New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1890-11-11

"hc Tribune observes with pleasure that Mr..
Mark TWAIN, of Hartford. has been in town. New
York is always glad TO have Mr. Twain visit her.
She likes to haze him come and pit up at hotel
and stay a week and enjoy himself. And usually,
we believe. he does ENJOY himself when he comes
but this time We are sorry 10 see that his stay
was marrcd by an unpleasant incident. lie had
trouble with horsc-car conductor. He has him
self written 4 garhlcd and imaginative account of
it, from which shall make no extracts, but
proceed 10 give the facts in the exactly as
they occurred.
Mr. Twain arrived at TIE Gr,a-l Central Station
last Saturday nj / 20 ociock d. 81. He was mp
preached by interested gentlemen wearing high
hats Of an earlier date, who said: kcb sir.
but Mr. Twain took no kcb. lie preferred 10
walk and started ont along Forty-sccond-st. IN
the direction of the North River carrying his
.ripsack in one hand and unch-boN and umbrella
in the other. At exactly II - he arrived at
SiNth-avc Here he boarded a red SiNth-avc. ear,
numbered 1o6, which was going downtown. lie
stepped on the rear platform long enough 10 pay
his fare, but said nothing whatever 10 the con
ductor. Then hr stepped Just inside the door and,
there being no vacant seat reached up and
cured himself by a strap and began 10 read the
advert iscIncn'S in the car, many of which were
really Of cons siderable literary merit. soon others
boarded the ear, but they could not get in. Mr.
Twain blocked up tie doorway. Step right up
'front.' thcrr." said the conductor in a loud voice.
Twain did not move. Another passenger got on
and looked at the humorists back Step right
mp for 'ard-pcnty o room up 'front.'" yelled the
conductor. Mr.. Twain stood still and hung 10
| the strap. Twice more did the conductor admon-
ish the author TO forget those things that were
behind and press forward. once tapping him gently
on the back, but Twain held his own. The
ductor became pcrplcNcd and did not know what TO
do He began TO suspect that his passenger could
not move from reason. lie Jumped
| of and ran ahead and got the front platform
and communicated his suspicion TO the driver
II happened than the driver was patron of sew
| cral circulating Libraries and man of extensive
reading After lac heard the conductor he said :" |
| a-rcading last night piece by n Teller named
| Mark Twain about another fcllcr that had frog
| that could out jump any other frog in Calaveras
| County. He awful Jumper. But one day
| 4 stranger come along with Jess an ordinary plug
| frog an they got up n match an the stranger ;
| frog hoped right away from the big jumper an
| the stranger walked OFF with the money they had
MP. When he'd gone the icllcr tipped mp his
| Jumper an poured doublc-handful Of shot ont
| of his mouth that the stranger had filed up his
| stomach with. Mebby somebody filled up that
| man that way he can't move. | tell YOU
what, we oughtcr stand that lcllcr on his head
and pour the brd-ShOt out Of him. lie accord
| ingy stopped his horses and went in with the
conductor, and together they seized Mr.. Twain
| and tirned him upside down and bumped the
| top Of his head the floor and pounded him ON
| ,Le back for two or three minutes. OF course
they were unsuccessful, but after they stood him
| on his feet he became very indignant ana got on
| tie car and walked back ~ Forty-third-st, where
| the company's Offices are situated, To report the
| Outrage. ms he considered il. Here he found,
| however that all of the officers, from the pres-
| dent down 10 the last assistant clerk, had gone
| fishing at lIcllgatc, and after waiting around a
| while he decided 10 give up his stay in New-lork,
| walked back to the Grand Central and took tine
| twrvc-forty train for Hartford after stay in
| the city of one hour and fifteen minutes.
These are facts, cold, metallic facts, as we may
| call Them which can he substantlated. MIR.
| Mark Twain in his letter to the press tried 10
| ,hrow dust in the eyes of the New-Nork public.
| No conductor syyoTc AT him. II we 50 desired we
could say that his letter is tissue of falschUods
| as il IS we will say that il bristles with mac
| curocios We are the surprised at this
when we remember the almost idolatrous regard
for truth which lie has always heretofore shown
in his published writings. But greater men than
| lao have allowed passion TO carry them away We
! lool, for a General retractiOn and an apology 10
| New-York from Mr.. Twain by an early mail