New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1901-07-10
SPA7E MUSES. AND LOSES.
DELICATE CLASS DISTINCTIONS IN HIS
CHAIR SCHEME.
WATCHES HIS ATTENDANTS DEFIED WHILE
HE MEDITATEs ON MANS INGRATI-
TUDE EIGHT ARRESTS IN
MADISON SQUARE PARK

Fights and brawls continued yesterday over
the Spate pay chairs in Madison Square In
spite of the reserve force of fifteen policemen.
the crowd played pitiful havoc with the at
tendants of the chairs. and appropriated the
seats at their will. half dozen arrests were
made in the course OF the day and two
in the evening After reading about the
riots of Monday Commissioner Clausen said
yesterday that he still believed the public
wanted the contractors chairs. and that he
would not revoke the contract Oscar F. Spate
sat in one of his chairs all day and counted up
his expenses in a brewers account book
The fights that occurred yesterday were not
attended with the same demonstration on the
part of the crowd as previous days. The
encounters were more OF personal nature. and
the blows exchanged were between some occu-
pant Of Spate chair who did not wish to pay,
and the attendant. The crowd was held in awe
by the police who Immediately charged it at any
provocation.
One incident in the renting Of the chairs
which caused considerable comment the
conspicuous part played by certain individ-
uals who appeared 10 pay for their seats One
of these persons would take a seat and them
when the crowd began to jeer him. would rise
TO his feet, search his pockets for some time,
pull out the desired nickel. and then seat him
self again with the greatest degree OF comfort.
After this kind OF a performance had been
watched by the crowd several times some one
cried:
That's bluff
CALLED HIM A DECoY-
Hes a decoy duck" shouted another.
"Spate gave him the change was the cry ot
a third.
At the mention OF the name Spate man
about nifty years old. dressed in loose black
clothes low black shoes and white socks. turned
around inouistively and resumed his study Of
a small account book He was seated on the
end seat .f the row of spate chairs near Madi-
son-ave. There was expression OF detection
in the lines Of the round face which drew
more tightly together as he continued adding
up the figures in the account book On inquiry
II was learned that the man in the end seat was
none other than Oscar F. Spate.
After Mr. Spate had finished adding up the
last column and had struck the balance sheet
with a still more melancholy look, he was asked
by a Tribune reporter;
Are you not somewhat discouraged over your
enterprise?"
AT present am somewhat discouraged was
the answer but I expect to come out all right
in the end. NV chairs have not had a fair
trial.
"Do YOU think. then, that the people want
them in their parks?
IT believe a certain class OF people want
them was the reply; that is. the people OF
means and refinement. They do not want 10 sit
herded in with lot of people whom they do
not know. and with whom they do not wish TO
associate. This class that I speak Of is the
leisure class which in this city is very large
These chairs are not for the working people.
then?'
mo That is at once evident. if you see the
kind of people sitting in them now The labor
ing classes at this time of the day are away at
their places of work. 1t is the roughs and the
deadbeats that are around here raising all this
trouble They are the ones who have beaten
my attendants and taken possession OF my
chairs 7 do not understand why I cannot be
protected in my experiment, but. on the other
hand. the people wish to cater 10 do not ap-
preciate my ideas"
lust then two young men seated themselves