Shepherdstown register. [volume] (Shepherdstown, Va. [W. Va.]) 1849-1955, 1894-01-11
Delmonieo's Black List.


restaurant is that no refreshments
will be furnished in private room TO
a man and woman, no matter who
they are. In the lifetime Of the late
Charles Delmonico, August Belmont
and his witr went there TO dine.
Can we have private roomF
asked Mr. Belmont.
'Wiu there beany othersl' inquired
Mr.. Delmouico.
No" said Mr.. Belmont
Then YOU cauuot have the private
room, was the reply.
Mr.. Delmonico had known Mr.. Bel
mont forty years, and Mrs. Belmont
was equally as we'll known TO him.
But there was the rule. He would
break il for 10 one,
Another Delmouico rule forbids
loud talking or profanity not only In
the dining room but anywhere. No
matter nov noisy or tipsy "A man may
be he dare make no noise in belmont
cos. Ii is very seldom that "a row oc-
curs. aud when it does IL is ''squelched'
so.quickly aud speedily that no annoy
ance is caused.
But TO New Workers there IL one ter
ror above all others which MIR. Del
monico holds over the men about
town. lt il his black list-the list OF
men who, having violated somo OF
the rules, are in utter darkness 20 Tar
as this place is concerned. The result
il that, though the place may be fu.i
OF New lorK's noisiest youths, they
don't do any yelling there. The rea-
son is this: To bee on 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 l. very easily done. AT Del
monico's every New Yorker belonging
to a certain set is presumed TO be "a
gentleman. Should one ofthese make
IA bill which after "A reasonable time
he would not pay-mind, the words
used were would not'--he Is put on
the black list. This means absolute
ostracism from the one place every
New York swell aud about every gem
tleman visitor wants TO enter almost
every evening When Fred May,
who went once 10 IA duel with James
q Gordon BENEFIT, received notice that
he was on the Delmonico black list
Tor throwing deeanter through n
great mirror, he AT first laughed scorn-
fully. When Inexperienced It's effects
he talked largely about "A Tight. Yet
his name remained among those shut
out for niue months. aud n" 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, bat mighty effective.
The offender receives "A polite note
from Mr.. Delmonico, generally inh
own handwriting, informing him
that thenceforJh the services Of the
Delmonico establishment are not at
his disposal! But IL IL "A public house,
aud any well behaved person has "a
right TO enter. SO one might think.
Suppose you try IL, just TO see how
the blacklist scheme works. Invite IA
man thus tLbooed into Delmonico's.
lie has received his notice, but you,
Of course. cannot know II, for IL IL
not a thing man is proud of. You
two seat yourselves at "A table. A
waiter comes forward and YOU order,
say, two glasses Of sherry.
The man returns with n glass and
one portion OF the topaz-hued huid,
which he places before you, but none
for the other man. Ask him what IL
means. lie, with seeming innocence,
vii reply that he thought ne olhair
gentleman did not drink" Just look
at your companion. His face is per
fectly white with shame and anger.
lie says quickly: Yes, dear boy,
don't drink now, you know. swOre
of lately, you KDow.n lie dare not
say he il blacklistee.
But there are other places open to
him, you may think. True, but II he
f. "A man about town 10 be unable TO
invite an acquaintance from another
city, 10. instance, 20 DelmoDicos,
means a downfall, and II he l. society
man the result IL u very serious mat
ter