Richmond dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1884-1903, 1898-09-18
TIPPECANOE CLUB.
SKETCH OF THIS OLD TIME
POWERFUL WING ORGANIZATION.
AETI-BELLUM POLITICS RECALLED.
Interesting Meetings Held In the
Wigwam in This City-The Great
Campaign I'm Which Harrison and
Van Buren, Were Candidates.

WfRWam IN Inis SHy-h"e oTe"'
Campaign In which Harrison and
Van Buren, Were Candidates.
Having formerly given In the Dispatch
brief account of the organization Of the
Democratic Association OF Richmond, i
now purpose to sketch contemporary.
but more powerful one, which. under the
name of Tippecanoe Club. No. !, managed
for Richmond. and pretty much for Vir-
ginia. the whlg campaign of 1910.
/ The Eagle Tavern, so famed In its day
for hospitable cheer under Ned Hallam,
and later under Mauck its last proprietor,
was TO the elegant taverns Of the first
quarter of the century what the Jefferson
is to those that went before it.
1t was built on the square next above
the Brick Row. and surpassed in ampli-
tude of area and plenitude of attraction
the Union, the Bell, the Rising Sun, and
the Columbian, which were lower down
the city, and the Washington and the
Swan. the two then swell hotels Of
Shockoe Hill. II was in the Eagle that the
bellies and beaux of an early day assem-
bled at race-balls, concerts. shows,
where politicians met in caucus or con-
vention, where lotteries were drawn. in
short, It was a convenient centre round
which clustered fashionable shops, ele-
CANT dwellings, merchants stores, the
restoratives, and other establishments of
a questionable character. II was In this
tavern that Lafayette had been feted by
the elite OF the city, In a ballroom
hastily constructed over the quadrangle
lar court or yard, where 1900 ladies and
gentlemen lounged in the galleries, or
chassved in the cotillon. On the square
next above was Lynch's coffee-house.
famous resort for quid nuncs, who
went there not so much to sip coffee. or
to watch the turning Of the lottery wheel
as to hear the latest news, which then
came by the mails. Opposite the golden
eagle. which perched above the great en-
trance door of the tavern-winged as for
hight-was Brett's restorative. below
which came Early's, and near the middle
of the Brick Row, Beck's, famed for it's
good oysters. its confectionaries. and
dynamic shows
THE EAGLE FIRE.
In the severe winter Of 1898 fire broke
out at the Eagle, in the dead Of night, |
and extended itself as far down as Thir- |
teenth street and as far up as Duvaps
apothecary. The conflagration threaten
ed adjacent squares, and would have
swept them but for the fact that fire
loves a vacuum. The quadrangular court, |
by high walls, was as vast /
chimney, into which the flames fiexed, |
and were borne upwards harmless. The |
Fire Departmental volunteers then
worked heroically, as did many citizens
who came TO it's aid. The Blues were up
al night on guard; the veteran Captain
Samuel Freeman, familiar figure at all
fires, was seen on the housetops, and
John Early, of the nearby tavern, res
,ued, II was said, one or more persons
rom the flames. The ruins lay for more
han a year untouched, until the advent
IF circus company, who cleared up a
space, on which they erected tents. The
boys of that period, If any survive, will
remember Mr.. Cadwalader, who rode bare
back four wild horses, with his protege.
Master Glenroy atop Of his ample Shout
lers, and Mr. Derrius. who danced equal
o Ravel the tight-rope. and Joe Claveau,
he funniest clown ever seen in Rich
nond-not a painted one merely-but
,lown in or out of the ring. and clown
AT length the campaign Of 1910 brought
IN the scene showmen of higher charac-
er and of a more ambitious purpose. The
Wigs built huge log cabin on the spot
nv no
tory structure. that ran lengthwise and
with the scorched wall of Du-
ais apothecary. You descended from
lain street a few steps to the main door,
ver which was testooned in big, ever
reen letters the word Welcome" The
abled roof was of clapboards, the ground
trewed with understanding bark and
awdust. Benches Of plain boards, firmly
xed by supports, confronted on every
ide a platform, which. from its elevated
osition, commanded a view of the whole
Interior On the platform sat the officers
( Tippecanoe Club, No. flames Lyons,
resident; Peter W. Grubbs. vice-presi-
ent; Bartholomew Slade, secretary, be-
ides certain privileged persons. Badges
'ere usually worn by members of the
hub and snowy ribands by the commit
eemen. The display of these insignia or
llCt Invited the tduHlS VI the DeilOCIdlS, ,
tho said the simplicity of the logs re-
uired a corresponding simplicity in the
tire of the actors there. Ribands, stars,
nd garters belonged TO the hitalutin no
llity of England, and i'll became the dig ,
ity of an American city. The gentlemen
ressed in pig-tailed coats, with blue !.
bands pinned thereto, were sneeringly
allied 1.-THE Blue Riband Knights, NO. l."
1 have by me two badges like those
orn by the members. One OF these is a '
ltin print, with history. A log cabin +
shown in the foreground OF the pic '
ire, and above IL is seen fair portrait S
the hero OF Tippecanoe. Upon a simu- a
ted riband is inscribed the war-cry OF
le Wings: I
"Union for the sake of the Union"
The Young Mems Central Club-the only a
ne / shall be able TO notice-was COM
,sed of tho following representative citi-
ms: r. Barton Haxall, David Bridges
Gorge II. Tompklns, Samuel rutherford.
eter W. Grubbs Q. X. Streeter, DIR. Ro-
srt Munford, Titus c. Rice, and Jacob
Barnes. I
James Lyons was one of the most ac- |
We and influential members OF the Wing q
lrty of Virginia. He was the author or
e address Of the Wing State Convention o
1910 that pledged Harrison and Tyler
the political faith of Jefferson; 10 anti .
INK, anti-tariff, anti-internal improve =
ent, and other so-called Federal mea-
res. {
a host of Wing orators none :
ruck harder blows on the crest of Loco -
coism or upheld with frmer grasp the y
hig standard. That he was a thorn in
e sensitive Loco-foco skin may be in