Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1900-02-09
Written for The Evening Star.

slow to appreciate DR.. Depew's considera-
ton for the press, and he studiously avoids
encroaching upon his time any more than
| is possible. When a reporter rings DR.. De-
pews door bell at midnight he is admitted
and accorded as regal reception as II he
mad made his appearance at o'clock in the
afternoon. DIR. Depew is never perturbed
Not infrequently has he displayed his good
nature even under such trying circum-
stances, by sitting in his pajamas and re-
calling his nocturnal visitor with one of the
good stories such as he can tell.
Another Good One.
An old New York newspaper man. who is
spending the winter in Washington, relates
this story illustrating DR.. Depew's quick
perception. and also as a novel experience
of interviewing the distinguished after-din-
ner orator by telephone:
Shortly after Anna Gould was welded
to Count Castellane one of Brooklyn's
perennial crop of reformers, Mirabeau l..
Towns by name, rushed into print with
articles demanding legislation which should
prevent American girls with money tying
themselves up to foreign titles About 10
O'Clock one night the Journal received
from Its Albany correspondent dispatch
announcing that Towns had drafted bill.
which would be introduced into the general
assembly the following day, imposing a
tax on the dowries of all New York heir
esses who should marry foreign noblemen.
The news editor turned it over to the night
city editor because of its having local
his neck in copy Of all sorts. He glanced
hurriedly over the dispatch, then turned
to me, calling me by name, and said:
Here's a funny thing. Chase up to DR..
Depew's and see what he thinks of such a
law. He will surely have something witty
to say about it
Now, the night city editor. who is
warm friend of DIR. Depew's. did not look
at the clock, or he would never have sent
me out on that chase. 1t was then 1890,
and it would take the greater part of an
hour to reach DR.. Depew's house-and then
he might be in bed. Was this of enough
importance to awaken him? queried my
self. Finally l thought the better thing to
do would be to call up DIR. Depew's house
by telephone, find out IL he were there and If
he would see me in an hour. l went over
to Perry's drug store. in the Sun building,
and rang up the Depew home. The servant
who answered wanted to know who 1t was
talking and told her. During the domestic
II oubles of Willie X. Vanderbilt and his
wife now Mrs. Belmont, had, for at one
time covering period of more than three
months, been a daily caller upon DIR. De-
pew. 1 requested the servant to ask DIR.
Depew if he would be at home in about an
hour and would see me. kept my ear TO
the receiver. and in few moments l was
surprised to hear the voice of Dr. Depew
himself.
Hello, he said, calling me by name. Il
shall be here in an hour but why can't We
fix things up over the telephone and save
you a trip up here?
II assured him that 1 was sorry to i'm
pose on his good nature and thanked him
for his thoughtfuiness in saving me jour-
ney to his home
DIR l said, the Journal has just re-
ceived word from Albany that Mirabeau l..
Towns will tomorrow have introduced into
the legislature a bill imposing tax upon
the dowries of all New York heiresses who
may marry foreign noblemen The Journal
would like to know what. in your opinion,
would be the result II such bill should be-
come a law.
"His reply was prompt.
why said he, the only result / can
see is that New York heiresses who wish
to marry foreign noblemen will likely go
over Jersey City or to Newport to we'd
But he continued. with laugh that
was audible over the telephone, I wish you
would quote me as being heartily in favor
of any measure that will keep American
money at home
without stopping to give any serious
thought, DIR. Depew's quickness of per-
ception saw at once the fimsiness and in
consistency Of the measure. The interview
made about stick and appeared on the
first page of the Journal the next morning
The bill was never introduced. Had been
sent to some men in New York-some who
rank high lawyers and jurists-they
would have wanted, time to consult the
Revised Statutes and volumes of decisions
before venturing an opinion"
At the Ladies' Service.
II remember of being sent to interview
DIR. Depew in the early part of 1885," said
another former New York newspaper man.
He had just returned from Montpelier,
where the day before he had addressed the
annual convention of the League of Repub-
lican Clubs of Vermont. He sat in rock
ing chair in his den on the second floor of
his home and was opening accumulation
of mail.
Come in; I'm glad to see YOU he said,
as he grasped my hand cordially and bade
me take seat on the sofa.
"'Do you know he continued, that re-
ceive on an average about half dozen let
tiers day asking for my autograph. They
"'You ought to try and please the ladies,
"'Well. 1 usually do. 1t takes only
short time, and give them my autograph
he replied.
II covered my assignment and was
about to depart, when he said:
Hold on minute. Sit down; want to
talk with you
II resumed my seat.
DO you know he continued, have
just returned from what believe to be the
best time / ever had in my life. I went up
to Montpelier with DR.. Webb to attend the
convention Of the League Of Republican
Clubs of Vermont and made a speech. You
know. do that sometimes
This last sentence was followed by a
smile. and then he became serious.
Different at Home.
at was different from here in New
York. Here l make speech at De!monl-
cos. or some other place, and you news
paper boys are the only ones who give me
attention. It's an old story here. Ny
friends know that they can read in the
newspapers the next morning what say
tonight, and they don't care whether they
listen to me or not. But up at Montpelier
we did have good time. There were 1900
delegates and guests present, and every
one listened to me attenuvely. 1t gives in
spiration to person to have an audience
like that
| : -" The occasion was called a banquet but
1t was conducted on different lines than our
New York banquets. The whole LOO of us
stood around the long tables and helped
ourselves to cold turkey. baked pig and
other Wholesome and toothsome edibIes,
fresh from the farms of the granite site
1t brought me back to the days when / was
a boy in Peekskill There are thousands
L of business men In NeJr York who don't