The Norfolk Virginian. [volume] (Norfolk, Va.) 186?-189?, 1895-04-12
ITHEED'S noted CLUBHOUSE
Gold Coins in the Mortar, the
fIagpole and the Carpet.
THEIFAMOUS AMERICUS CLUB
Stories of w. o. Tweed and His Body
. Guard. The Wonderful Carpet
Made in Brussels by Special
Machinery. Gold Dollars
in Queer Places.

IN Queer Places.
sir. E. G. Bepedict's negotiations Tor
the purchase Of the Indian Harbor hotel
property at Greenwich, Conn, have ro-
called many stories about tho Auericus
club and William NJ. Tweed. Among
William NJ. Tweed's nearest friends it
was known that two men used to accom-
pany him almost everywhere as sort
OF bodygnard. Tweed always had q
horror of being stabbed and feeling
that some enemy was waiting an oppor-
tunity to thrust knife into his abdo.
men. These men We're instructed to pro-
tect him, one on each side, and, in
walking in crowd, to keep q few PAGES
In front Of him. One of those mon was
an FISHERMAN, whose home was in
Greenwich, and no was not only Tweod's
faithful friend, but his valet ne we'll
He died not long ago,
Not many of tho guests who have
wandered through the drawing room of
the Indian Harbor hotel in the last 81
years have known the history of the
wonderful carpet beneath their feet, aud
yat it is SO famous that men interested
In the production of such fabrics havo
travelled hundreds of miles to examine
1t. 1t was made in Brussels in 1870. 1t
was one entire piece, and the loom upon
which it was woven had to be made ex-
pressly for its manufacture With oil
the pounding and humping and dane
ing of the multitudos that for nearly q
quarter of century have used it it is
still bright and thick. There was good
denl of talk about this carpet i'll tho
palmy days of the Tweed ring, and
some members of the club did not agree
with Tweed about the purchase of so
expensive floor covering. 1t was only
Tweed's persistence and the carelessness
with which he spent money that finally
settled tho matter.
II want something on that floor, ="
said no one day. that will last us Ions,
as the building does. There shall be no
seams in it, SO that when it is cleaned
1t can be raised to the roof, edge up,
and beaten from the windows. :"
1t is said that this beautifully woven
carpet has never been taken off the floor,
and that it lies just as it was originally
lacked down in the spring of 1871. 1t
cost great deal of money, and the i'm
port cuty upon it was very largo. No
one but Tweed really knew what it did
cost, except perhaps his secretary, Charles
Hall, and probably he will never tell.
The nap still gives beneath ones feet,
ana the colors are as fresh and bright
as when Tweed and his satellites made
the room ring with merriment and sip.
ped champagne beneath the glitter of the
great chandeliers. AT the corners of the
carpet are tiger heads, and underneath
one can still plainly read the letters
"a. c."
1t was queer freak that the olubmen
mad OF touching every now thing with
goid. Every new boat that was launched
hao It's golden rivet, and at the laying
or the cornerstone Of the clubhouse a
peck basket full OF gold and silver coins
was buried in tho mortar. Some search
may be made for these coins. The club
hagpoie had gold eagle nailed upon
Its apex, and the knobs Of tho lockers of
the yacht Mary Jane Tweed were deco.
rated with quarter eagles. The yacht
also had n gold eagle at her topmast.
This was Tweed's favorite craft, and
'she often came bowling along toward
nome with Field Point ON the lee shore,
the gold at her topmast rejecting tho
sunlight with bright flashes.
1t was this craze to make free and
strange use Of money, and particularly
gold, that led to mailing gold dollars in
the eyes and teeth of the tigers in the
carpet. 1t is said that carpet tack was
driven through the center of each dol
lar, and the constant wear OF many feet
all these years has kept the coins bright
and glistening, although the casual OBJ
server might easily mistake them for
golden spots in the web and wool of
She fabric itself. New York Sun.
Minerals In Smoke.