The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1885-06-23

His Life and Habits i'm New York Since He
Ceased TO BE Senator.
New York sun.

ROSCOE COnKHngS departure lot Europe on
the Galiia yesterday was the outcome of pro-
longed disregard of the laws of health. For
years, in and out of Congress, Mr.. Conkings
habit has been ito plough deep while sluggards
sleep" His retiring hour, as rule, was any
time between and in the morning From
midnight to A. NJ he usually set apart for at
tending to his correspondence. In the event OF
a pressure of business the correspondence was
neglected Eventually Mr.. Conkling devoted
whole day to clearing off his accumulated
the ex-senator is an early riser
He breakfasts by 0 or 93o His meals
are models of simplicity. He watches his diet as
carefully as miser watches his gold He eats
sparingly Of wholesome food, and drinks milk at
his breakfast and at lunch. He eschews alco-
holic liquors absolutely. Occasionally, and upon
rare occasions, he will drink at dinner one glass
Of light wine. With such rigid adherence to
sensible rules Of diet it is somewhat surprising
that Mr. Conkling has been unable of late to pro-
cure refreshing sleep and a healthy appetite but
the explanation is simple.
The first winter after his retirement from pub
lie life Mr.. Conkling lived at the Fifth-avenue
Hotel. lie had returned to his profession with
unrestrained zeal. and the heavy practice which
he had laid down in Utica when he became
senator, in 1867, returning to him with
rush far beyond his own expectations. The
last two years that he practiced in Utica Melted
him $4,000 EACH and his first years pro-
ceeds in New York were double that
working library to New York. He himself had
gathered many of the volumes in his younger
days, making speciality of rare old English re-
ports of the kind not likely to be encountered in
private library A few of mis- books he in
herited from his father, Judge Alfred G. Conk-
ling Extensive as the scope of his library was,
he found that it was inadequate for many of the
new causes that had come to him. He therefore
leased the second floor of the brown stone build
ing 9 West Twenty ninth street, which adjoins
the Law Library. His quarters consist of three
rooms-bed room, bath room and sitting-room
the latter occupying the front of the house. The
furniture is plain and comfortable the decora-
tons simple He has a few standard literary
works here, but the Senator's splendid private
library is still at his Utica home. 1t is in this
sitting room that he receives by appointment
business callers who are unable to meet him at
his Office. For the past three years this class of
callers has monopolized his evenings After
caller leaves the ex-senator wends his way to
the library next door, and is soon plunged deep
into his work.
For two years past Mr. Conkling has been an
overworked man. Last winter, for weeks at
time, he slept only five hours out of the twenty
four. 1t was not rare thing for him, after
day spent in court to drop into Delmonicos at
or o'clock in the afternoon and breakfast on
glass of milk ard a sandwich preparatory to
working all night. His physician warned him
and advised with him, but he laughed at the
warning and ignored the advice. The harder he
worked the faster his clients multiplied. Re-
Boston, and particularly from his old stamping
ground among the southern tier Of counties of
New York State where, twenty years ago, he
and Francis Herman were pitted against each
other in every case of Importance.
One thing helped him in his work. Politicians
ceased to annoy him. He receives, as he
always did, a stream of letters from applicants
for Office but almost all of these from peo-
pie who know of him onlyby hearsay, and of
whom he knows nothing. He answers these
tesy, in his sitting room, at an hour when so per
cent of the people of New York are in their
beds. He repeats his sterotyped formula that
he is in no position to ask favors.
'It is not known" said man yesterday, who
has been friend of Mr. Conkling for thirty
years, that Conkling only asked but one politi-
cal favorn his life 1t occurred in 1876, after
the Mohawk disaster Schuyler Crosby, who
had been on General Sheridan's staff was
aboard the yacht when she went over, and acted
with characteristic bravery The experience
was too horrible, however, even for his nerves.
and he applied to Senator CO mixing for assistance
to procure the vacant consu1ship at Florence.
The Senator wrote a formal letter to General
Grant, and Colonel Crosby received his appoint
ment This is the only instance where Senator
Conkling ever lent his name personal inau-
ence to applicant for Office"
The ex-senator has little time and less inclin-
nation to talk politics nowadays. Once In
great while however, when his mind is more
than usually taxed with work, he reverts AS
mental relaxation to his past life. and the old
ire burns with all its ancient lustre. The ex-Sen
ator has never vet expressed any regret for the
step he took in May, 1881. On the contrary, he
has frequently said that had he not then shaken
loose from office, his commission as Senator
would have outlived him.
When not in court he is to be found at his
office in Fort Sherman, the massive pile at
Broadway and Wall street small reception
room separates Mr.. Conkling's private room,
which is il the rear, from the library which,
wit Re wv Ia uHn dc tatt
esque view of the hills of Staten island and New
Jersey, the bay, with the ships clustered around
Bedloes island, and wires in the foreground.
The prospect from Mr.. Conkling's private office
is not SO diversified or beautiful, for neighbor-
ing wall belonging to the Astor estate has been
run up within touching distance of the ex-Sena-
tors windows, declaring light sunshine, and
fresh air. The Offices are handsomely but
plainly furnished, the occupant dividing his time
between his substantial rolling top desk and
standing desk between the windows. 1t is here
that Mr.. Conkling prepares for his nights cam
paign. His papers and briefs arranged sys-
tematically, and are then dispatched to his rooms
by messenger. In the preparation of a trial
no detail escapes him. His powers of
application and concentration are put to their
highest pressure and are seen at their best The
manner in which he wades through of tes
timOny expert or technical, his phenomenally
retentive memory gathering in the salient
points, which his vigorous mind thoroughly
digests, often surprises those who are familiar
with his methods of work. His faculty of re-
Numbering authorities. even to the exact page
of the report, after lapse oftentimes of years,
is no less striking than his exhaustless vocabu-
larry. 1t has not been an infrequent thing for
him to be retained in in the afternoon
and appear in court the following day ready to
go on.
Mr.. Conkling went abroad in 1876, after the
inauguration of Hayes. He has had but one
vacation since them and that was in 1885, when
he and Mrs Conkling, with few friends visited
Al II L
repair direct to Carlsbad. He will return by
Scotland.
Curious Mistakes in Regard Co s. S. Conant.
New Yorb Commercial Advertiser.
A gentleman we'll known down town, who
lives in Brooklyn, and near Mr. S. S. Conant's