St. Paul daily globe. [volume] (Saint Paul, Minn.) 1884-1896, 1884-09-11

weary and all broke up by their brief sojourn
in the country. But Dick was no fool, for
in the long run he came out ahead with an
immense sum. AT one sitting in New York
he was reputed to have won $50, 600. This
was at the Crystal in Grand street near the
Bowefy.
Finally the rest of the family began to
make Roadway with the old man in their COM
plalntsSn Dicks rudeness, lack of refinement
and dangerous course. Tweed concluded it
was time he had some business to occupy his
mind. Dick refused point blank to accept
an appointment to a responsible office. He
wouldn't be a candidate for ANYTHING, and
he had no ambition to shine as merchant.
His father insisted, however, and in 1870
bought the lease of the Metropolitan hotel
for him, and, inducing an experienced ho-
tel-keeper to go into partnership with him,
started his rough and ready youngster mag
niicently. There never was handsomer
outfit gotten up in hotel than Tweed gave
the Metropolitan. The furniture was of the
finest, the silken hangings the richest, the
silver and Grocery the most unique, and the
name of Tweek was most gorgeously emilia
zoned everywhere over all.
1t was, indeed, most liberal start in life
for the young fellow, and all his old pals
congratulated him on it. His partner, how
ever, was not so cordially congratulated by
his friends. Those of them who knew Dick
warned the hotel-man that he would find it
more difficult to manage his partner and
keep him in the traces than to manage the
hotel.
Dick came out in full feather at this time,
and the roughs and toughs of the east side
and the dandy gamblers of Broadway had
what the boys call "a pudding" When they
wanted dollar they went to Dick; when
they wanted to brace up after drunk they
went to Dicks hotel got rooms, and lay in
state nerving themselves with champagne
cocktails and never paying a cent They
were all good fellows, and debon nair Dick
wouldn't dream of charging them anything.
So he kept open house. Then down stairs.
in the theatre. jarrett and Palmer had en-
immense ballet troupe and an English act
ing company in full blast. Dicks friends
and Dick himself entertained these artistes
at expensive little suppers night after night,
and had jolly times generally. Then there
were Colonel Fisl1's opera buffers, up town,
and the Lydia Thompson blondes, and all of
them being curious to assist at the famous
Tweed entertainments, there was no break
in the round of festivities. Oh, but it was
gay for the boys and the girls as long as jolly
Dick kept hotel, which meant keeping open
house for every one who claimed an acquaint
ance with him.
But though it was jolly, and the hotel was
always full to overlooking, and there was no
more lively place in the city than the Metro
politan, the money did not come in as lively
as the guests. In fact, there was fairly no
money at all. Dick was short all the time,
and had to make heavy drafts on ''Pop'' to
keep his end up at all. And moreover, his
partner complained that he did not give the
least attention to business, but seemed to
think the hotel business was a holiday lark
an opportunity to make life merry for ones
acquaintances, free of all expense. And,
further, in the intervals between the ban
quets to old-time engine companies and the
little suppers to the ladies of entire dramatic
| troupes, Dick occupied himself at the card
table in one of the magnificent private par
lors with choice company of heavy players
at poker.
Six months Of this sort of fun knocked the
bottom clean out of the hotel project, ard
Dick had to retire, his father paying a clean
$50, 900 to release him from his debts. Short
lY after the cloud came over the Boss, and
after his arrest he, still solicitous for the well
fare of his favorite son, urged his wife to
gather certain funds and go under the es-
| cort of Dick. They went, taking with them
large sum of money. Mrs. Tweed died
! abroad two or three years ago and Dick came
| into possession of fortune. His old habits
! were still upon him. The money, ill-gotten,
slipped through his fingers at the baccarat
table and in various Partisan vices, and the
| pampered pet of the Ring Boss dies penni-
less and raving maniac.
What fate! What morali