Richmond dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1884-1903, 1888-01-29
NEW YORK LETTER.
CHARACTERS, SCENES. AND INCIDENTS
OF GREAT eorHAM.
An Anarchist feud--Barrsd Out and
Trapped Hats-Two successful Plays
Financial Melange,
Correspondence Of the Richmond Dispatch

fcorrespcpdcnce Of the Richmond Dspatch.l
NV YoRK. January %, 1888.
The mcsRre reports in the daily
press OF the legal proceedings in the
local courts respecting the SociaIistic Lii
brary at No l6 Clinton Place, near
Broadway, give little or no idea OF the real
struggle that has been waged for some
time between the bitterly.opposed
schools OF Socialistic thought. The facts
in the case, however, are interesting,
and, in view of the remarkable growth
of this new political system, deserve
more than passing mention.
In 1884 the few members and sympa-
thizers OF the once famous International
formed library and literary society for
the avowed purpose of propagating the
principles OF Ferdinand Lassalle, Carl
Marx. Prondhon, and Godin. Among
the number were Mrs Isabella Hinton,
Max Boehm, William Price (of the New
York 7riJunc), Colonel r.. j. Hinton, +.
Berdello, Mrs. Cynthia Leonard, and
Others.
In the following year the society
moved next door 10 No. l45 Eighth
street. Mrs. Cynthia Leonard. who is
better known 20 the public as the mother
of Lillian Russell than as socialist. vege-
tartan. free-lover, and female suaragist,
paving the rent of the new rooms and
lending the organization a large number
OF valuable books.
SOMEWHAT FUNNY.
In 1886 there was dissention. Mrs.
Leonard delivered a speech, whose re-
frain was "No Meat nor Man in Mine.
Her sentiments we're vigorously opposed
bv Colonel Hinton, Charles Sotheran,
and Others. and the society broke into
two sections. In 1887 the division ripen-
ed into war. The Chicago massacres
alarmed the followers of Lassalle and
Carl Marx, who are in the main non-re-
sistant and peaceable, and inhamed those
OF Proudhon, Most, and King. Miss
johnson and Mrs. Leonard, followed by
Mrs. Pollard, Mrs. Hoffman, and Miss
DIR. Kelly took sides with Anarchy, while
Colonel Hinton, Sotheran, Mrs. Hinton,
and the Labor leaders proper went into
opposition.
The struggle was exciting, but, to an
outsider, somewhat funny The Anarch-
lists. through Miss johnson, the libra
rian. who lived and lives in little closet
or den alongside Of the book-room, were
in possession of the headquarters, while
the Socialists proper were IN control OF
the organization. When the latter tried
70 enter the library at a late hour the IL
braran barricaded the place, turned off
the gas from the meter, and set a trap on
the stairs. As consequence the So
cialists were tripped and precipitated
down stars in body. Supposing
they were pursued by blOod-drink-
ing dynamitards, they fed to the
street, where they narrowly escaped ar
rest as dij0rderly characters. Finding
their endeavors unsuccessful, the Social
lists next applied TO the courts. Again
the Anarchists, led by Miss johnson aud
Mrs. Leonard, scored a victory over
their opponents. The victory is, how
ever. partial. The Socialists are allowed
10 remove and are now taking from the
library the books they loaned or gave the
institution in the old days. They and their
kith and kin have opened new head
quarters at No. 145 Eighth street, where
oil Enghsh-s speaking Socialists are well
coined and made at home. The Anar-
chists keep on at the old stand, No. l6
Clinton Place, enjoying the fruits OF
their victory.
1t may surprise many readers to know
that the American section of Socialists
has los enrolled members and 5l5 non
enrolled, and tue foreign sections over
n1
while the American Anarchists figure up
220 enrolled and 300 non-enrolled.
Nevertheless, one thing is now known to
be sombre if not a solemn fact-the
Socialists and Anarchists of New York
city number over $4,000 souls, men and
women. a good figure and one that
may afford thought to the statesmen and
students OF to-day.
BIG AND LITTLE HEADS.
IL one wishes TO be considered fash
ionable and wants to wear IN American
hat he can only purchase from two firms
OF manufacture.
Each Of these firms are agents for the
two leading firms of London hatters As
it is generally conceded that the Ameri-
eau Lat is superior to the one made in
England. or at least to the one sent over
here from England, one would think
that English hats had very limited sale,
but not so. The average New York club
man always purchases the hat manuiac-
tured in London, although it costs two
dollars more than the American pattern,
and he does this simply because it is
English.
heard some one say not long ago
that Berry Wall spent 5000 year for
his hats When repeated this statement
10 one of the leading matters he laughed
at it and said that he did not believe
that there was man in New York who
spent $50 for hats. He pointed at tall
and magnifcently built Young fellow
with strikingly handsome face and de-
cided English accent. The young man
had Just ordered four hats of English
make. He was Freddie Gebhsrd, and
the halter said he was one of his largest
customers. Mr.. Gebhard has been as
sociated so long with Mrs. Langtfy
that he imagines himself an Eng,
lishman, and therefore he thinks it would
be an act of disloyalty to wear an Ameri-
can hat. MIR. Gebhard is usually extrava-
giant on hats, as his valet has discovered
q new kind of polish which will put q
gloss on silk hat as backing can be
made to polish shoes. This polish rots
a hat, and MIR. Gebhard simply throws it
away Then, if the slightest speck Of
dirt gets into the lining OF his hat, cred
die considers it unfit for use. Next to
Mr Gebhard aud Colonel Kipp, who
claims to be the best-dressed man in
Gotham, the Lorillards spend more
money for hats than any other people in
New York They wear both English
and American hats. Pierre Lorillard's
size is a No. Z.
While was standing waiting for my
hat TO be ironek in Fifth avenue estab.
lishment last Saturday anumber OF dis
tinguisbed men were in aud out Of the
place. Senator Evarts had Just run over
from Washington and had come mp to get
his famous old hat rejuvenated. heard
him tell the man who waited upon him
thst il was the first time that he had had
the bat ironed since he purchased il. 1t
looked as il he had worn il about ten
years. The Senator always wears silk