St. Paul daily globe. [volume] (Saint Paul, Minn.) 1884-1896, 1886-10-31
GOTHAM TOWN GOSSIP.
The Efforts of Newspapers to Reduce the
Height and Breadth Of Ladies
Bonnets.
Racy "reminiscences About the Chicago
Convention of 1884 and the
Prominent Leaders.
Mrs, James Brown Potter. of sOstler
joe Fame, Who Shocked Ultra
Fashionable People.
Wilson Barrett Joins ISnatius Dom
nelly in His Attempt TO Wreck
Shakespeare,
Gotham Gossip.

Gotham Gossip.
Special Correspondence of the Globe.
NEW YORK, Oct. 2S.-The power of the
press must be a myth, after all. A ire
mendous quantity of gray brain matter has
oOZed out in the newspapers in the efforts
to reduce the height and breadth of ladies'
bonnets and hats; but the very latest an
nouncement in leading fashion authority
is that bonnet trimmings are maSsed In
front or stand upright" Some OF the bon
nets now prevailing are sights for men and
gods but the people behind them see
nothing else They will out-tower the
shake of drum major The overworked
photographers will 90 on this winter, as OF
yore. complaining because they can't see
the play when they go to the theater. Good
time for blind people.
-
From St. Paul to Chlcagois only stride
for energetic Western people. A host of
MinnesotianS attended the Democratic Ma
tional convention in the Windy City in
1854: and a great convention it was. 1t was
As vastly superior in ability, elOquence,
dramatic incident and brilliant achieve
ment TO the Republican convention the
same year. as the Republican convention
possibly was to the Democratic in 1880.
1t Is interesting to note the present political
fortunes Of some of the most conspicuous
actors in the Democratic convention of
1884. when the Tammany hall delegation,
headed by their leader, John Kelly, made
such fierce opposition to Grover Cleveland,
and brought on the great fight OF the
meeting.
Gen. Edward S. Bragg, of Wisconsin,
made the most terrific assault on Tammany.
He represented those who loved Cleveland
ID all no
loves the president now is another matter.
The knock -dOwn-and- drag-Out eloquence OF
the delegate from Wisconsin delighted the
vast crowd in attendance, and after the
tremendous applause which greeted one of
his points had subsidized, and before the
speaker had time to open his mouth 10 con-
tinue. some person in the most remote cor
uer of the vast hall called out in a piping
voice, "A little more grape, Capt Bragg!"
Then there was roar Of cheering, before
which Niagara might have seemed dumb.
Bragg continued, when order was finally
restored in his mercileSs eXcoriation
of Tammany, and became one Of the
heroes of the convention. But Bragg's glories
seem to have waned The cOmbativeness
which made the griZzled commander OF the
Iron brigade popular in the heat OF con-
vention, has made him somewhat unpopu-
lar in congress, from which he will retire
in March next without tear from his fell
low statesmen. Bragg is a splendid man
in an emergency demanding nerve and
hard knocks, but he does not seem to be
able to tone his temper down to the mild
demands of these piping times of peace"
He is now reported to be disappointed at
his recent failure to be renominated, and
to be vigorously opposing the regular
Democratic nominee for congress in his
district, with scarcely a prospect of de-
feating him.
Thomas F. Grady, one of the Tammany
delegation, was even more Infatuated than
Bragg. Grady is short. fat, chubby and
iraScible IriShman. who used to be a mem
Der of the New York Legislature. Bragg'S
speech made him furious, and rushing
down from his seat to the narrow aisle in
front of the stage he shook his fist as near
Bragg as he could reach, and tried to in
terrupt him. In the prevailing confusion
nobody probably understood what Grady
said, but his clenched fists and livid
face made him picture OF I'M
potent rage, inasmuch as the sym
patty of the crowd was for the most
part with his opponent. 1t may be some
comfort to Bragg to know that Grady is
SUN III ilOG Ndl0Is 41C ID d1 lliNOpOhACiS
candidate for congress in the New York
city district. now represented by Tim Camp
bell, WHO'S the regular nominee Of both
wings of the Democracy for reelection, and
who has also secured Republican indOrSe-
ment. Tim is not noted for pulchritude in
politics In fact he is not a moral beauty
in any respect. He is a burlesque
on craftsmanship, but is a rather
peaceful ward boss, and seems to be able
to command good campaign fund. He
has a constituency susceptible to the ma
teral influences i'll politics, and knows es-
pecally how TO handle the nominating and
campaign committees. The nomination of
Tom Grady is protest of the better ele
ment of all parties against representation
by such an unworthy person as Campbell.
The fight is not divided on party lines
strictly, but it is Tom VS.. Tim
campaign, and when Tom I'M
dertakeS to make a speech crowd of
Tins ''toughs" are always on hand to greet
him with boots and cat-callS and violent
menaces. Grady is one OF the few men
with grit enough to dispute CampbelPs
ownership of the district. The fight is hot,
with the chances Of victory rather with
Tim.
John r. Fellows must be green in the
memory of all who attended the meeting
of the last Democratic national convention
especially those who attended on the day
of the debate in which mild-eyed
John Kelly participated. Fellows was the
spokesman for the county Democracy, and
cut deep, without even sacrificing polite
ness. He made his eloquent amiability an
axe which hewed the heads of Tammanv.
While Bragg was welding his bludgeon,
Fellows was drawing blood at every grace
full thrust of his raper. Fellows is am
bilious to go to congress, and was up
for nomination this fall, but after
some time withdrew, oStensibly because he
did not live in the district in which it was
proposed to nominate him; but it is said
there were more pressing reasons for his
withd rawaL. He was in the way of the
Iordly ambitions of Fatty Walsh, who
had about as much effrontery as Tim
Campbell, and almost as much ward in
fluence. Besides this Fellows was boy
cOtted politically because, as assistant and
district attorney, he had vigorously prose-
cuted the bOycotters.
~
A st. Paul man who recently visited the
metropolis met the effervescent genial S. S.
Cox, who resigns his post as minister to
Turkey to return to congress. The st. Paul
man was rather disappointed in Cox's ap-
pearance. Though the author of the
''stormful sunset" retains his sprightIinesss
in speech and readiness with his pen, and
is in health, he seems to grow smaller as the
flood of years" encroscheS upon him, for he
is a good deal past sixty. He wears granger
chin whskerS OF musty gray, and the sea
voyage has notified his complexion. lie
doesn't look as young and handsome as the
current pictures of him would Indicate; but
his head and heart are right. Cox will be
elected in the district lately represented by
Pulitzer. Tim Campbell is now ''rattling
round" in the section which formerly en-
joyed the honor of having Cox for its rep
reSentatiVe.
~
Mrs. James Brown Potter, the reader
who shocked prudish sense of propriety
by dramatically presenting "'Osler Joe,"
and one of the ultra fashionable people
who enjoy the acquaintance of the Prince
of Wales has been so widely celebrated in
the press that there must be an occasional