New-York tribune., 1902-03-09
GOSSIP OF THE BOROUGH.

Ever since Police Commissioner Partridge was
first spoken Of for that place the home Of @. Her
bert Potter at No. 500 Carro-st.. Brooklyn, where
Colonel Partridge lives has been besieged with re
porters They hunt for him at all hours OF the day
and night-especially Of the highland set the Pot
ter telephone ben iingling at most unreasonable
hours Naturally. the Potters. who never before
realized the strenuous existence led by pubic
Official. have become much annoyed by the con-
slant invasions by reporters. They have, however
taken II all in good part, though now and then they
complain laughingly 10 the colonel About week
ago they were discussing the subject at the dinner
table and Commissioner Partridge, with twinkle
his eye. said: You Just see. III fix the next re-
porter who comes around here"
Just then the doorhe rang, and the servant an
nounced that "wun dem noospaper men would
like TO see the Commissioned. The colonel walked
into the hall and extended the cordial greeting
to the young man that is characteristic Of Nr
Partridge. The reporter made a quick step forward
to accept the proffered hand. when something hap
pened. The hardwood floor had been polished 10
high degree When the newspaper man struck the
edge Of the rug his feet slipped from under him
and he descended rapidly the floor. knocking
down a heavy umbrella rack as he fell The noise
was tremendous and the embarrassment Of the re
porter was marked he struggled slowly 20 his
a laugh and neither spoke for a minute. when sud
denly the following ejaculation hoated out from the
colonel you're not throwing that poor reporter out
The visitor forgot his embarrassment and joined
in a hearty laugh with the Commissioner.
Novel and clever means for securing the payment
of a large amount Of back dues recently
taken by the officers of the Cathedral Club. Cath
Ole social organization. which has a clubhouse at
No q Greene-ave. The annual meeting Of the
organizatiop held last Friday night. Some
weeks the books Of the treasurer were filled
with the names Of members who had not paid their
dues and assessments. The treasurer in de
spair, when he thought Of brilliant idea. that
he secretly unfolded TO Lewis F. Drummond. the
president and chosen few Of the directors The
old officers unanimously chosen for re-elec-
ton by the nominating committee and IL appeared
that little interest being taken in the ap-
preaching election The treasurer proposed that a
fake" contest he started. After due deliberation
this idea adopted. r. J. Powers one Of the
directors. who runs neck and neck with MI. Drum
mond the most popular man in the club. was let
into the secret. and consented TO head an cpposi-
ton ticket. Within few days a spirited contest
developed. Mr.. Powerss friends and the
Drummond forces were working night and day for
their respective tickets. Somebody saw II that
a story got into local paper predicting stormy
time at the annual meeting and chroncling
mors of splits in the organization Every member
OF the club many of whom had lost all interest in
the organization. immedia tely forward and
allied himself with the other faction. All
of these persons told that they would have to
square up with the treasurer before they could
More money poured in on that official than he had
for many months. Almost every one Of the
bad wiped off the books. Last Friday.
when the annual meeting was called to order, ex-
citement was at fever pitch. Then the secretary
got up and read the following communication:
l hereby withdraw my name as a candidate for
president OF the Cathedral Club. The main pur-
pose. or, let us say, purposes. of the opposition
have been to create an interest in the for
the next president This object has certainly been
accomplished and I request that l be allowed to
withdraw from any further partisanship I'm the
contest r. ]. POWERS
Other members of the opposition ticket at once
withdrew, and the regular ticket went through
amid the greatest enthusiasm.
The treasurer's report showed all except a small
amount of dues paid. A debt of $+O0 decreased
by 1923 during the year and the membership in
creased from 70 TO H. The officers chosen the
ensuing year Lewis F. Drummond, president;
Claude NJ Becke", first vice-president Edward ].
treasurer and Francis T. Lyons, secretary.
Henry Lewis Gassert. the aged and wealthy to-
bacco merchant, who, told in this column last
week, has gone Porto Rico to engage again in the
tobacco business. has always boasted of having
been the first newsboy in New-York City. 1t was
nearly seventy years ago. when Sandy Gibson's
beach on the East River. between what is now
Thirteenth and Twenty-foUrth SITS, was the resort
for all the citizens. II the custom then to sub
scribe for the daily papers. which were delivered by
storekeepers Young Ciassert, whose father he
ieved that his boys ought their own living
had newspaper route. He conceived the idea OF
crying out the principal and selling papers or
the street The constabes of those days considered
that such method of selling papers. which is the
common practice now. a disturbance Of tbe
hills Gradually other boys took up the idea until