Mexico weekly ledger., 1897-02-11

nouncing the coming Bradley Martin
fancy dress ball. The multi-million-
aire, who wears a $12 suit of clothes
and makes one hat last several sea-
sons, is reused to a high pitch of in
dignation by the proposal that s24o,-
600 shall be spent for such purpose.
"Think of it," Mr.. Sage said; "s240,-
600 shall be spent for such a purpose!"
"Think of it,'' Mr.. Sage said; "$240,-
600 to enable a crowd of silly young
people and a crowd of gray-haired
persons who ought to know better to
prance and caper and disport them
selves to the amazement of the men
and women of New York.
"I knew Bradley Martins father,
Henry I. Martin, when We were both
poor boys, and when he slaved 16 or
IS hours day for $5 week. 1 saw
him force his way ahead in life, al
ways thinking first of his God and of
those near and dear to him. knew
Mrs. Martins father, Isaac Sherman,
a man of the same stamp. Good
heavens! This would make both men
turn in their graves if they heard of
It'll"
Mr.. Sage approved DIR. Rainsford's
course, and spoke of the danger of
ostentatious display at the present
time.
In several pulpits Sunday the ball
was also referred to by implication.
DIR. Rainsford did not say anything
about it to the disappointment of
many who had expected he would.
Rev. Chas. Eaton, of the Church of
the Divine Paternity, incidentally re-
ferred to lavish expenditure of money
at this time, and Rev. Madison Peters,
of Bloomindale Reformed Church,
dealt with "The Extravagances of the
Rich" Rev. A. @. Dixon also upheld
DIR. Rainsford.
| Meantime the preparations for the
ball are rapidly progressing.
The money which the Bradley Mar
tins are SO lavishly expending, was
made by Isaac Sherman, Mrs. Mar
tins father, to whom Russell Sagere
fers- Sherman was the SON OF q coop
or, and in his early days followed the
same trade in the western part of this
State. He amassed $10o, 900 and came
to New York, where he invested it in
government bonds and railroad
shares, and soon built up big for
tune.
He had one child, Nellie, who at
tended Miss Macouley's school, the
fashionable young ladies' school OF
the day. Her intimate friend then
was Miss Margaret Louise Vanderbilt,
and when Miss Vanderbilt married
Col. Elliott F. Shepard, Nellie Sher-
man was one of the bridesmaids,
There she met Bradley Martin, whose
father, Henry 1. Martin, was one oi
the ablest lawyers in Albany, was
then an officer in one of the Albany
banks, and an aid-de- camp on Gov
Fenton's staff.
He was not rich, but was connected
with several of the best known fam.
lilies of the western and central part
of the State and in Massachusetts. He
fell in love with Nellie Sherman, an6
two or three years after the Shepard
wedding married her. He at once
gave up his place in tine Albany bank
and associated himself in business ir
New York with his father in law
Mr.. Sherman was then regarded az
one of the shrewdest and honestesi
financiers on Wall street.
He was consulted on the financia
problems of the civil war by Secretary
Chase and President Lincoln himself
1t was thought that he was worth
about 81 800, 900, but after his death i
was confidently believed that he hat
left S10,000,000 at least. All of thii
went to his daughter, Mrs. Martin
Then began those lavish expenditures
and splendid entertainments, the his
tory of which is the history of New
York society in it's modern develop
ment.
The Martin residence was remodel
ed and transformed into one of thu
handsomest private houses in New
York. The family began entertaining
society on a magnificent scale. 4
residence was purchased in Scotland
and soon the family became as vel
known inEuropean fashionable water
ing places as in New York. Then
four years ago, came the marriage o
Miss Martin to Earl Craven, of Eng
land. Since then the Martins hav,
, spent great deal OF their tim,