The Indiana State sentinel. [volume] (Indianapolis) 1868-1895, 1883-01-31
Thurlow Weeds Charity.
fHarneris NaCazIne1

Concerning Thurlow Weed, the War
wick o. American politics, the world has
long had intimate knowledge, but Thurlow
Weed, the practical philsnthrophist, was
comparatively unknown even to his most
intimate associates. Whatever may have
been true of his earlier and more active
days, when he was the pc yer behind the
throne and one of the most potent OF all
agencies in public affairs, it il certain that
the last two decades Of his life were crowd
ed with kindly deeds. his home in West
Twelfth street. New York City, was the re-
sort oil the stricken in purse and spirit, no
less than the Mecca of aspiring politicians.
Years sgo-snd for yesrs-there was q
sight to be witnessed every Saturday after
noon in front of that Twelfth street home
not to be seen anywhere else in New York
1t wss score or so of little girls, all of
clearly appearance, but all giving evidence
OF poverty in their dress, who were weekly
applicants for his bounty, and no one of
whom ever went away from his door empty
handed. Once when committee of one
called at bis house on Saturday afternoon
with a carriage to request his attendance a..
the first reception of the New York Pres,
Club, throng OF these little ones were be.
fore his door. Mr.. Weed expressed the
ing journalists Of the city, or as he expressed
il, 1.-The boys in the harness; but, he added
"you must wait until feed my chickens. :"
After tao children had been loaded with his
gifts, he proceeded to there of the Press
Club, where, by-the-way, he gave some good
advice to those who were only entering ur-
or the road he had traverset pits end. He
| frankly admitted that day, as he always did
in, 81
which had been wrought in journalism since
ne was an active member OF tie profession.
No man knew better than he in his later
years that the newspaper had become the
vehicle of information rather than of opip-
ions. As he once terssly put it, The world
don't care what an editor thinks about Il
fact. but it does a great deal for the fact
ITSELF"
Yet there was never more omniverous
reader of newspapers, although lstterly ne
used the eyes of another instead OF his own,
and usually those Of the daughter who de-
voted her life TO him. 1t was not onlv DO
litical news that claimed and obtained his
attention, but all the record of events, great
and small, that combine 10 make up the
daily journal. This fact and the benevol-
ence of his character came to the knowledge
of reporter for daily paper in a peculiar
waV some years ago. The reporter had
been detailed to case of distress which
had been reported to the office. In the
performance of this duty he encountered
one of those pictures of misery which can
only be seen in gres. city of startling con.
trsst like New York. 1t was a bitterly c0ld
night in the latter part of November, and
in a room on the top floor of an east-side
tenement house, In which there was neither
fire nor food and no furniture ss ye two
remnants Of chairs, "A woman was found
with two little children. The next morning
description of the scene was given in the
newspaper, together with short statement
of the cause or her misf)rtunes. That af-
ternoon q second call was made for the pur-
pose Of giving her a small amount which
some charitable person had sent to the office
| for her relief, and she WAS then found in
comparative comfort. A stove had made
its appearance, there was a supply of coal,
the closet hsd been filed with provisions,
aud mother aud children had bsen provided
with stout shoes and warm stockings The
woman gave y description of her bsnefactor
SO full and correct that the reporter had no
difficulty In recognizing Mr.. Weed. When
that afternoon inquiry was made of him as
to the fact, MIR. Weed admitted that he
had ''helped the woman g little but exact
ed promise that no mention should be
made in the newspapers OF The circumstance;
nor has the incident ever been published
until now. This case has not been mention
cd in such detail because IL was not at sll an
anomaly in the life of the veteran journal
ist. but rather typical of the man in that
| .nact of which the world knows so little