Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1890-04-05


HAS INCREASED HEART DISEASE.
Correspondence of The EVENING STAR
NEW YORK, April L.
At this writing it IL uncertain Just what
direction the impending disclosures in the
Piummer failure will take, and in the absence
of positive information opinion is still divided
in the case, though most people have settled
down into the conviction that he was either q
fool or a knave. II he is the victim of circum-
stances or of a wicked partner 1t was because
Of an indifference which Is very close remove
from folly or actual crime. and the only other
alternative seems to be the harsh one which
involves him in g Willingness, If not purpose,
to defraud on colossal scale. When the house
of John F. Plunmer d Co. failed fortnight
ago only kinds words were heard of the bank
rupts and the surprise was universal that the
concern had toppled over in ruin. At
that time the nominal assets were said to ex-
coed the liabilities, and it was hoped that the
firm might resume. But a few days ago the ug
hest whispers began to circulate and yesterday
these came to the surface in the newspapers
Yesterday and today the blacklist rumore
have been flying thick and fast You will
probably learn the latest facts in the case in
Saturdays dispatches, SO shall merely say now
that Mr.. Plummer stands not merely o ruined,
but disgraced man. He may still be
able to clear himself at the expense of Mr..
Darling, his partner, but for the time being
certainly even his friends shake their heads
and say it looks very bad.
THE LAWYERS IN THE CASE.
1t has been denied that Mr.. Choate has re-
tired from the case on account Of its vicious
features, but the suspicious circumstance re-
mains that he has practically retired and that
Richard T. Newcomb, who has a pretty tough
legal stomach for clients, has taken his place
the active counsel. 1t is also declared to-
assets are exaggerated And still l was
sured yesterday by man intimately acquainted
with dry goods, New York and lifelong
friend Of Plummer that. aside from a certain
class OF creditors, he might not pay q cent on
the dollar 1t is common talk that some of
the shrewdest banks in the city have been badly
caught on his unendorsed paper. OF course
the assignee and other interested parties put
the best face on it, but very few hope that the
house can pay anything like decent rate ON
its debts. The ominous feature Of it all is that
the condition Of this house may be typical OF
many II is idle to strive to disguise the AK
iety which prevails in the dry goods trade.
There is an enormous volume of business trans
acted both at wholesale and retail, but the
competition is so cruel that profits have almost
disappeared. The wooden men in particular
are in desperate mood With Congress and
the weather both to combat many OF them are
about ready to throw up the sponge.
MAYOR GRANT.
Yesterday met Mayor Grant walking up
Broadway looking very much the worse for the
wear and tear of the last ten days. He had
very jaded appearance, and, as he walked, was
leaning heavily upon thick stick after the
manner of those who have about used up last
summers supply OF ozone and are thinking
more of vacation than of business He has
been having a terrible time lately and the end
is not yet. 1t looks if his short career was
about over. 1t was only very few
months ago that people were saying
that it seemed as if anything was pos
sible to this clean and lucky young Irish
American. They prophesied that his next step
would be to the governorship. and some even
went SO far as to locate him in the White
House. But he has now experienced the other
extreme Of the same fickleness of popular
favor that so suddenly lifted him to fame. 1t
was his record sheriff and alderman that
gave him his peculiar reputation. 1t has now
been clearly shown that as sheriff he consented
to all sorts OF iniquities. and to some extent
| shared in the pecunlary benefits OF this crook
edness While no one has attacked his alder
manic record it IL still charged that he has con-
nived with new ring which helped itself to
the best street railroad franchises in the city.
THE AUTHORS.
Andrew Carnegies gift of $4,000 to the
Authors Club of this city is very acceptable,
though its force is little weakened by q rumor
which is circulated to the effect that he in
tended to initiate Edwin Booths gift to the
Players Club and present the authors with a
club house. However, the gift as it stands is a
! substantial subventlon to one OF the modest
but interesting clubs of New York. Among the
| working authors OF the city the club is very
| popular. 1t also includes in its nonresident
membership most of the leading authors Of the
/ country, and its Thursday evening reunions
/ nf he pafh #
| New York.
new publishing venture is that of the Orn-
dali Press, under the charge of Mr.. George l..
| Kimer, who the editor of the Century war
papers. Tins company proposes to issue novel
| week. buying the copyrights from the authors
| without reference to their literary prominence,
| but basing their purchases solely upon what
they consider the merit of the work. They are
| now conducting negotiations on that basis with
"a number of the younger American .'hopefuls. I"
some Of whom are glad to give up the some-
what precarious prospect OF future dazzling
royalties for a substantial il not dazzling sum
| down -~'.-
| RAPID TRANSIT AND HEART DISEASE.
| The serenely impartial spirit of trade Is il
Illustrated by terse but comprehensive sign
on south 9th avenue, put up in plain sight Of
passengers on the passing elevated trains and
containing the brief statement, "Hearse and
circus piumes." Apropos of the elevated, on
! Tuesday a woman dropped dead just as she
stepped on one OF the bridge cars after hurry
| ing up the steps. which incident attracts re-
newed attention to the recognized fact
that the building of the elevated roads
has increased the number Of cases OF
heart disease in New York. 1t 10 human
nature when one sees his train approaching to
make dash for it, even when that involves
running up the long steep flights OF stairs and
perhaps upsetting one or two women andchil-
dren in his breathless progress, and the fact
| that man has really no imperative need of
haste does not hinder him from expressing very
| unamiable sentiments when the remofseleSs
gate clangs in his face. One often sees a
densely and even apparently dangerously
| crowded train followed closely by half-cmpty
| one, but of the scores Of people waiting on the
platform there are not half dozen who do not
forcibly push and squeeze their way into the
first train. New York 10 being crowded more
| and more up into the air, aud IL seams now ~
! II wherever one went he was confronted by NJ
least one steep Aight Of stairs, and often by
| several, 90 that to escape alive from an active
day Of shopping or sightseeing or visiting one
| needs to be trained member OF the Alpine
Club.
HE FELL ovER TEE MAILING.
II was en- act Of true friendship On the part
Of the gentleman, Who cav his eompan-
ion leaning, in his esgernss 70 sss The
stage, too far over the railing Of the gallery,
and adjured him to be careful not to fall, ~ III