The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1899-04-14
Little Attention Given the Remarks
and other Eminent Men.
RICHARD CROKER ALL SMILES
PROFUsELY DECORATED TABLES
ROBBED OF THEIR FLOWERS.
5000 Quarts Of Champagne, 5000
Quarts OF Light Wines, and 9th
er Drinks Consumed.

NEW YORK. April 13-The dinner Of the
Democratic Club in honor OF the annivers-
airy OF the birth OF Thomas Jefferson was
held tonight at the Metropolitan Opera
House. Looking from the tiers 10 the floor
of the vast dining hall the tables seemed
like great beds OF roses. The thirty-two
tables were on either side of the speakers
table. Either table was piled with mass
of roses and ferns intertwined. So abund-
ant were the flowers that some Of the guests
were hardly able 10 see each other over the
floral banks. Swans and vases of alabaster
held flowers; there were cornucopas or
horns of plenty filled with flowers and fruit.
and the scene was set of with ribbons OF
cardinal silk.
The floor of the auditorium was raised TO
level with that Of the stage by a tenn
porary floor, making one rectangular room
OF immense size. The tables were set In
rows parallel with Thirty-ninth and Fortieth
streets. The guests OF honor were at two
tables set about under the proscenium arch
and at right angles TO the other tables. The
stage was set with a gorgeous palace scene
Of the court of Louis XIV. Four great cleo
trio chandeliers lighted up the picture.
Conspicuously placed at the west end of the
dining hall was the inscriptions: Jefferson
-1743-1S99. Democratic Club" This was
composed of incandescent lights. Ii sur
rounded picture of Thomas Jefferson. Tall
silver candelabra, with shades harmonizine
with the floral effect, were on all the tables
The guests began to arrive at o'clock.
but the dinner did not begin for an hour and
a half after that Captain Price, OF the
Tenuerloin. and forty-two policemen were
in and around the building. A Gordon OF
bicycle policemen surrounded the building
A l. 49,
a threat was made to blow up the buildina
during the dinner, seemed to have made tha
police unusually vigilant. A number OF de-
tective sergeants in evening dress mingled
with the guests to see that no unbidden per-
son might enter. There were a number OF
firemen also on guard to prevent any danger
from fire. Inside the building was an army
of ushers and attendants. These wore a
drab uniform with silver buttons.
1,s00 AT THE TABLES.
Just before the guests were called to or
der Richard Croker, Perry Belmont. Com
missioner Scanned and Commissioner Sex
ton entered box. Mr.. Croker was I'm en-
thusiastic conversation with those about
him and waved his hand TO guests all over
the hall There were fully three hundred
more guests than the 1,50o planned for. but
all found seats. This is said TO be the larg-
est number ever accommodated at banquet
in the history of the city. The great dinner
TO President Mckinley at the waldorf-As-
toria was served TO only nine hundred.
The band struck up Hail TO the Chief"
at 7:3O o'clock. and Richard Croker, arm-in-
arm with John Stanchheld. marched down
the aisle. With them were Frederick &.
Schraub, Robert Il. Roosevelt, Gen. ]. Cat
lin and Amos ]. Cummings.
The banquet was called a ten-dollar din
ner. The first thing on the menu was oyster
cocktail Soups. mushrooms. brook trout.
sherry and cucumbers followed. Then came
spring lamb and Bermuda potatoes. Pontet
Canet claret, sweet breads. new green peas
and Democratic Club punch followed
Stuffed Philadelphis squad and champagne
were next in orier. followed by American
salad, tutu frutti, fancy forms, assorted
cakes. strawberry tartlets. cheese. fruit. cof-
fee and Apollinaris. white rock Three
thousand quarts OF champagne and $3.50
quarts Of various light wines were on hand
To serve the 1900 diners l3O walters were
kept busy from the dozen serving stations
Sixty-one men had nothing TO do from the
beginning 10 the end of the feast except
serve wine to the diners. There was a
buffet luncheon for the occupants OF boxes
and to attend TO the wants of these twenty
five men were provided. In the great kitch-
en-. constructed in the opera house carriage
entrance in Thirty-ninth street, forty cooks
and two chefs toiled at the huge range most
OF the day.
The service Of the menu was excellent.
but some confusion was caused by some
of the diners stripping the tables Of flowers
and ribbons and throwing them TO the wom-
en- in the boxes. Mr.. Croker held a levee
just before the regular speechmaking be-
gan. Mr.. Croker shook hands cordially with
everybod and smiled as man after man
congratulated him upon the success OF the
| dinner. The confusion was very great. As
the time drew near for making the speeches
the orators were almost discouraged at the
prospect OF making themselves heard.