king Of Spain how to do the Amer
lean cake walk.
In Lisbon, on the avenue Of Liberty,
he saw Queen Amelia on horseback
meet and exchange salutations with
Don Carlos. The meeting was as dig
nified and set as though rehearsed
for a stage scene. The duke Of Opor-
20. the kings brother was often seen
driving a span of four stunning mules
down the avenue, and curs!ng In Por-
tuguese to the mules. He also saw
young Manual, later king. and now de-
,tsed and the duke of Orleans. of tac
house of Bourbon, who often came to
visit his sister.
He had also gazed upon the dead
faces of two kings and an emperor
the father and grandfather of Don
Carlos and Dom Pedro. emperor OF
Brazil. The last scene is his story,
takes place in the little eastern COL
lege town where three great men were
known. One was Henry VanDyke, re
Gently appointed minister to the Meth
erlands. Another was Grover Cleve-
land. She sage of Princeton who be-
came twice president. The last was
Professor Wilson. now President
Woodrow Wilson, whom the students
did not love as they did others OF the
faculty. but they admired his intellect
and are proud tina. he now sits in the
nr.asideut's chair. Mr.. Irwin SAID
that his class started Wilson's boom
for president. by college song they
uSad To sing about "Our woodrow"
other Speakers.
Other SPEAKERS on the program
told of various great men they hao
seen or been acquainted with.
Major D. B. Hamill recalled seeing
Presidents Grant. Harrison, Taft, Nc
Kinley and Roosevelt, most or the
great generals CT the civil war Henry
Ward Beecher and the giants OF the
esrIv DAYS of keokuk when TINS city
was a representative town and or I'M
.mense power in the state: Governor
7 owe. General Reid. the kilbournes'
Bridgemans and others who were
..ants in religion, politics and every
thing else.
mr. @ Walter Barr told an interest
inc experience he had as boy report
or for the Wiswam, when John A. Log
an made a speech. turning the issue
in The 1880 national campaign over to
No ,,riff question. Logan saw that
The young reporter was falling behind
and he killed five minutes in order to
Give him a chance to catch up.
r. t.,,d IF srendiny a Sunday with