New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1889-03-22
WHO LET OUT THE sECRETa
rRoUBLE OVER THE CENTENNIAL BALL.
LOUD WHISPERS ABOUT JEALousrEs-TART COR
REsroSpEEcE. BETWEEN WARD MALLS
TER AND sTUYVEsANT FISH.


TER AND sTUxvEsANT FISK.
II has been whispered for some time that discussions
had arisen between certain members Of the committee
having in charge the arrangements for the coming
Centennial Inaugural celebration and these unpleasant
relations is said have been attributed TO ieaousIes
created by the selection Of ladies for tho opening
quadrille Of the ball TO be given on the night Of
April 80. The opening quadrle referred to IS 10 be
danced By those whose ancestry Is such "a to give
a. historical significance to this feature Of the ball
Some weeks ago what purported to DO an Official list
OF the ladies selected for tho honor Of dancing in tho
quadrIle was published and, It Is said, created much
Jealousy among other aSplrants for the honor and
their friends.
Among the members Of the Entertainment Com
mttee are Ward McAlllster and stuyvesant Fish.
Mr.. McAllfster, having for years been o leader In
society and an acknowledged authority In the ar
rangemcnt Of largo social entertainments. was selected
BY the General Committee as manager Of the ball,
a post Of arduous honor When the alleged Official
list Of ladies selected for the Quadrlle was published
Mr.. Fish. IL is said insinuated that Mr.. McAlster
had given 1t TO the public without authority; that
Mr.. McAlllster's functions were confined simply to
inviting the ladies selected by the
committee from list furnished BY
Mr. McAllter and that he had exceeded his authority
In making such list public. Referring to this un
peasantness there published yesterday bits
Of correspondence between Mr.. Fish and Mr.
McAlhster. In letter dated March u Dir rlSh
wrote to Mr.. McAllister as follows;
Permit me TO remind you that you must not eommun.
anything whatever 70 the press TO the public, that
branch sf tho work being in hands must also
you against attempting 10 commit your associates In the
Entertainment Committee 10 course Of action in regard
10 the appointment OF door committees In any other
matters concerning the ball. until the subcommittee shall
have reported and the Entertainment Committee Ahs
have approved Of the programme. By exercising
great deal OF self.eOntrol and patience
aNnA aaula~ taA.Kf fa
for you Should the confidence Of the committee again
be broken, shall probably be able prevent the
committee repudating all unauthorized commitments
shall tomorrow write 70 each mombeR Of our committee
warning him against diyging any Of the things which
the eommltteo may have under discussion. sincerely
trust that your actions win heneetoth conform strictly to
the wishes Of that committee expressed By lis formal
resolutions by Instructions from its chairman No ono
can regret more than do the necessity for writing thus
plainly and emphateay but the Interests involved are
TOO delicate and largo for me 70 do otherwise.
ono week later Mr.. McAllster replied that he had
control Of tho details Of the ball. and should exercise
the power conferred by the committee He repudatcd
the right OF Mr. Flsh TO admonish him, both being on
equal terms in tho committee, and as the ball was
TO be q public one, declared that he eould see
reason for so much secrecy He expressed bis
willingness 10 retire from the Office Of manager should
the committee 90 desire, but long he continued
10 be manager ho intended 10 DO IN fact A. well as
IA mama HIS letter closed with the following
pointed language; " Let me beg you not again 70
Write in the tone Of yours 10 me of the sfh inst
Such Z htter might have been properly wnHon,
perhaps by q superior oihcer 70 subordinate And
delinquent clerk in = railway or factory, but not
seems to me, by one member Of our committee 70
another or on his own personal authority, by chair
man 10 q msnagr'
The tono Of Mr. McAlliSters reply fairly illustrates
the strained relations between tho two gentlemen, but
docs not indicate the extent 70 which tho dssenSonS
have spread among the families OF their friends
Mr. McAlister vas aslBed by Tribune reporter
last evening II no had anything 10 say about the
published correspondence
SNothlng a. alI,' said be. except that was
never more surprised In my Dfe than when saw tho
correspondence In prints
~Tben the published extracts are eorTeotf' asked
| the reporter.
al have nothing 10 say replied Mr. MeAlister,
except that did not furnish them for publication
and that did not know thoy 10 be published"
Have you no hca how the correspondence hap
pened 10 get out ~ was ASKED.
uney have been lost and picked up In the street, Or
sof out through the typewriter certainly had moth
Ing 10 do with dIvulgng the correspondence and am
| both panied and shocked 81 what has appeared in
AZ the home OF Mr. Fish 81 was said that he was In
Chicago. No one else az his home knew anything
| abOnl the eoFTespondence.