Rensselaer Republican, Volume 20, Number 44, Rensselaer, Jasper County, 5 July 1888 — Phenomenal Memory. [ARTICLE]

Phenomenal Memory.

Washington Special. Apzi Smith, Superintendent of the Senate Document Room, who is famous for his phenomenal memory, was sitting in the Senate restaurant the other day when the private secretary' of Mr. Edmunds approached him with a letter in his hand which he handed Mr. Smith to read. The letter contained a request from a constituent of Mr. Edmunds for a list of the people* who had put in claims for damages under the French SpoilatioifTreaty growing out 1 of the war of 1812, The private secretary told Mr. Smith that the Senate was extremely anxious to comply with the request, but did not know where a list of the names could be found. “You will find them,” said Mr. Smith, “in executive document No. 170, forty-first Congress, second session.” This proved to be a fact, and it was one of the most remarkable illustrations of memory that could be given. Out of thousands of documents that are printed every year Mr. Smith is able to remember all of the most important, not only by title, but by number, and whenever a Senator calls on him for information he is usually able to supply it from memory without referring to the record.