Martinsburg independent. [volume] (Martinsburg, W. Va.) 1875-1900, 1883-01-13
GOTHAM GOSSIP.

the death of Mr.. Edward Stern, Rus
sian Vice Consul in this city, Met
ropolitan life loses one of it's most
interesting adventures. He was
not popular man among the people
| he knew--and he knew almost every
one, but his personality, history and
pluck, even under the most eXacting
| circumstances made him one of those
| persons whom one cannot overlook.
| Of moral sensibility he had but little.
He was a Russian and if ever the
! aphorlsm of the celebrated French
! statesman, "Scratch Russian and
you will find a Tartar beneath" was
practically illustrated, be furnished
| the means. He was married no less
than three times, and had as many
divorce suits to defend. Some month
ago he was publicly caned in front
of the Hoffman House, by Mr.. Drui-
bet, the father of his last wife. The
| old gentleman is the leading men,
Der of rich firm of wine importers,
and while being the embodiment of
French politeness and honor, is still
very irascible. Stern treated his
wife so badly that she was compelled
to leave him. Not cOntented there
with, Stern in a very cowardly man.
ner spoke disparagingly of her among
other men, and his remarks were Of
course repeated to his wife's father,
who took the above very practical
means of showing Stern what he
thought of his behavior.
Stern was very bold speculator
in Wall Street, and like all Russians
Immensely fond of high play. 1t is
said OF him, that he lost at least half
a dozen fortunes, but his mental
elasticity was such that he easily re.
covered from blow and forthwith
set out to make another. He died
worth about 100000. Among a
certain class of men he was greatly
admired for his skill, GOODNESS and
nerve at poker. He once had a party
in his room at his hotel, where the
cards were dealt almost uninterrupt-
eddy for twelve hours. l saw him in
the club house at Saratoga one eve
ming when he lost $40, 900 at roulette
with the nonchalance that lesser
mortals show when they lose game
of billiards.
1t is such characters as these that
give New York life that strange
spice Of cosmopolitanism which
makes it so attractive to the student
of manners and morals. But know
ing the family relations Of these
brilliant meteOrs on the social hori-
zone one cannot help plying their
wives. Little indeed is the pleasure
they get.
Last Wednesday night was gala
night at Wallack'S Theatre, in as
much as the famous actor appeared
for the first time this season in his
own house. All society was there,
and the house presented a brilliant
appearance. On the same evening
the Thalia Theatre introduced to
New York the celebrated German
Tragedian Barnay he made his debut
in a German version of Shake
speare's Coriolanus and made an in
Simultaneous hit. He is man who
combines McCullough's magnifii-
cent stage presence with Barrett's
subtlety and Booths refinement, but
in the passages which require the
ebullltlon OF unrestrained animal
nature he falls below Mccullough.
His voice then does not sustain him.
1t becomes harsh and throaty like
Booths at times. l have gone to
theatres for many years and have
seen some magnificent stage pictures
but the manner in which the Roman
rabble was managed on the stage, in
all those exciting scenes which led to
the downfall and Punishment of
COrioAnus was perfection. There
has not been a tragedy presented for
years in this city, on such grand
scale. 1t Is the event of the season.
With the first of January come
many changes in business life-fail-
ures, retlrements and dissolutions.
Although the year 1882 was signal
lied by general prosperity, yet some
lines of business suffered The fire
insurance business was particularly
hard hit, and | am Informed that
several companies propose going out
OF business. The old and established
Tradesmen opened the year by de-
Gliding to retire and they reinSure
their risks in the Standard of Eng
land. Mr.. T. T. Brown, who has
been the mainstay OF the company
for score of years, and who is an
insurance man of exceptional bright
ness and capacity told me that he
for one thought it wise to give up a
business when there was seemingly
no chance of making money, rather
than postpone retiring until you had
a loss to put down. The Trades
men s at present can pay handsome
dividend to it's stockholders, thing
which it might not have been able
to do had the retirement been post
poned another six months. Mr.. B.
becomes manager of the Standard
Company, and there he will be the
right man in the right place.
Billiard circles are greatly inter-
ested over the projected visit to this