New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1896-01-27

Yale In the class OF 1898 For several years his
name was always the first to appear In inc nS'
OF living Yale graduates. Below his name III III.
class OF 1924. that OF Mr. Silliman' VINO was
horn precisely one wear after Mr.. Powell
4 week or more ago Mr.. slliman received from
New-H Haven a copy OF the last LIST OF iaie s'"u
yates II occurred to him that II wou'u Nv
pleasant thing 10 do to write TO Mr.. fo"en ".'
exchange greetings with him. consequence "
sent him a short letter. congratulating him. an.
said that although he had never corresponue'
with him, he remembered HIM as Yale stuue"''
and recalled several Incidents OF their co''ese
DAYS nearly three-Iuarters OF a century aso' -
was a remarkable coincidence that on the very 90
Mr. Siliman sent his letter Mr.. Powell dieu. AZ.
news OF his death was conveyed to Mr.. sIliinah
no ,rends o., Nj Powell. Mr. Sllllman, who thus
becomes Yales Oldest graduate. has great reason
to be proud OF the distinction. He Is iale man
not only by graduation. but also by Ties OF o'oou'
All OF his uncles, both on his fathers ana MS
mothers side. and both OF bis grandiathefs' were
gr lduaies OF Yale.
HIS maternal at-grandfather was graduated
from Yale in l797 and his maternal great-great-
grandfather received his diploma from the sa'i'o
college In 1872 lie says that he may not pe ''e
Oldest Yale graduate In point OF years ana hs ~
WAS barely twenty years old when h- recel'eu NO
diplorna II seems probable that some member OF d
succeedine class may be older than he is. lie mas
vivid recolections OF his college days ana can
tell many interesting stories OF MS uhuers'"u""''
experiences Among his fellow students were
number OF men no less prominent than ne mas pee''
in public affairs. lie was fellow student AZ ono
time with Edward Hitchcock. VINO TAT. became ''''
president OF Amherst College.
Mr. Silliman has always. un;l within ie"
wears followed closely the course OF anaifs a.
Yale. At one time he was for many years ]" SUI
cess,on the president Of the Na.e Alumni Asso0''-
,lon OF Long Island Until six or seven years
ago he was an honored guest at all Yale dinners IN
New-York and w-Haven, but his increasing years
have prevented him from attending the ahhSA'
dinners at commencement for seven or eight years
He is generally remembered. however py MS i''"
graduates and frequently receives from 'he'n
hearty letters OF congratulaton ana wei "lShes'
He is close friend OF President Dwight and Is eh-
rec,inp a visit from him when he comes 10
brooklyn TO attend the dinner OF the Yale AIumh,
OF Long Island. IN fe" days re ri1' thai he
viii not be called upon for speech. ne ,, ~, he
celent health Is shown by ths iaet ma Nn y. y,
Sa,s New-York Cy and there attends ;r to
the demands OF small number OF ms o.. usii
Se fe@is hat In The matter OF public speaking ne
has already done hts share lie sag ysn, ,srs,y IN
a Tribune reporter speaking OF ms interest III
iaie az, 80 far removed from college matters that
am Unable TO maintain deep an interest IN ihls
as / should IKE TO- but ] feel so closely cohnec,rd
"a nr,,b he college by Ties OF relationship and per
sn,ni in,alfy mat / am by means Indifferent 10
IT, y'eifare always read with great interest ABOUT
whatever goes on ~ Yale whether athletic OF othI
'niiee. work rs concerned. | am always gao 10
49, az Wales successes but must confess my m
ahlity to n ke apa up Inc T'ih hh nan ''
" he veteran LAWYER IL no less proud OF his point
cal party associations than oil M corey os, rdent
lions lie says: II have always been in p,hican
Reuublcan. Before the days OF the itepupI'..ha
nsrfv / was always a Whig and even before lne
Whig party TOOK us name Io''u MN o,yen,ion
which nominated william Henry harrison , roi W.
Presidency have been reader OF me lr,n pu,JI
since the paper was s'ar'e Of Horac@ Greeley II
seems only yesterday That sa" MIN anu ~
with him. =, NH, go, 70 ,ork much
ahou, the party's nominee for the Presidency Ih.re
are sin several months before US. The party WIZ
make no mistake Whichever man IL SCI. s,f man
ono OF the Presidential candidates Is sly ,..i''
TO cad the party. and cdch mas petsohai IN Th"ra
terlstcs which make him cspeciay sfols., a.
aunaars 70 be go little difference between the al
,ld,ies In the matter OF their positions on poitcd
subjects that the question OF a selection, cvi'-9
down TO a consideration of personalities l believe
that me interference with the Mckinley bill by the
last Congress mas done Infinite mischief to the coun
~ r,c,e that success H. assured to the party
da,s when the uniform excellence OF the asprants
IN the honor is so pronounced. Will not be easy -
recently said In The Tribune that the subject was
one very near to his heart and that he would
grieve to see Brooklyn merged into New-fork ne
said Yesterday. u am not influenced IN tne iedst
nv party considerations in my position on the con
influenced bv party affairs and ! believe that "A
nea sure To II would seem gross mistake 10
destroy the identity Of great American city IKE
Brooklyn. which has been SO prosperous IN lne pa,
and which appears TO be growing In prosperity
wear by year | have seen Brooklyn grow from
a village Of 1000 inhabitants to a city OF more thah
| Ug 90 and am proud OF It's history.
Mr. Sllliman lives quietly at his home. at NO ."
Cllnton-st He has a large. well-selected library,
containing many valuable volumes on lay ana ms n1
OF hers and Is remarkably well Informed on all pres
ent-day topics