The copper country evening news. [volume] (Calumet, Mich.) 18??-1907, 1898-06-15
air. NEW YORK LETTER
.,.rs ABOUT PouLTNEY BIoELow,
rue CRITIC OF OUR ARMY.
,.,hsr Was John Bigelow, Journalist,
n.,,,,oIsu, diplomat and Friend Of Sam
ridden = Mrs. Pouitney Bigeiow
Her Literary Work.

,,.,.,.n. diplomat and Friend of Sam
I. Tiiden Mrs. Pouitney Bigeiow
usr Literary Work.
xvw YORK, June 15.-[Special. lit
ms that Poultney Bigeiow's name will
SUI so,vu His criticism of the troops in
Nv and their condition Is likely TO adj
IT, .,.o him far more effectually than did
'nulsion from Russia in 1891 or the
aid shoulder alleged to have been present.
' ~ - him by Kaiser Wilhelm In 1892.
81 poultncy Bigelow is thorough cosmop-
me- n ever there was one, In spite Of his
american parentage. He became citizen
q Tho world through the fact that his ia
w. long a member of our diplomatic
M sr;ce lived abroad for many years, and
at,,rolly i'm the circumstances perhaps,
uiS',aatcj his son at foreign schools. 1t was
sSno he was attending the same gymna-
w. IN Berlin as the then kaiser's grand
that Poultney Bigelow became ac-
tainted with the reigning kaiser, and 1t
y highly probable that the resulting
s5ondsbin had good deal to do with
p,.,lo,v's prcsent characteristics. Whether
Ind the kaiser are now good friends or
M q a matter on which the public is
ot ooll informed. There was certainly
~ ;rterruution to their friendship seven
.'nors aco when the American went to
parlin as agent of lot of life insurance
,oronanies and attempted To .'work" the
taiser on the strength of their school fell
lowship.
The Elder Bigelow.
robn Bigelow, the father of Poultney,
was both n politician and ltery fell
ler - Uewas editor of the New York Even
;rg Post for nine years before the civil war,
and he served his country during the con-
tinuanco of that struggle at Paris, first as
consul and later as minister After APP
nomattox he devoted himself mainly to
fine PRODUCTION of really able books of
American biography etc, One 81 his most
important pieces of work was the editing
Of Samuel J. Tilden's speeches.
It's interesting that living in France So
long as he did John Bigelow chose TO send
his son TO German school, though this
NAV be accounted for perhaps 10y the fact
that the imperial French government to
which he was accredited fell soon after his
term of diplomatic service expired. AT all
events. he seemed TO have intended that
his son should be journalist, like his ia
ther before him, and there are reporters
walking Park row today who have worked
alongside Poultney, writing up public
meeting one night, murder the next and
perhaps a scandal the next.
Possibly it was the promiscuous nature
Of the all round reporters work that
switched young Bigelow into other chan
nels, though some who know him well de-
clare his descrton of journalism was more
probably due TO the severity and steadi-
ness Of effort required A all events his
veportorial career was q short one.
After It's close he went into business as
the publisher of magazine devoted TO
outside sports but while it was perhaps
an artistic success under his management
the financial showing was highly unsatis-
factory, and he sold out after conducting
the periodical few months only
Mrs. PouItney BigeIow.
This was late in the eighties, and his
marriage to the fascinating Miss Jaffray,
granddaughter of one of New York S most
famous and successful merchants, was al
most c0incident with his abandonment of
the publishers role.
As young woman Miss Jaffray, a most
beautiful girl by the bye, moved in the
inner social circles of this city. She was
also clever as well as comely, and soon aft
or her marriage she branched out into lit
erature on her own account, her first book
naturally being study of New York life
IN the form of fiction. 1t was offered TO
the world at about the same time as the
Hrst work OF those other two New York
society women who have gone In for liter
azure, Mrs. Burton Harrison and Mrs
VA, van RENSSELAER, Cruger Cullen Gordon).
while Mrs. Bigelow's fiction could hardly
DC considered on par with theirs, still it
possessed acknowledged merit and met
with such degree of success as to tempt
heF 10 the making of two or three subse
gueht literary ventures, all of which were
iNorably noted by the critics and have en-
Joyed respectable sales.
AS glrl Miss Jaffray gave no special
promise of literary ability. She was
slea' reader, to be sure, and her favorite
oooAs were found among those which are
vlineu standard, but the writing instinct
was not aroused until after she had be-
volne member of literary family by
ns'lIlage' Aside from pronounced love
az ~ social life her most notable character
as'.o before marriage was fondness for
oIIuoor amusements, and she was known
." an Vle Oh the most expert horsewomen in
all New York.
Writer and Traveller.
Al 4. was said when she took up her pen
Una IiaO MI Bigelow had permanently laid
ms aside Time proved otherwise, how
tt e', ana II was not long before he began
ee contribution of articles on important
sOpcs 10 the magazines. 1t was while en-
saeeu In the collection of magazine ma
I'Ial tnat hew ordered out of the cars
SSoniihions His magazine work since then
a Ias Oeen voluminous and valuable, espe-
Saly when he has let American topics Sc
tseleV alone His white Mans Africa,
o ~. Instance, was exceedingly cnlightening
n aa written in clear, direct and fasci-
III ir blgelow must have been very well
tba. neu as reporter in spite of the fact
a," "v MS training was brief, since these
as other papers which he has prepared
Con- making extended journeys through
,,y oes little known have shown excep-
s s'onai ability both to gather facts and pre-
III MI. .hem attractively. Whenever he has
ha ,','en on American subjects, however,
no..