Evening public ledger. [volume] (Philadelphia [Pa.]) 1914-1942, 1922-01-12
PEPPER AND PENRoSE
An international Incident In Which
One Of the Old kentucky Peppers
Flsured-The Night That Pen.
rose Started on His Career
In the Senate
BY GEORGE NOX Mccain

i famous for generations for their horses
and their wealth.
Like the Philadelphia Peppers they are
an old family and intensely American.
I am not sure that the Kentucky family
is related to the Pennsylvania family.
A gentleman close to George Wharton
Pepper could throw no light on the subject
lie disclosed the fact though that gentle
men by the name of Pepper not infrequently
drop into the new Senator's law Office to
discover what, IL any, relationship exists
from the common patronymic.
AS Pepper is n name to conjure with
nowadays anything concerning the family.
near or remote, Is coin in the currency OF
unecdote and gossip.
A story of one of the Kentucky Peppers
quarter of century or more ago was so
good that It was cabled to this country
from England.
COLONEL JAMES PEPPER, millionaire
~ Kentuckian, was the central figure OF
what at the time was regarded as an inter-
national episode.
The scene was the Hotel Mctropolc in
London.
Colonel Pepper, who was then about forty.
five years of age, had been touring England
and the Continent on his honeymoon. His
bride was Mrs. Kean, of another prom
incnt Kentucky family.
One evening the colonel and his wife will
some other American friends returned to the
Hotel Metropolc from the theatre.
The ladies Of the party walked over TO
the hotel elevator, or ''lift' ms it Is known
in Europe, while the colonel went to the
desk for his room key.
The clerk who figured in the episode was
standing at the further end of the desk or
counter. which was about fifteen feet long.
He was chatting with u man who the
colonel assumed was an Englishman. When
Colonel Pepper asked for his key no atten-
tion whatever was paid to .his request.
When he repeated it the'rathcr dandifcd
hotel attache replied impaticntly, '1'm
serving another gentleman
To increase the chocr of the Kcntuckian
he added In an offhand, impudcnt way,
When get through here I'll attend to
you"
THE reply, as Colonel Pepper stated to
i the correspondent who, cablcd the story
from London, was so unlike anything he
had ever experienced abroad that his anger
was aroused instantly.
Come here moment he said in
determined tone to the clerk. Il want to
speak to you"
The tone of voice rather than the words
caused the clerk to cut short his confab
and he sauntcrcd over to where the six foot
big chested ruddy American was standing.
pose the latter leaned over the counter,
seized both apels Of his coat and shook him
with all his might.
The next instant the key was in his
possession, handed over by n very abjcct
clerk.
But this was only the beginning of the
incident.
TIIIE colonel went on up to his room and
i in the corridor was ovcrtaken by another
guest. who told him he ought to return TO
the Office and chastsc the clerk for the abuse
he had hcapcd upon him and upon all
Americans.
His friend told him that the clerk had
declared THAT man is only an American
anyhow. and they arc always in hurry. |
made up my mind to keep him waiting for
once anyhow
Colonel Pepper Immediately descended to
the hotel Office and calling the clerk to him
repeated what the guest had reported to him.
"You have been misnformcd," said the
thoroughly frightened clerk. II never used
such language
The humor Of the situation instantly ap-
pcaled to Colonel Pepper and he saw the
possibilities Of a practical joke.
Knitting his brows into scowl he laid
n heavy hand upon one Of the young mans
shoulders as he cried:
"Iou must take back everything you have
said about Americans and beg my pardon
for what yOu have said about me. If you
don't I'll blow your head Off
Believing evidently that Colonel Pepper
was one Of the fire caters of the South about
whom he had heard great deal of talk, the
clerk abruptly apOlogized and the incident
ended.
Americans during the colonel's stay at the
MctropolC were treated with added courtesy.
The most interesting feature was that
Colonel Pepper had never carried revolver
in his life.
DOIES PENROSE gained his seat in the
ID United States Senate in n strikingly
different way from that by which George
Wharton Pepper obtained his.
lie entered by way Of bitter contest
twenty -four years ago this month
John Wanamakcr was his opponent.
The preliminary contest Ccntcred on the
election OF members of the Pennsylvania
House and Senate. which in those days
chose the Senators ut Washington.
Mr.. WannmakPr at the outstart of the
campaign had Quay's Republican organiza-
| tion, which backed Penrosc, pretty badly
frightened.
lie had personally campagned the State
Every city and town Of any importance
! had heard Mr.. Wanamaker.
| Everywhere he went he was greeted by
great crowds who were not only anxious to
| hear him, but to see him.
Before the Legislative session Of 1897 con
| vencd it became apparent that Mr.. Wana-
| makers case was hopeless.
| The machine was working under full
steam, for Quay had unlimited capital at
| his command
MIR. WANAMAKER had made his fight
1N1 within party lines. lie was an Gin
surgcnt."
| 4 joint caucus settled the question because
| the decision Of the bodies jointly meant the
| decision Of House and Senate separately
| under party rules.
OF the two most prominent men who par
tiCipatcd in. the joint Assembly on Tuesday
night. January :, 1897. both are still living.
refer to c. c. Kaufman, then a Senator
from Lancaster County, and Henry X.
Boyer, member from Philadelphia and
| Speaker of the House.
| Senator Kaufman nominated John Wan
amakcr and Speaker Boyer named Boies
| PenrOsc.
The caucus was cut and dried affair.
The Quay machine was geared and oiled
to perfection.
| uhorc was no iar or concussion In nnx