Richmond dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1884-1903, 1888-07-15
GOTHAM.
LIGHTS AND SHADOWS OF NEW YORK
LIFE.
Sons Queer Phases-Bn American Monte
Carlo Star supera-chsatipg
the Directory,
tcOrospOadencc Of tho Richmond Di.pa,cA.l

NEW YoRK, July II. 1883.
The other day l noticed slightly
built, hatchet-faced man in soody clothes
and weather-worn straw hat loungipg
in the stately gateway of the great Mills
building on Broad street. Tic seemed
20 have nothing to do but TO gaze list
lessly at the busting scene of hurrying
brokers, clerks, and messengers, and the
long hne of cabs stretching from the
Stock Exchange for block or more
down the street.
"Do you know who that is ?" asked a
prominent broker.
"No.n
"His name Is Baldwin. lie was once
colon OF a regiment and was grOoms-
man for Governor Sprague, OF Rhode
Island, when he was married TO Kate
Caase, the daughter oi Chief-Justice
Chase. Re used 10 be connected in bust
ness down here with bis brother, Barney
Baldwin, one OF the swells Of the Tuxedo
Park Club.
il was new illustration Of the dra-
matte vicissiiudes that come TO men IN
Wall street. Once this man, who is do.
pcndebt upon the bounty Of relatives or
friends whom he does not hesitate 10 ac-
cost for petty "loans, was handsome
man, and so prominent in society that he
was the best man at tho wedding OF a
Governor 10 a beautiful and distinguished
woman. But though he is now onl about
forty-fve he looks ten years older the
face is sallow and pinched and pimply,
suggesting something of which the
sacred writer of old said, sat the last it
stinceth Ike an adder"
Governor Syrague himself fell from
his social estate partly through undue
addiction to the wine cup, quarrelled
with his wife. became iDsanely jealous Of
her, and threatened to shoot the late Ros-
coe Conklnc, who WAS the legal adviser
of the daughter OF his lifelong friend,
the Chief Justice. Sprague was a rather
picturesque figure in the early days
of tho war, but any illusion
rs to his personality or deusion
as 70 his capacity for public life
WAS soon dispelled, and with him his old
cronics stepped down to their natural
level. The brother OF Governors prague's
Old fellow-roisterer Baldwin was at
one time a stock broker in partnership
with a rather bright fellow named Ora
per. The late millionaire operator
Baron Woerisboffer met Draper one
night down at Long Branch before the
young fellow ever dreamed Of becoming
u stock broker on his own account, and
said:
Draper, why don't you go into bust
ness in Wall street {"
"Wby, / haven't money enough to
buy a 81 at in tho Stock Exchange" was
the answer.
ooh, If that is the trouble" said the
operator. who had accumulated ten mil
lions IN daring stock campaigns eff that
is alI@bo trouble Will buy you seat
myself"
He did. II was not the mere ELUSIVE
talk Of champagne supper to be coldly
ignored the next day when the blood
was less heated. Baron Woerishoiier
actually bought a seat in the Stock Ex
change for $4,000 and presented it to
the partner Of Barney Baldwin, who is
well-llnown in New York society, while
his brother, once colonel and hand
some beau in another social world, seems
70 play tho role Of Lazarus at the rich
mans gate.
QUEER CONTRASTS.
There are dueeror contrasts than this
in New York business life. One of the
most prosperous brokers in the city
allows his old father to black boots for a
living. Ho makes no denial of the fact,
hut saws that the old man is not fitted for
any other work, and is better employed
than idle. Tho broker himself used to
he a bootblack, and rose by sheer force
of character and native German sbrewd
ness
Charles Lambs devotion to his insane
sister was one Of those instances Of self
abnogation which arc as a silver lining
- the darker and more sinister traits OF
human nature, but it is, perhaps, moro
than equalled in some respects 10y an in
stance Of unselfsh devotion on the
part of maA in one of the
institutions near New York such
an IS rare outside of the pages Of
fiction. 1t is the case of man and wife.
They lived happily together, but by ono
Of those strange visltatiOns of fate the
happy wife became insane. Cases are
not rare where husband has shown
devotion to an insane wife. There are
others in which the husband has sought
TO play the role Of Mr.. Rochester In
Jane Eyre" and ignore a tie which
he speciousy argued had been sunder-
ed by stroke of fate, though in
most il not nll of our States at least
insanity subsequent to marriage is
regarded'as disease, and no more
a ground for divorce than consunp-
ton or any other ailment But in this
case the husband fOrsook bis home In
New York, where hc hat lived on a small
income received from wealthy parents in
Europe, and sought and secured a posi-
ton as boOk-keeper IN the workhouse
close by the insance asylum where bis
wife was confined. receiving no salary
for his services. and remains there ROW
amid forhidding surroundings simply
that he may he near his stricken
wife, who smiles vacantly at him or
talks with pathetic volubihtv and
earnestness Of her fixed decisions
across that dark mental gulf which
separates the Gchenna of madness from
the relative Paradise OF sanity. His
only thought is 10 soften the blow to his
wife az much rs possible, TO ameliorate
as far as may be her sutIerings, pa
thetic attempt to make the hand of fate
seem like velvet rather than iron. For
seven years he has remained faithful III
his Devotion 10 his mentally dead wife
sepulchred, so TO speak, as q hopeless
lunatic in the cemetery of the mind, an
insane asylum man not, perhaps, en-
doWed with the intellectual qualities
which command the admiration of men,
bat illumined by unseltish devotion as
with Il sacred nimbus.
AN AUTocRAT.
A man with distinctiyely German
caste OF features moves quickly along
Broadway, his brow contracted in bat
lie with some abtFuse problem in railroad
life. is we'll known all over this country.
II is Albert Fink. the autocrat of the
trunk.line pool. He rides OF the railroad
1911 cd Iirarfa the Recommendation !