St. Paul daily globe. [volume] (Saint Paul, Minn.) 1884-1896, 1886-12-05
GOSSIP VIA NEW YORK.
Tendency of the Rich to Make Their
Homes in New York or Wash
ingtsn.
Points Personal and Pertinent About Col
Oliver &. Payne and His Mil
lions.
How Henry B. Payne, Ohfo's Vener-
able Senator, Started Up the FL
nancial Ladder.
Secretary whitney's Social Promt'
nence--Some Think He is Over
doing Society.

New YORK, Dec. 3.-The talk about
whether Col. Oliver II. Payne is to live this
winter in New York or Washington. is a
reminder that there is strong tendency
upon the part of retired wealthy men to
drift either to the metropolis or to the capt.
tai. New York presents bOundleSs oppOr-
tunities for luxurious indulgence. but at the
same time it tempts the man of means to
run the race of life too rapidly. AS rule,
by the time man is wealthy enough to
live at the top of the heap in New York, he
is on the down grade of life. and has TO
take strong grip on the holding back
straps to keep from stumbling. Besides,
residence in New York keeps him in the
atmosphere of trade and turmoil, strikes,
riots and the worst phases of local politics.
In Washington, on the other hand he may
be serene and happy, if he is prepared to
give up business altogether. At the capital
of the country there are no labor disturb
anceS. and no corruption III elections. In
fact. there is no voting in the District of
Columbia. and gentleman who lives there
and has thoroughly studied the situation
said the other day that if the matter was
put to a vote by the people of the district
the whites would almost unanimously de-
cline the elective franchise. The army Of
negroes there would eagerly embrace suf-
frage so that they might put up their votes
at auction and sell them to the highest bid
der.
~
To get back to Col. Payne. The truth
seems to be that he intends to stay in New
York. He leads a rather quiet bachelor
life at the residence OF his sister, Mrs.
Secretary Whitney. While she is occupied
with society affairs in Washington. her
brother keeps up the dignity of the Whitney
establishment in New York. Although
only about so years of age, Col. Payne does
not appear to be engaged in active business.
He is one of the few enormously wealthy
men who know when they have enough.
In Cleveland, which was formerly his
home, and which is perhaps his nominal
home still. his wealth is roughly estimated
at SIS, 600. 900. The correct figure is prob
ably higher than that. One Of his eXtrava-
gances is lot of fifteen or twenty acres on
the lake shore. five or six miles east of the
city of Cleveland. known as ''COl. Payne'S
park" 1t is most handsomely and eX-
pensively decorated piece of ground. It's
natural situation was very favorable to i'm
prOvement, and it is laid out in walks and
drives and planted with trees, shrubbery and
flowers. with rare taste and laViShneSS. 1t
has no habitation On it. and is remote from
dwellings, 1t is simply beautiful spot
into which the traveller can turn for few
minutes for rest and enjoyment. Its trees
raise themselves majestically, its flowers
give incense. and its lawns slope gracefully
down to the ceaseless surf Of restless Erie.
~
About the beginning Of January. 1884,
Col. Payne appeared at Columbus, o., as
one of those looking after the senatorial in
terestS of his father. the Hon. Henry b.
Payne. He was quiet, well-dreSSed man.
with face in youthful contrast with his
gray hairs and mixed mustache. Some of
the ''old timers" distinctly remembered him
as the colonel of an Ohio regiment during
the war. and especially for one incident of
his military life. 1t was common remark
that if he was as good fighter in politics as
ne was personally. his candidate for the
senate was sure to win. On one occasion
during the war military eXigencieS required
Col. Payne to leave the field and proceed to
Columbus for short time. He was a
much younger man than he is now,
and having long been beyond the
bounds of civic civilization and hospitality,
was disposed to embrace the opportunities
which Ohio's capital offered for a short
time. One night he and several genial
companions had been enjoying the hospital
tiles of the Neil house bar-rOom for some
time, when they were interfered with by
another party of pleaSuTe-SeekerS to whom
the bartender seemed d SpOsed to give the
preference. In the lively fight W hich fol-
lowed the Payne party was victorious, and
the bartender having made his escape in a
rather battered condition, the colonel him
elf was installed in the important Office of
dispenser of the ardent. In the perform
ance of his new duties he was interrupted
by burly livery stable keeper, who under
took to restore the establishment to the
custody OF the depoSed barkeeper. Col.
Payne promptly smashed large water
pitcher over the intruder's head, and the
livery stable keeper retired with an awful
scar across his face which conspicuOusly
marked him till the day of his death, a few
years ago. The affair was the result of an
effort 10 put on airs over Col. Payne. and as
he doesn't put on airS'' himself, he
wouldn't tolerate the impertinence of
others. Those were fighting times, any,
how. The colonel is now one of the last
men to be thought Of as the man who hurled
the deadly pitcher. The country is at
peace. and SO is Col. Payne. He is the
possessOr of millions. and the common
understanding is that his sister. the Wife of
-
to draw on his fortune, and is thus enabled
to supplement her husbands resources and
give the finest receptions and entertain
ments in Washington.
There are some thoughtful people who
intimate that Secretary Whitney is over
doing the ''saSsiety' act in Washington.
He is, of course, polished man, and has
had the benefit of polished associations. ana
his breeding and marital connections are as
good as those of the people who are the
patterns and nucleus of Washington society
but there is some resentment toward a man
who out-champagneS every other purveyOr
of champagne and in general OutdOes
everybody else in the fashionable life of the
capital simply because he has command of
the means to do it with. There is a limit to
almost everything. and Mr.. Whitney has
probably passed the limit i'll the gorgeous
ness of his entertainments. The army and
navy people. joined to few people who
pride themselves in being original Washing
tOnians, primarily control what is called
society at the capital. The army and navy
people are, on all average, poor, and the
glitter of too much gold III their realm is an
affront rather than qualification. There
is some talk that Mr.. Whitney must tone
down his society exhibitions or he will be
tabooed by those who regard themselves as
the real ''upper-crust." Our democracy
will assert itself once in a while, even in
the perfumed circles of that inflated fool
ishness known as Washington society.
Hard headed horse-sense has to step in &C.
casonally and call halt. Whitney is
man of fine ability and attachments. and
held high position in New York before he
went into the cabinet, OF his extravaganza
in Washington would long since have So
cially Overthrown him.