The Palatka daily news. (Palatka, Fla.) 1884-1888, 1886-06-09
kELLl'S INNER LIFE.
"REMINISCENCES OF TAMMANY
HALLS BIG HEARTED LEADER

anu t'Otttctau--tt1s Relations
with MIR. Tilden-The
Blow that Broke
His Heart.
John Kelly lived SO long in the full
light Of the public gaze. and Was so
well known. that little can be said of him
that is not already well known by those
who make a study Of American politics
and contemporaneous affairs. But there
Is a phase of Mr.. Kelly's social life and
at some OF his early struggles. touching
which little has been written, and there
are many interesting "reminiscences, as
well. that can now be made public for
the first time.
Men are 81 accustomed to view the
life of MIR. Kelly as merely that Of a
busy political leader, that few. aside
from his immediate associates. ever have
stopped TO consider him in any other
character. His home life was simplicity
itself. Surrounded by his family and
his books. tn both Of which no WAS pas
slonately devoted, he easily forgot the
busy hum Of outside affairs. and Was the
dispenser Of hospitality as charming
IN ITS easy grace rs it was generous in
character. No man was more devout.
or paid "A more conscientious regard to
the religious obligations Of his faith
few were more unostentiously charitable
"r more keenly sensitive to the necessi
ties of those who would conceal their
wants from motives Of delicacy and no
public man ever lived in New York who
WAS more unseliishly devoted to his
friends and the public good. Beginning
life in an exceedingly humble way, he
imbibed q taste for ward politics, and en-.
tered the profession at tho bottom Of the
ladder. lie fought his way up by hard
knocks. and by the possession Of unim-
leacllable integrity. Bravery. honesty
of purpose and ambition were his cap.
ital stock in trade, and those qualities in
him early commanded attention, and at.
tracted to his side earnest and steadiast
friends. who fought with him step by
step until he occupied a commanding 20.
sitiOn in politics.
John Kelly was q natural born leader
of men. Az boy he displayed that At
tribute, aud the sOrrowing thousands bo.
side his bier yesterday demonstrated that
he carried the rare gift Of attracting
men to him even to the side Of the open
grave.
The touching dispatch Of coincidence
from Samuel j. Tilden sent to Mrs.
Kelly recalls an interesting occurrence
NJ n time when Mr.. TiI,len and Mr..
Kelly were both less famous in politics
than they afterwards became. and when
they were fast personal and political
friends. II was on Sunday morning
in August, 1874 The writer was stroll.
ing past the United States Hotel at Sar.
atoga when he espied Mr.. Kelly sitting
alone on the piazza watching the gay
.pnipages as they rolled by. Taking
chair beside him the chat drifted into
politics. lie was presently asked plump
~ what significance was to be attached
10 the presence in Saratoga at that time
and al the same hotel Of three such dis.
inguished democrats as Samuel j. Til.
den. Augustus Schell and himself. Mr..
rl,len being at the time chairman of the
democratic state committee. Mr.. Kelly
looked up in great surprise, and after
moments hesitation said in reply:
"iIow did YOU know Tillen and Schell
were her,I can speak for myself
am on my way to Alexandria Bay to
spend few days with my friend Judge
Spencer. Mr.. Tilden, perhaps, will an.
swer your question for himself by the
way. let us 20 and see him."
Then Mr.. Kelly arose and led the way
through the hotel corridor and by the
serpentne paths across the town to one
of the cottages on the south side. IL
remember Alright il was the cottage al.
joining on the west the group OF three
occupied by the family of the late Viii
liam II. Vanderbilt. The front door
stood open, and Mr. Kelly led the way
into the little drawing room. Mr.. Tilden
stood in the center of the room before
marble topped table his hands clasped
behind. lie was talking with some wes-
tern gentlemen who had called to pay
their respects, and who soon after with.
drew. Besides Mr. Tildsn there were
present Mr.. Kelly, Mr.. Schell, Mr.. ThOs.
B. Barroll, of Saratoga, Mr.. Alfred r.
Ackert OF New York, and the writer.
Mr.. Tllden mt once turned tho conver.
sitiun into the current Of journalism
and political history, and Mr.. Kelly vas
an absorbed listener. Mr.. Tilden Was
then in his prime, his igure was erect
and his voice firm and clear. lie wAs
dressed in soler brOadcloth, with u high
standing collar, and his hair was Web.
sterian in it, studied disorder. As he
stood rafting off facts and figures about
New York state politics like string Of
exploding firecrackers, the countenances
Of his listeners indicated their aJmira-
tlon Of the speaker. He talked of his
love for journalism and his long asso-
ciation with and high regard tor VIII
liam Cullen Bryant. who he said was the
highest type of the ideal Of American
men Of letters. william Leggert. one
of Mr.. Bryant's earliest associates on the
Evening Post. was al+o spoken of as one
Of the ablest writers on political topics of
his time.
Il once came very near" said Mr..
Tilden. "ioining the ranks Of journalism
myself, and have always regretted that
| did not do SO. Twas about to join Mr..
Leggert in the editorship Of the Evening
Post. but some trivial circumstance
changed my plans. | pitched into law.
and here | am.
All this while Mr. Kelly was rocking
back and forth in an armchair, appar-
emily the most interested listener in the
group.
mir. Tillen," finally said the sriter,
some of your friends have spoken Of
YOUR desire to be sent to the United
States senate. aud intimated that the
presence Of your friends and yourself in
Sars tnga ut this time has some connec.
ton with that proposition.