New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1889-04-11

.s s.S Ii cad sh sSnsss e ~ as
N a.. sy y1S Is .si.Sl b : !: S4sF
One Of the coenulsin.s mads by the Entertain
pent Commfseee against Mr.. MoAntster was that
be was only subordinate to the Entertainment mem
pOmmtttee With no power TO oonmuniG9aS ebHrSe
kny other committee. In answer TO ibis eharge
Mr., kcAllistee declares that many letters Wen
addressed to him personally by eha1rmen Oh o eni
sommies showing that be WIS regar tS az Sonpeo
ton he furnishes az extract from letter usVeI
january 81 from Elbxidge I. Gerry, chairman OF
the Exacytive Committee In Tr hsa rT Mr Nc.
AlRster,s and says among other things Since
our conference this afternoon would suggest eCS
ComplipenHng you on the SKIN WA " inta, ~
have reduced 10 q system the numerous detaliS OF
your onerous work, remain sincerely, etc.
On Jsuuary 30 Mr.. Fish wrote TO Mr. MoAliiiS!er
"Please revise the estimates and prepare i!St OF
them as soon as possible week iate. 4 ISssa
fainment Committee. Mr.. McAllister prepared q
list of the ladies who. in his Judgment shouiG
I've invited to dance in the opening Quadrille, ana
the names of the wives of some of the members
OF the committee were not upon 1T. To take part
in this dance, was evidently to be considered
mark Of social distinction. Finding so much ,op
position 10 his list in his own committee, Mr.
McAlliSter handed a copy of it to MIR. Gerry TO
see how he would regard it. Mr.. Gerry , liked
lister had submitted the list TO Mr.. Gerry, and
the result was the following letter, dated Janu-
airy 2S:
My Dear Mr. McAllIster You should secure re-
turn TO you of the paper which you handed 10 Mr..
Gerry yesterday, and which be gave TO MI. Bowen,
manager entirely and lrre1evsbly the hards of tho
Plan and scope. and subject y ihe dctat0n. e'"
After this the correspondence between Mr.
Fish and Mr. McAlliSter became more cnuSt,o,
resulting in the interchange of couple OF exceed
ingly bitter letters extracts from 1 whT4 %Tre
After the premature publication of the list pre-
pared by Mr.. McAlster, which resulted in many
embarrassing situations, The breach IN S9e h%r
was accused of having given the list TO the pup
be- charge that hc considered at the tim" scarcely
known that the list was furnished by a woman
well known in Ncw-York and Washington whose
husband had talked IL over with her without
When Mr. McAlister had resigned from his
Office he received letter as result of com
puncStion to Mr. Gerry tfn9E n,m o. % "nS
Dear Mr. McAllister,7 and is signed by Clarence
W. Bowen, secretary Of the General CommltVee'
1t reads
let acknowledge the receipt Of your letter sprr OF
tha' you have written you have ana De trnStS Ga
mr. sub Comnli,tec on Entertainment great many
questions win come up before April 20, ls7O "h,fS
e Committee on Enelainment vii VAT It your QUE al a.
an executive character that anything else. As much
work e. possible Will be suOdivided among the NOM
bcrs of yOar committee
At Ibis time the Entertainment Committee be-
gan ah,idgiug Mr.. MCAlister's powers as manaSr
OF tho bali and supper, whercnpon MI. McAInsteL
croatcI GENERAL CONSERVATION by threatening
10 lot ,,e whole thing 60 by the board, by ha 'lng
nothing further 10 do with the celeGTatoh IN
any capacity. Such threat was 1nliI ,apPIe-
,jated by all who understood Mr.. McAlllstet'S
social Influence including the members or the
general committee and Of the various sub-com-
nit,eeS: On behalf Of the committeeman at large,
Secretary Bowen wrote TO Mr. McAHlster as loI-
lows:
Every one Is anxious 70 have you continue man.
accr Of the ball and banquet In fact The success Of
and a. ! am sure others have said. depends upon you
You have already done more work and have CIV en- mors
thought TO these entertainments than any other
NJ nhe. Of the committee and know what Is required
and What should he denc: and !, fol one appreciate
all thu yOu arc doing and have done, and hope you
VIII GLOW everything to go on as II Is now gong Oh.
There were other expressions Of complimentary
nature, and by these. well as by SeTeral OF
those who asked the. manager, personally not 10
execute his threat, Mr. MsAllister was persuaded
10 continue in what remained of his Office as
manager Among other letters shown as samples
~ Mr.. McAllister were several from Chalrmen
Gerry, Bowen and Fish, making open acknowl
rdgment Of his authority TO do almost anything
he deemed necessary TO be done; In answer to
Mr. Fishs charge that Mr.. McAllster sold boxes
In hhe Opera House without authority, Mr.
MoAliister furnishes letter signed Stuyvesant
Fish Chairman" and dated December ID, 1883,
which reads as follows:
BY all means let the Governor and the Mayor have
the two boxes, ctc.
Also go on selling boxes fast as you can to good
people.
Mr. McAllister has intimated that he will stand
almost anything t. make the ball a success. lie
has borne his reduction by the Entertainment Com
mittcc TO simple floor manager, he says, entirely
because OF patriotic motives. lie has repeatedly
told n representative Of The Tribute tl4aI his am
u ton was to make the ball tn most notable social
occurrence in American history and has devoted
rtra limo , "A
gear Ii WAS with much feeling, in which there
was no trace of anger, that Mr.. McAlliSter said
L. Is rather hard, after | have done all t.
work. given the benefit of my experience Of years,
and contributed all | could TO the success of the
occasion 10 be subjected to such impOsitions."
Not few people have expressed fears that the
effects OF the controversy u the Entertainment
Committee will be found I'm social descriptions after
the celebration has become a .mory, and, indeed,
there already indications Of such II condition of
lffairs.