Savannah morning news. [volume] (Savannah) 1868-1887, 1886-05-21
WHY CLEVELAND IS DUMB
t.XPLA NATION OF HIS SILENCE
REGARDING HIS MARRIAGE.

t1ARLA NATION OF htS SALhN Ne
REGARDING HIS NJ ARTsIAGE.
he is said TO Ia Guided 10y Shaw
BisseII. Who is Noted For His Sc
cretiveness--HOw he Came to
Choose shaw as an Intimate
Rather Than the Elder Brother
Arthur.
From hs Ne,s York sun.
81. LOUIS, MAY, ia resident OF ST.
Louis who has Just returned from wash
iagton asserts that it is at the suggestion
of Shaw Blssell that the President refuses
10 confirm or deny the reports OF his ap-
preaching marriage with Miss FRANKIE
Folsom. This gentleman was a coIese
associate of Shaw Bissel's at ale' al
though more intimate with the older ana
less known Bissell, who was famous
boating man at Yale. lie is surprised as
are all Others who know both brothers,
that President Cleveland should nave
chosen Shaw, the younger, as an intimate,
ratberthan Arthur, the older. shaw Is Sc
crptive. eX cessiyely so at times, ana When
in Yale achieved something OF a reputa-
lion in college as an aaistOcrat. Arthur,
the older brother. is blunt, frank. demo-
cratic and a man Of good common sense
'rhe story is told that one OF Shaw's col
lege chums said to MIN recently, "Wny
not suggest To the President that there
could be no possible harm in simply init
mating that the reports are true or falseI ~
adding that when President Tyler had de-
cided to marry be thought 1t was honora-
BILE both to himself and TO the intended
bride to receive CONGRATULATIONS therefor
SHAW, it ia reported replied that social
usaces were changed since lS4O.
When Grover Cleveland was sweeping
,out Euffal0 law Office, Shaw Blssell and
his brother Arthur were preparing Tor col
lege. Both went to Yale. Arthur entered
in 1867 and Shaw in 1860 When Shaw
was examined for admission his seat mate
was a son of WIN. Nj. EVarts, and for a
time a cordial intimacy existed between
them. but later shaw transferred this IN
Umacy to one of that class who has since
become notorious, John &. Emo. Arthur,
who had been three years in college when
Shaw entered, was as unlike his brother
as possible. He was nard student, "A
plain. matter-Oi-fact fellow, with brawDy
muscle that took him into the ! ale crew.
In 1867, in his senior year, he became
stroke Of the crew. and was famous
stroke, although his crew was beaten at
! Worcester. After graduating be went
hack to Buffalo. and there made CleVe-
lands acquaintance. Young Grover was
ness, and he found in Arthur Bssell Just
the kind of a man he liked. Both were
blunt. positive, frank, and at that time
Cleveland was impressed with the value
of muscular development, which was
hobby OF Arthur Bisselfs.
Meanwhile Shaw was finishing his ca
Teer at Yale. He began with cultiVating
friendship with young Evarts, Shirley,
who was valedict0rian; Wilder, who was
I'd n
.Havemeyer. and young Raymond, son OF
Henry J. Raymond OF the New York
Times. But after year or 80 Shaw Bis
sell formed new associates. He became
intimate with John G.. Emo. VINO was the
recognized swell and good liver OF the
class: with Gardner Brown, OF PhilRdel-
phia, who was a brother of the orator,
henry Arn,itt Brown, and with Others OF
the clique that dressed in taultless man
ner and were supposed TO he men Of the
world. Shaw grew very stout and he
was over feet tall when he came TO col
lege, so that by junior year he was the
largest man in college. He cultivated
good fellowship, and when Emo received
the wooden spoon, as the alleged most
popular man in his class, and Gardner
Brown presented the spoon as the next
alleged most popular man. Shaw Bissell
stood third. An immense audience was
present on this occasion. shaw, win
Emo. Brown, and the others, that night
was Initiated into the Skull and Bones
Society, which those who do not receive
that honor assert cuitlvates snobUlsm IN
Yale. At alieyents it cuitlvates secrecy,
and after ShaW's election be became IA
lnOus as the most secretlve mar in col
lege. There used to be jokes ABOUT Shaw
Bissell's secretiveness, so that 1t was
said that If any one asked him If he
thought it would rain to-day, he would re-
ply:
do you think soy'
This possibly explains why IL hap
pens that be regards secrecy as the
best course for all his friends to follow to-
day.
After Shaw vas graduated he studied
law and returned to Buffalo. He is 40
years old now. and Cleveland 80. Then
he was -. and Cleveland 81. He kept up
his habits "a a man OF taste in dress, but
he was good fellow at heart, and speedI-
" became more intimate with Cleveland
than Arthur mad been. Possibly this WAS
because they were more cOngenial in their
amusemeRts; possibly because Cleveland
admired Snaw's ability to he secretive,
which Arthurne attained, nor, in fact,
tried to- Buffalo friends assert that
Cleveland owes very much OF his almost
NsDoleOnic rise from Obscurity To what
Mr.. Hewitt calls the most exalted sta
ton on eartn, 10 shaw Dlsseli : hell.
Shaw is a true disciple OF Thurlow
Weed. There is nothing ne would accept
Tor himself, though he ia glad to see Ar
thur assisted. In matters Of etiquette
and what is the habitOt the best society, II
is believed that Cleveland used TO refer TO
SHAW. and this Difference is now reciprO-
Gated by shaw, VINO used 10 believe thai
Grove, as he always called Mr. Cleveland
was the wisest Of politicians and the
most sincere OF statesmen. Ii is there
fore re- arded a. beyond question that, in
the matter Of The approaching weddine
ceremony, the President is guiding him
self y holly by Mr.. Bisselfs suggestions
believing that they are wise and timely.
sad shaw Bisselis acquaintance II
Cleveland had not transferred his init
macy from Arthur 10 shaw he would pos
sibly have been the first to announce K
his friends that he expected to make
change in his domestic life and hav,
spoken Of it as sOmethingto be prouder o
than the Presidency"
JUSTUS Ii. SCHWAB.
"