Evening public ledger. [volume] (Philadelphia [Pa.]) 1914-1942, 1919-07-11
HOW SNUFF HELPEDA
THEOLOGICAL SEMINARY
Weyman's Gift Of a Library to the
, Mount Airy lnstitutlon-Maekey
Tells How His Board Is I'm
proving Labor Conditions
by GEORGE non MCCAIN

HUNDREDS of Lutheran clcrgymeu aud
i thousands Of laymen learned with sur.
prise last week the name of the mysterious
donor of the magnificent 100000 Krauth
Memoria Library building to the Mount
Airy Theological Seminary
His name was Il. Frank Weyman. He was
Philadclphian by birth. but after the close
of the Civil War went to Pittsburgh. where
he lived until he died less than month ago
at the age Of seventy eight years.
He was one of the most gricvously dis
figured mon | have ever known. He served
in n PENNSYLVANIA regiment during the re-
bcllion and was wounded in the face There
was no such thing as plastic surgery in those
days. and Frank Wcyman was compelled to
go through life with cavity that half
cncirclcd one side and the base Of his nose.
II was partially concealed by flesh colorcd
rubber or composition filling.
The Wcymans gaged in the tobacco bust
ness in Pittsburgh in u small way at first.
They had a cigar store at Fifth avenue. but
for years and until they retired from retail
trade the store was at the corner of Smith.
field and Diamond streets. Prior to their
time nearly all the snuff used in this country
was imported They began making it in a
small way until finally they became the
largest manufacturers in this country. Their
factory was over in Allegheny City.
WcymHn'S snuff became famous Tons of
II were shipped annually. to the South par
tcularly Years ago the concern became
merged with one of the great trusts. aud
r. Frank Wcyman retired. more than q
millionaire.
He was an affable. courteous gentleman,
whose Disagreement did not embarrass him
in the slightest in his intercourse with the
public.
one of the patrons of Wcymans store
" was well known to the older Philadel.
phia politicians He was James l.. Graham.
speaker of the House in 1855. He was
warm friend of "Al' Crawford. for several
terms Democratic representative from
Philadelphia
The mon were oppositcs. Crawford had a
limited education, but was one of tho finest
parliamcntarians the House over knew.
Graham was we'll educated. punctllious and
lnboriousy careful in his choice of words.
lIc worc high silk hat and black broadcloth
Prince Albert coat with flowing skirts
TIL" most embarrassing thing to disturb
tho dignity of the speakers desk that | re
call was when Speaker Graham appeared in
a manner both embarrassing and ludCrous
one morning before the House. He a vic
tim Of total badness In the sanrtity of his
had been vanished with shellac.
lie was past sixty years of age. yet he
worc n rich dark brown wig without the
suggestion of so much as a dash of gray in it
The trouble on this morning was with his
wig. Whether he had canted it too far front
or tilted it beyond the proper angle. what
ever the trouble. tho speaker presented an
uncanuy appearance. 1t was positively weird.
His wig was all awry. Tho careful line
parting it at the side had shifted. 1t crcpt
up and formed IN obliQuc line at the center
of his forehead and ran back like the angle of
an iSoscpIes triangle to his left ear. To its
credit. the House preserved its decorum.
The very unusual episode yielded to the
tact of Crawford. who hurried up to the
rostrum and requested the speaker to call
some one to the chair. as a matter of vital
importance demanded his appearance in
the speakers private room.
There everything was properly adjusted
according to IIoyle.