The Portland daily press. [volume] (Portland, Me.) 1862-1921, 1899-04-14
Richard Croker Was
Very Happy.
Most of Guests Quit After Van
Wyck Speech.

/ New York, April l3.-The dinner Of the
Democratic club In honor of the ami.
versary Of the birth of Thomas Jefferson
was held tonight at the Metropolitan
Op,ra House, Looking from the tiers to
the floor of the vast dining hall. the
tables seemed like great beds Of roses.
The thirty two tables were on either
sid, of the two guests tables Each table
was piled with q iuass Of roses1 and ferns.
of the guests were hardly able TO sse each
other over the floral banks. Oornucopias
or horns of plenty filled with flowers and
fruit were there and the scene was set on
by ribbons of cardinal silk.
The floor Of the auditorium was raised
to a level with that of the stage by a
Temporarily floor. making one rectangular
room Of Immense size.
The guests Of honor were at two tables
set about under the proscenium arch anG
ut right angles to the other tables. The
stage was set with gorgeous palace scene
of the court of Louis XIV. Four great
electric chandeliers lighted up the picture.
Conspieuously placed at the west end OF
the dining hall was the inscription COM
posed of incandecsnt lights Jefferson,
l743-1s99, Democratic Club. "
1t surrounded picture Of Thomas
jefferson.
Perry Belmont, president Of the Demo-
cratic club. stood in the grand tier and
commenting upon the scene as the guests
assembled, said: 4a
s.'This is cer tainly beaetifuI scene,
but rather too many flowers for a dinner
for men. I'm afraid the Democrats out
West will misconstrue 1t. We patronized
the local florist and we spent. money in
order to give plenty of people employ
ment, but there is no doubt Of 1t that
there are too many flowers for Democratic
simplicity"
The guests began TO arrive at O'Clock,
but dinner did not begin for an hour and
a half after that. Captain Price OF the
Tenderloin and AZ policemen were in and
around the building. A Gordon of bicycle
policemen surrounded the building. The
crank leever of few days ago in which a
threat was made to blow up the building
during the dinner. seemed to have made
the police unusually vigilant A number
of detective ssrgeants in evening dress
mingled with the guests to see that no
unbidden person might enter. 1here
we're "a number of tiremen ais o on daty to
prevent any danger from fire.
Some Of the boxes were occupied as
early as seven o. CLOCK but the tiers were
tnr m
Fanloullis orchestra of fifty pisces was
early in It's station.on:the righ of grand the
tier. The Seventy -nrst Regiment panu
played rs the guests entered.
Judge Stiner, Commissioner York and
Scannel and several Others prominent In
the Democratic club, received the guests
and gave each welcome.
Just before the guests were called 70
order, Richard Croker, Perry Belmont
and Commissioner Sexton arrived. MT.
Croker was In enthusiastic conversation
with those about him and waved his hand
| to the guest all over the hall.
There were fully three hundred more
guests than the 1900 planned for. but all
| found seats. This made total OF loOo
guests 1t is said to be the largest num-
Dsr ever accommodated nt banquet IN
the history of this city. The band struck
| up Hail to the Chief" at T5O O'CLOCK
and Richard Croker, arm in arm with
| .JOhn SCanCuu6iu udICucd doWh tho oAASS
with them were Frederick q. Schrauo,
Robert b. Roosevelt, Gen. J. Catlin,
Amos ]. Cummings and John W. kelies
AS the procession marched up the aisle
the word "Club" in the illuminated In
| soription Democratic Club OH the
| stage, vanished, the current having eesn
turned OF either by accident or intention
ally. 1t left only "Democrativ."
This happened several times during the
evening.
The only absent guest was Senator
Mackey Of Buffalo.
The service of the menu was excellent,
| but some confusion was caused by some
of the diners stripping the tables o.
flowers and ribbons and throwing tnen
to the women in the boxes.
MIR. Croker held levee just befors tht
regular speech making began. The con
fu sion was very great at ten O'CLOCK ~
the time drew near for making tht
speeches. The oratets were almost dis