The Helena independent. [volume] (Helena, Mont.) 1875-1943, 1893-11-08
pELMoNlco,s BLACK LIST.
One Of tho Causes Of the High tRospecta
bility Of Thu Restaurants.

ono of tho Causes of the Hig
bility Of Thu Restaurants.
An undertaking rule of Delmouico's res
taurant is that no refreshment WIN be Iur-
nished in n private room to a man and wo-
man, no matter who they are. In the life
time of the late Charles Delmonico August
Belmont and his wife went there to lin
"Can we have a private roomf" asked
Mr.. Belmont.
"Will there be any othersS" inquired Mr..
Delmonico.
mo- said Mr.. Belmont.
"Then you cannot have the private
room,' was the reply.
Mr.. Delmonico had known Mr.. Belmont
40 years, and Mrs. Belmont was equally
we'll known to him. But there was the
rule. He would break it for no one.
Another Delmonico rule forbids loud talk
ing or profanity not only in the dining
room, but anywhere. No matter how noisy
or tipsy a man be, he dare make no noise in
Delmo nico's 1t is very seldom that Il row
occurs, and when it does it is "squelched"
SO quickly and speedily that no annoyance
is caused.
But to New Workers there Is one terror
above all others which Mr.. Delrnonicoh holds
over the men about town. 1t is his black
list-tho list of men who, having violated
some of the rules, are in utter darkness SO
far as his place is concerned. The result is
that, though the place may be full Of New
Works noisiest youths, they don't do any
yelling there. The reason is this, to be on
the black list means, to the heavy swell,
that he cannot meet his friends there or be
served, no matter who gives the orders.
This is very easily done. AT Delmonico's
every New Yorker belonging to a certain
set is presumed to be a gentleman. Should
ono of these make q bill which after q rea-
sonable time he would not pay-mind the
words used were would not''-he is put on
the black list. This means absolute ostra-
cism from the n place every New York
swell and about every gentleman visitor
wants to enter almost every evening.
When Fred May, who went once to fight a
duet with James Gordon Bennett, received
notice that he was on the Delmonico black
list for throwing adecanter through great
mirror, he at first laughed ~scornfully.
When he experienced its effects, he talked
largely about u fight. Yet his name re-
manned among those shut out for nine
months, and he was not again admitted
among the elite until his sister came home
from Europe and interceded in his behalf.
The methods of the black list are cruelty
simple, but mighty effective. The offender
receives d polite uOUe 1TOLl MI. A(tlllOulCO,
generally in his own handwriting, inform
ing him chat the%ncefprth the services of the
Delmonico establishment are not at his
disposal. But it is a public house, and any
we'll behaved person has a right to enter.
So one might think. Suppose you try it
Just to see how the black list scheme works.
Invite Il man thus tabooed into Delmon-
ico's. He has received his notice, but you
of course cannot know it, for it is not u
thing a man is proud Of. You two seat
yourselves at table. A waiter comes for,
ward, and you order, say, two glasses Of
sherry.
The man returns with the glass and one
portion of the topaz hued fluid, which he
places before you, but none for the other
man. Ask him what it means. He, with
seeming innocence, will reply that he
thought "ze othair gentleman did not
drink" just look at your companion. His
face is perfectly white with shame and an,
ger. He says quickly: Yes, dear boy, l
dom drink now, you know. Swore off
lately, you know" He dare not say he is
biacklisted.
But there are other places open to him,
you may think. True, but if he is a man
about town to be unable to invite an &C
quaintance from another city, for instance
to Delmonico's means a downfall, and if he
is q society man the result is a very serious
matter.-New York Letter in Washington
Post.