Richmond dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1884-1903, 1902-09-20
A Gentleman He Was.

fNew York Commercially
AT the Calumet Club last night an old
time friend of Nicholas Fish. the banker,
who WAS killed in an Eightil-.Avenue bar
room under such distressing circum-
stances Monday afternoon, related some
incidents illustrating the strong points in
the character Of the dead diplomatist. and
more especially his rather chivalric tenn
s3cament and the natural kindliness of
his heart
Nick Fish, he said. was extremely
sympathetic, and as l knew him in his
younger days he would often so far out
of his way TO do some small act of kind
ness that the less thoughtful men among
us would never dream of doing.
'"Twentyore years ago next month
was with the New York party that went
down 10 Yorktown to help dedicate the
monument in commesnoration of the vic
tory over Lord CORVALLIS. Most Of our
crowd was made up of Union Club men
and friends of Walker Blaine. then Third
Assistant Secretary Of State under his
father, in Arthur's characterization
Webb. Ely Goddard. Boerum Wetmore.
William p Talboys, Major Adams, onc
Minister TO Bolivia, and many others.
Nick Fish was in the party, too, during
Inucn Of the ij,ne. He was just back from
his mission a: Charge d'Affaires to the
Swiss Confederation. It took the 'dedi-
caters l.Lar!y four days 10 set back from
Yorktown. They were entertained elabo-
rately in Richmond Washington, Balti-
more and at other points. and travelled in
a special train under Secretary Blaine s
charge John ChaInberlin was doing the
catering act all the while, and opening
State Department wine on the slightest
provocatian.
On the road somewhere between Rich
mond and Washington late in the after
noon Ely Goddard brought Governor
Plaisted, of Maine, and his staff. back into
our New York car; with him, 100, were
Cyrus w. Field, Archibald Forbes, ana
several other notables. The wine flowed
freely and John Thomas. collector OF me
port of Baltimore ard Mayor Latrobe OF
that town. having got hungry, and dinner
being still two hours off, suggested that
the party ali go foraging for grub at the
trains next stop IT held up for water
about ten minutes later at little country
station.
"A dozen or more darkies-men. girls.
and boys-were there selling fried ch'ck-
en-. fried fish, grapes, pies and apples 'os
lunches We bought out their Whote sIocsA
and then pitched nickelS INTO the sailu io i
the black boys to scramble Tor. linen we
got to throwing the fruit and pastry ~
Inc CROWD IN Inc Ststtioit aA1 -. NS'N'-
er. Just as the train was pulling ou'
Nick Fish fred a small pumpkin pic from
the rear platform. II hit a big. fat black
boy plump in the face. soft side on. The
spectacle was comical enough. to be sure,
but Nick looked grave instantly. He
was painful. sorry. Walker he SAID q
the assistant secretary. can't you
stop this train9' IT took nearly flve mn
utes 10 get the necessary permission from
Secretary Blaine.
.srhen the train backed slowly Gown Gown q !,
the setatioo again. and we ali got out.
There was the boy still scrap'ng The
pIran,tif. bic OF OF his face and clothes,
Nick, went up 10 him, put his arm ten
Derry around his shoulders and appapgi2ea
for his osg,, ,udeness Then he drew ny
visiting card from case. hastily scrip.