Democratic Sentinel, Volume 19, Number 32, Rensselaer, Jasper County, 16 August 1895 — He Strack the Ex-President. [ARTICLE]

He Strack the Ex-President.

Gus Butterworth, the poular bonlface of the Ridgeway House, Is probably the only living man who, literally speaking, struck a president of the United States and received thanks instead of a term in jail for if Mr. Butterworth once gave it to Benjamin Harrison in the neck and he lives to tell the tale. It was while President Harrison was living in his Cape May cottage. Mr. Butterworth was running a hotel not far from the executive residence. One day while enjoying a ride on a trolley car Mr. Butterworth, who happened to be sitting behind a short, thick-set man with gray hair and beard, noticed a very large, healthy mosquito getting its bloody work in on the back of the thickset man’s neck. Acting on a very natural Impulse, Mr. Butterworth raised his right hand and brought the palm of it down on the back of the man’s neck with a resounding slap. The man turned quickly around and Mr. Butterworth saw that he was the President of the United States. “I beg your pardon," said Mr. Butterworth, “but there was a mosquito on your neck.” “Thank you very much,” remarked the chief executive, cordially. “Judging from the force of your blow I don’t think the Insect will give me any more trouble. I don’t use slang very often, but this Is the first time I ever got it in the neck—at least in that fashion." Then Mr, Butterworth plucked the dead mosquito from the President’s neck, and he and Mr. Harrison entered into a pleasant chat on general topics. Mr. Butterworth has that mosquito yet. —Philadelphia Inquirer.