The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1899-02-25
ROYAL WINES.
Tammany Stocks Its Cellars
With Rare Old Drinks.
Wonderful Lot of COrdiaIs and
Champagnes Gathered.
BLUE SEAL OF RHINE.
From the Emperor's Preserves
at $12 Per Quart.
Preparing a Banquet at Which
1000 Will Feast.

New York, Feb. 25.-Being prosper
Gus, Tammany, as represented by the
Democratic club, is living on the fat of
the land. The Democratic club has just
stocked it's cellars with rare old wines,
gathered from all parts of the earth, at
a cost of $4,000
Mr.. Cookers club agents have gone
to private cellars that have been fam
GUS for years because of the. superb
vintages they have concealed. Only the
best has been taken
Chief of the collectors were George
T. Davidson, chairman of the house
committee, and Judge Charles H.
Truax, who is acknowledged to be one
of the most expert judges of wines in
the country. They have been at work
less than a year, but in that time they
have accomplished wonders, chief of
which is the acquisition of the only
dozen bottles in the United States of
Johannisberger cabinet blue seal Rhine
wine, of the vintage of 1866, Prince Met
ternich bottling.
This prize they offer at $12 a quart,
which they think is a moderate price
when it is considered that royalty has
first claim on the vintage; that the
vineyard on which the grapes are
pressed is practically a royal preserve,
consisting of only twelve acres. and
bottle of the same wine was offered for
sale was $40. Emperor William and
his favorites and Richard Croker and
his Tammany friends are now the sole
controllers of this grand intoxicant.
Royal cellars were searched with
eagerness in the interest of the Croker
club. From the cellars of the Duke of
Nassau came Rhine wines that are val
ued as highly as the JOhannisberger.
Those are the Steinberger cabinet, 1862,
and the same of the vintage of 1865.
Even in the gathering of it's wine the
Democratic club had to triumph over
it's suffering rival-the Manhattan. One
of the costliest treasures now in it's
possession is Burgundy that lay in the
Manhattan cellars unpaid for in the
days of adversely. Judge Truax knew
of the chance to get the wine for the
Croker organization and promptly
took it.
In obtaining rare champagne the
club was remarkably successful. On its
lists are three Of the rarest of today
ST. Marceaux, Brut, 1884 a Moet and
ChandOn and a Perier Jouet of the same
year. Tammany's money kings, in
their Fifth avenue palace, can liven
their friends with these at $3.50 a quart.
If they found such treasures elsewhere
the price would be So. OF Bordeaux
coming from the cellars of the late Sir
c.. Il. Lowther.
Best of the Bordeaux are Chateau
Lafitte, 1865; Chateau Mouton Rot
ScnllO, 1874, CndJeau LanJIe, 1865, ana
Chateau Lafitte, 1877. There is rare
Madeira that was once the property of
Sir c. B. Lowther brandy that has been
aging since 1866, and is worth So a bot
tie.
ON the Tammany drinking list now
are 10 kinds of champagne and as many
Of red Bordeaux, six kinds of white
Bordeaux, dozen varieties of red
Burgundy and five of white, II kinds
Of Rhine wine, Z of Moselle, l of Hun
garian, L of Italian, 4 of sherry, of
Madeira and of port. Six kinds of
brandy are on the list. Fourteen kinds
of rye whisky, against two brands of
bourbon, indicate the preponderance of
club favor. Scotch whisky of seven
kinds is above Irish, which has only
two representa- tives.
Great achievements and expenditures
are now the rule with Tammany men.
Next on their programme of magnifi-