The New York herald., 1877-03-19
"reminiscences Of a Famous Old New
York Restaurant.
ITS GLOWING TINE
Amusing Incidents Recalled by John
Brougham and John Gilbert
I'M u S TARD, S I r P''


vestaurateur of old New York. The sketch OF Win
aust's life which accompanied this notice must have
awakened curious echoes OF merriment and reveiry
from tho dim past in the minds OF the few who stu
hve to rcmemcmber what Windust's was. There Is
No restaurant or saloon nowadays which has taken
exactly the place OF Wndusts There are restaurants
better, moro fashionable and moro select perhaps,
but what resort Is there that serves III
m eoua measure as the loved of everybody DIS
tinguished in the world Of drama, art and literature!
whero do our great actors OF to-day congregate
nightly aftcr the performance, over the flowing bowl
70 beruile an hour In genial companonship with wit
md mirb MS tho actors of forty and hty years ago
hid at windust's? The interesting "reminiscences
which cluster round Windusts and the anecdotes
OF tho celebrated men who were won't to cougregate
at his festive board would fill considerable vol
ume but space may be found here only for the recol-
lcctions OF John Brougham, John Gilbert and ono
other who still LEFT TO tell us OF the jolly days at
Windust's 1t is great pity that Of tho gifted
iterai who formed part OF the brilliant cotcrc at
windust's has written history Of the place. Fitz
Greene Halleck Washington Irving, Fcnimorc Cooper
or any other Of the wol known authors and writer's
eoujd have given us a picture OF those bright and
sparkling gatherings at Wndusts such as would have
been OF Infinite interest to every lover OF old New
York. and would have occupied valued little niche In
She city's annals
AN OUTLINE HISTORY OF wIyprsrs
windust's famous restaurant extended from No. to
No. IL Park and ran back q considerable DIS
sance toward Ann street. The premises were
those at present occupied by McAulin's saloon,
though they arc greatly changed. windust
opened the place In 1S24-1tty-threc years agoand
not IN 1882, as has been generally stated. AS for
windusts personal history. it is enough hero say
that he born in southampton, England,
in 1905 Hence he only twenty ynino
years old when he opened the saloon In Park
row, aud he cighty-two when he died
When Windust became the caterer par excellence OF
New York-thcre no DcImoncos thcn-sandy
Welsh had his famous restaurant in the basement OF
She old American Museum, now the HERALD ollce.
Sandy wclshs also great resort of famous poll
tcans dramatic celebrities, the tera and othor nota-
blcs of those days; but windusts, beng the second
door from the old Park THEATRE soon away most
OF the theatrical custom from welsh's, which, how
ever, still retained its political chenille TO n large de-
gree You would thorc, at Wcsh's, meet with tho old
mocraiic War Horse,' Elijah Purdy and Bob Nor
Yis Lorenzo Sheppard, Rocco Levi, ID. Seam and
others OF equal note In that generation. windust
1ourshed wonderfully In PARK row for twelve years,
and it evil day when in 1886 he was tempted by
the great uptown movement which was then already
making itself felt abandon the old place and to open
ahe Athen@um Hotel, corner Of Leonard street and
Broadway. In the years during which he kept the
Athenaum he lost nearly all the money he had made
IN Park row. but In ls46 his good star led him back 10
the old haunt OF actors which had been the foun
dation Of his fortune. For nineteen years he
and his charming wife carried on tho
Park row restaurant, until in 1866 Windust
retired with a moderate competency TO spend the
evening OF his life seclusion at his residence IN
Oyster Bay, L. l. Hc succeeded by Mr.. Edward
f. Barry SO wcll known to all tho hdbituts OF the
Everett House. Mr. Barry had grown up at Windusrs
from a boy of twelve and Windust had a worthy sue
cessor In him and who skilled In al the mys-
tercs OF art But the old hdbtues Of
wndusts had scattered, the life and soul OF tho place
which the lively companionship of the actors and
1lerati had gone, and scvcn years aso-n 1SIO-the
famous eating saloon was closed forever. Mr. Barry,
further below mentions himself the well known pub
Usher OF New York who took the last meal at VIM
dust's. Now, let an old aud distinguished actor Mr.
John Brougham, who regarded as the King Of the
brilliant circle at Wiudust's, tell the story OF
his "reminiscences, as developed pleas
ant chat with the writer. Mr. Broughams
rccollections OF Windusts unfortunately do not ex
tend beyond 1912, that the first eighteen
years of the place shroudcd in the mist of the
mcmbered past The writer sought diligently among the
old characters Of New York TOR who had frequenied
wndusts further back than 1912, but met with
ii there Is one VINO uscd 10 10 the IN.
dust coterie more ,hirtyhve years ago he, too,
should forward and contribute his share 10 these
remin sciences of windust's restaurant But to
Nr. Broughams rccoectons
A CHAT JOHN BRoUGHAM.
Mr. Brougham, who has delighted two generations OF
New York with his charming impersonatioEs, was
found at his residence, corner OF Seventeenth street
md Irving place, amusing himself with his dog-no
Spitz-and his parrot The latter took very animated
part in conversation, but he seemed not under
stand very we'll for he kept continually ask
ing, "sir ?" "what do you say ~ The parrot OF
facctous turn, and repeatedly interrupted the conver
sation by his hilarious sneering laughter AS far
the parrot allowed Mr. Broughams narrative to be
derstood II as follows
ssMy recollectlons OF wndust's date back as as
1872 the year which made my first appearance at
the old Park Theatre AT that tmc the restaurant
IN the basement. You descended flight Of stairs
found yourself In ample saloon, sidc OF
which long bar, while the wall the other sidc
was decorated with all Of old dramatic sport
Ing pictures remember particularly fac-simile OF
ehakcspcarc's tombstone, with tho well known In
Scription.-
Good friend, for Jesus sake forbeare.
BIest be yc man Vt spares thes stones.
and curst be he Vt moves my bones.
this have often looked at Further down was a
very long table, round which the actors OF the Park
Jneutro anu otner Oh were
wont to congrcgae, and opposite this we're series Of
small boxes Tor private suppers That rs about my
remembrance OF the old place in those days. Subso-
quenty It was enlarged, and the upper part OF the
house added"
..And what was the great attraction at windustsY"
ssFirst of all Wndusts famous steaks" glow OF
pleasure came MT Broughain's expressive face
he added evidently with vivid remembrance OF those
steaks, alt commonly said that you could no.
where get as good steak as at windusts He cut
them thicker than body else, and they were tender
succuIent and delicious. t was enough TO make ones
wnt
Brougham true bon rirdnt spoke OF the merits OF
Wtudust's steaksj Then there was the genial, witty
society. Windust's was place you could always so
ko and bo sure ind bright aud pleasant company"
..sirY'' queried the parrot with great severity.
uKeep stjIi" said Mr.. Brougham, ut WHICH Polly
hurst into nj OF laughter 1--WE used To hold light
fu symposa nearly every evening, and the brightes,
men about town would form part OF this circle. re-
,,cnber more especially Professor Napcs, the agrcu
sr,,st a very witty man; Mr. Mathis eccentric