The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1902-03-02
PASSING OF FRENCHT.
An Artist In Fish Sandwiches Has Left
the Upper West Side.

Residents Of the neighborhood about
Sixty-frst street and Ninth avenue are
mourning the departure Of Frenchy. the
man who could fry fish better than any
one else on the upper West Side.
For years Frenchy. who was known by
no other name TO his patrons, kept a res
taurant just west OF Ninth avenue on Sixty
first street. behind the saloon on the corner.
There he cooked nothing but fish and
o~ysters; but he cooked them to perfection.
His fish sandwich was one of the insti-
buttons OF the locality. Day and night
but especially at night, his little estaurant
was a study in black and white. the popula-
ton In that region being largely colored
and even the doctors and nurses from
Roosevelt Hospital would drop in occa-
sionauy for q bag Of his hot Ash sand
wiohes.
The little place was always immaou-
lately clean. with snowy table linen. and
either Frenchy OF his wife did the cooking
They filed a great frying pan two thirds
full of fat and the fish was cooked by the
heat Of the fat in which it foated.
To this method ~Frenchy's old customers
credit the d~electableness Of his fried fish
When done tho fish was served hot be-
tween two slices OF bread, without butter.
A sign on the wall said. "Gent!emen
desiring butter will pay the waiter FIVE
cents extra
Frenchy's assortment Of signs would
have reioiced the heart OF the college boys,
who collect such curios. Please pay the
waiter before you are served and. If
you want TO be served. pay the waiter
when you order were the most salient
ones.
The patrons Of the place. the reputable
as we'll as the opposite, we're very much
disgusted when Frenchy adopted this rule.
II Id boen one of the attractions OF the
place 10 SOC Freuchy and his wife deal with
~ IeCalcitraIt customer, who gobbled his
sandwich, and then Tefu scd to pay, ,r
tendered q fake hplf dollar.
FrcnChy llways carries a gun Ia his in
side po,..tt. and lis wife carried one in her
bosom. These gum were never Ia evidence
until trouble arose over a hill.
Then FroDchy had his man covered in a
ji1y, and while thr victim stood with hands
h Tie air, The wife would 20 through his
pockets until she found the desired nickel
or dime, with IN ease and Ce-patcn, a French
snr0ir fare, which provoked roars Of
laughter fruin the onlooscrs.
trenchy's wiia was a great f~aNorita
With the mon, aud So gentle vas her way
Of handling them hat il was rarely Ira.
v - - ~ 'aA'h 90 A9A1A thNF " aAIAF AlINttli'4
Sar ran the place whenever Frrr"ry was
absent.
~lTencly was devoted to her, aud Il was
on her account that he posted variou,
other signs ahoG' the room, all addressed
10 men, who Were his only patrons. dis
orderly M,n Not Served, mo Profanity
Allowed ~ This Room," If Women Are
IN" sole Topic 81 Your Conversation, Please
step Uu,, were samples. and they were
strictly oheyed. Discipline wa never re-
lsN"d On these points.
coffee Not Exocllcd in Now York" oX-
pressed the trde belief Of Frrnchy's heard
I'd his coffee wac certainly good, lie
served only ore other ordcT-pic. But his
heart was not IN his pie. 1t wa a conCes-
sluu 20 AnerlCauisn.
Freely Nas an artist ~ his way There
are traditions that he wa once a chef for
a + nch Marquis. 1t is also saIu tina
he once managed the Clisinc a tho yacht
OF a duke or d serene high, - or some
such exalted Parsonage un the other .idr,
frcacdy wore the decoration o. the
Legion Of Honor and said he won il in the
Cripean War. There were several things