Rensselaer Republican, Volume 25, Number 9, Rensselaer, Jasper County, 27 October 1892 — John Sat on a Cracker Box. [ARTICLE]

John Sat on a Cracker Box.

Tha Brighton News tells of an interesting episode of the recent excursion of tbe Maine Grand Army bcirs to Washington. A finely dressed’and intelligent appearing gentleman stepped into one of the Wagner coaches occupied by one of the Masaahbu*si»vdetachments. Taking a seat he very soon discovered that he was trespassing upon the rights of others, though quite unintentionally, and was hustled into the only baggage car on the train. Taking the only chair in v the car he was very soon deprived of this and compelled either to stand or take a seat upon a cracker box, the only article of furniture available. Hearing of the incident, a staff officer connected with the Maine deparment staff went back to extend the stranger tho hospitalities of the Maine headquarters car. The interloper proved to be none other than the PostmasterGeneral of the United States, the famous Philadelphia merchant prince John Wanamaker. Very courteously, yet very firmly, he declined the invitation, insisting that his only rights were the occupancy of that cracker box, and there he proposed to sit until he reached Washington, unless a special met him at Haiti more. As the Postmaster-General would not go forward the Maine department commander and many others paid their respects to the Cabinet Minister in a baggage car.