The Indiana State sentinel. [volume] (Indianapolis) 1868-1895, 1883-04-18
GOTHAM GOSSIP.
More About Peter. Cooper, His Wife,
and Presidential Aspirations
Early Years.
Passion Play Notwithstanding Old Bar
num-Suicide and the Law
The Barwich Love
Case
New York letter.

GUS, largesouled old Peter Cooper, is gone
at last. His death, at the age of 81 years,
could hardly be a surprise, and yet the pub
lie was not quite prepared for it. It's only
a few days since he was down at Cooper In
stitute, seeing how matters were going
there, and those who saw him then thought
he was looking pretty well for man who
had passed fourscore and ten. he always
visited the Institute when he could get out
at all, and took note of everything about
the place. His interest in it increased with
bis years and never tagged for moment
On reaching his home, after his last visit,
be complained of a slight cold, which soon
developed into pneumonia, and at the end
Of three days he was dead. Flags were at
once hung ct half mast ali over the city,
people spoke softly of the noble life of the
felt the loss of we'll beloved friend. 1t is
likely 10 be a long time before the people
of New York find as true friend as the
one just taken away. Peter Cooper was es-
sentially peoples man. He cared nothing
for politicians, nothing for display, very
little for money, except for the good 1t en-
abled him to do. He was a philsnthropist
in the truest sense, and an untiring bene-
factor Of his kind. The lessons of Benja-
min Franklin had practical illustration in
the deeds of Peter Cooper. What the phil
osoph,r taught the ph,lanthropIst per-
formed, never firing of his work and al
ways wishing to do more. The papers print
columns OF obituary. hut all the
sketches are substantially the same.
They vary only in incident and an
ecdote, and of the latter there
is not much, for the venerable worker was
always too busy for play. He began lite IN
harness, which be wore TO the last or very
near the last, for it was only year ago that
he ceased attending to business. He was
growing feeble, and his con and son-in. law,
ex- Mayor Cooper and Abram s. Hewitt,
who were his business partners, took every
thing off ais hands. So far as appearance
went there was not palmer looking man
in New York thar ancient Peter Cooper,
and bis peculiar face, with large. old-iash-
Toned spec:scles and conspicuous nose, wss
often made fun of by the caricaturists in q
good-naturned way. 1t was g capital face
for cartoon, and many time and oft it
figured in the illustrated papers. But that
was given up when reverence for his age
begSn, and for several years past no was not
even alluded to except with TIE kindliest
esteem.
HUSBAND AND WIFE.
Probably the most curious episode in his
career was his appearance in the political
ield az q Presidential candidate when the
Greenback idea, was rampant. He really
believed in the idea and a good deal of his
money went for its promuls alton, mostly
through the pockets of dead beats who fooled
the old man into notion that they we're
patriots. They besieged him day and night,
always clamoring for cash, and nearly al
ways getting it. He had no more thought
of being elected than Charles OConor had
in his own case when he ran for President q
few years before, and, like Mr.. O'C0nor,
he entered the lists only to assert what he
believed to be a principle. The step was
rather Qulxotish in both cssoe. but the men
were sincere at all events. 1t was odd 70
see MIR. Cooper running for President and
his son.in-lsw, Business partner and house.
hold companion, Mr.. Hewitt, working
like beaver Cor one OF the opposition
candidates, while his son was CAM
paien treasurer on the same side
| When Peter Cooper first hired out to make
living he received $50 year and his
| board. He was then seventeen years old
and the trade he took up was carriage
making. It was not till long after that be
got to glue-making and the iron business
from which his fortune grew. He had pre-
viously learned about brick-making, hat
making, brewing and the grocery business
and what be did learn he never forgot. o.
schooling he got very little indeed, and thai
little only of the simplest kind. but he made
good use of his spare hours, and when he
reached middle life he was well.in formed
man. He married young, and had the good
fortune to find wife who was true help
mate. For ffty-siX years they led together
a contentsd and happy life, the earlier par
of it IN struggles. which would have dis
coursged less hopeful hearts than theirs
When prosperity finally came the husband
gave the wife large share of the credit o.
bringing il. He often said it, was to hel
the greater share of it was due. she was Al
plain, sterling and old-fashioued in her way
as he, and the credit her husband gave hel
was we'll deserved. Her character was de
scribed in an address delivered 81 her fun
ersl fourteen years ago by Rev. DIR. Bellows
who knew her well:
"You behold here no feeble relic of dainty
idleness and unstrung fbers and soft anc
tended weakness. Hero is what Is left of 8
frame that has used every nerve and tissue
in human service, household cares, diligent
and painstaking duty to a husband, chill
dren and dependents. Here are the sshe:
of woman of TIE Puritan and Huguenot
spirit-one who knew nothing about the
modern diicontent with woman's sphere
nothing about the WEAKNESS of leisure anC
the lack Ct adequate occupations; nothing
about the inequality Of her woman's lot; o.
the mono.ony and oppression of wife's and
mothers duties"
PASSION PLAY TROUBLES.
A small part of that sum would enable
Mr.. Salmi Morse 20 pay his chorus girls anc
get rid of chorus of complaint. The bar
of money that the passion Plsy" maj
started WITH seems to have given out-if b.
ever had il. The chorus is clsmoring 70
cash, and go, for that matter, are most o
the other people engaged for Mr.. Morse
great moral spectacle, but the cash is no
forthcoming. The hackers who Furnished
} the capital to fit up the Temple Of Moralit
and give the Passion Play send-ofI, s
TO speak, don't seem willing to furnish an
more. Morse has been stopped again, 8