Abilene weekly reflector. [volume] (Abilene, Kan.) 1888-1935, 1901-02-21
THAT WALDORF BANQUET.
Charlie Case Writes an lntsresting
Dissertation Of the Affair.

Charlie Case Writes an lntereatlng
Description Of tho Affair.
ChaEles Case is striking the high
places in the east. He was with Sen.
ator Burton, the only Kansas man a
guest at the New York Republican
club banquet on Lincoln day at the
Waldori-Astoria. He writes home
this very interesting story OF the
evening:
New YORK CRY, Feb. l3.-I came
up yesterday late in the afternoon and
went at once to the Waldorf and,paid
my respects to Senator Burton, who
was very nice to ME. He introduced
me to a Col. Blair OF the city and
also to Mr.. Cochrpe whom l believe
is general solicitor Of the Missouri
Pacific with headquartersa at St. Louis.
remained there but short time.
Came up to the Westminster and saw
Mr.. Ramsey. Then dressed in my
dress suit, took cab (not carr and
went back to the Waldorf. Arriving
there at $50 | went to Senator Bur
tons room and together with Mr..
Cochrane, Col. Blair and Arson Nc
Cook went down to the reception
room. There met another McCook
James Blanchard, Cornelius Bliss and
a host of others. About 1880 we pro-
ceeded to the banquet room and as
the guests in advance, the club men,
bers following, marched by twos and
threes into the room, the orchestra
away up in the pot the court struck
up 1.-THE Blue and the Gray March"
which was very appropriate num-
Der.
The guests about 20 in number, in
GLIDING me, were placed in one end
of the room on slightly raised plat
form with a long table, the club
members taking seats, six at table,
below in front.
Printed menus, a program giving
the list Of invited guests, the speakers
and the club members were given
out. My name on the card was Hon.
Charles A. Case (AhemD. Well, !
bore up as well as possible under the
strain Of SO high cognomen and felt
at ease at once.
On my right was the Rev. DR.. Pur-
Wis, formerly Of Princeton, with
whom had very pleasant converse
ton. On my left, Mr.. Cochrane, next
to him was Senator Hanna and follow
ing were Senator Burton, $50 you see
we were next the band wagon, Hon.
John Baldwin. Hon. Hugh Miller Of
Virginia, Attorney General Griggs,
the POSTMASTER, Gen. Tremaine, Sem
ator Thurston, Senator Depew and
Whitelaw Reid. The club members
numbered over 500 and you can i'm
agiue what an interesting affair it was,
met and shook hands with Senat-
ors Depew, Thurston and Hanna.
The room itself was beautiful. The
effect produced by the countless in
candescents on the red and gold trim.
mines or appointments Of the room
was dazzling, the paper being red and
the frescoing in gold. In the upper
part Of the court were numerous boxes
which were occupied by the ladies
and which, all in all, was a glorious
spectacle to gaze upon.
The meeting opened with an invo-
cation by DR.. Purvis. Gen. Tremaine
folio we'd with a brief address and in
troduced John M. Baldwin OF Omaha
who responded to the toast abraham
Lincoln" which, all arising, was
drunk in silence. 1t was the finest
speech | ever heard and it was given
in very fine manner. Mr.. Baldwin
is a short, thick set man with a
strong face and an orator through
and through. His speech though
short was what ! would call an epic
prose masterpiece, full Of beautiful
and inspiring flashes Of eloquence and
beautiful phrases combined with
many terse sentences, finely rounded
in form as well. A deafening APP
plause greeted him at the close. Sen.
Hanna spoke but briefly yet was good
though he isn't an orator. | liked
his looks very much and you should
have seen all pay homage to him,
Senator Burton spoke but briefly as
he is laid up with the grip His re-
marks were were good. Senator
Depew made a fine address, drawing
an analogy between Lincoln and John
Marshall. Senator Thurston gave an