New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1883-01-21
THURLOW WEEDS CHARITY.

From Editors Drd,csr Haypers Magazine for Februdry
Concerning Ihurlow Weed, the warwick OF Amer
lean politics the world has long had intimate Knowi
edge but Thurlow Weed. the practical philanthro
phist. was comparatively unknown even to his most
intimate associates. Whatever may have been true
of his earlier and more active days, when ne was
the power behind the throhe. and one OF the most
potent of all agencies in public affairs 1t Is certain
that the last two decades OF HE lie we're crowded
with kindly deeds. His home in West Twelfth-st.,
New-York city, was the resort OF the stricken III
purse and spirit, less than the Mecca OF aspiring
politicians Years ago-and for yearsrtineTS was "a
front of that Twelftll-st home not TO Dc seen
anywhere else in NewYork. 10 was O score or 30
OF little girls ali of cloanly APPEARANCE but all CIV
ing evidence of poverty in their dress, who were
weekly applicants for bis bounty, and no one OF
whom ever went away from his door empty handed
Once when committee OF one called at his house
on Saturday afternoon with carriage TO request
his attendance at the first reception OF the New
York Press Club, thrOng OF these little ones were
before his door Mr.. Weed expressed the pleasure III
would give him to meet the working journalists OF
the city or he expressed 1t, the boys In the mar
ness >" but. he added you must wait until iced
nv chickens" After the children had been loaded
with his gifts. he proceeded to the rooms OF the
Press Club where blythe way he gave some good
advice to those who were only entering upon the
road ho had trayersed TO It's end lie frankly ADMIT
ted that day. he always did IN his declining
years Il great changes which had been wrought IN
journalism since he active member Ot the
proiessIun No man knew better than be In his
later years that the newspaper had become the We
hcle OF information rather than OF opinions AS he
once teIsell put H. - Inc "oIIu uOn Calo "HaV an
editor thinks about fact, but it does care great
deal for the fact itself"
Yet there WAS never more omnlyorous reader oil
newspapers although latterlv ne used the eyes OF
another instead of his and usually those OF the
daughter who devoted her life TO him. 1t was not
only political news That claimed and obtained his
attention. but all the record of events, great and
small, that combine to make mp the daily
iournal. This fact and the benevOlence or
his character came to the knowledge of a reporter
for daily paper IN peculiar way some years ago.
The reporter had been detailed to case OF distress
which had been reported to the Office. In the per-
Torrance Of this duty he encountered one OF those
pictures of misery which only lie seen IN great
city of startling contrasts like New-lOrk. IL was
bitterly cold night IN the latter part OF November
and in "a the top door of an east-side tene-
ment- house IN which there neither fire nor food
and no furniture save two remnants OF chairs.
woman was found with two little children The
next morning description of the scene was gwen
IN the newspaper, together with short statement
Of the cause of her msf"ItuDes. That afternoon
second call made for the purpose OF giving her
a small amount which some charitable person had
sent to the office for her relief, and she was
then found 10 comparative comfort. stove had
made its appearance, there a supply OF coal,
the closet hal been flied with provisions, aud
mother aud children had been provided with stout
shoes and warm stockings. The woman gave
description of her teneiactOr full and correct that
the reporter had dlilicdlty in recognizing Mr.:
Weed. When that afternoon inquiry was made OF
him as 10 the fact Mr.. Weed admitted that he had
helped the woman little" but eXacted promise
that no mention should be made in the new spapers
of the circumstance has the incident ever been
published until now. This case has not been men,
toned In such detail because II at al an anom-
ally in the life OF the veteran journalist bnt rather
as typical Of the man in that aspect OF which the
world knows so little.