The sun., 1903-05-03
A LITTLE WHIRL AT ROULETTE
INCIDENT Nv REED T. SPENCERS
ONCE FAMOUS COTTAGE.
Luck of Dcpartins Player VINO Paused
to Toss \ Casual Firy.D0Ilar Bill on
tho Table StiD More Anna ring Luck
Of ColOred BeiibOy In the Place.

1
tho Table stiD More Anna ring Luck
| OF ColOred Beiboy In the Place.
| in the early '70s no finer supper
was served anywhere in the city OF New
York than in the Cottage. 1t is still
standing-the Cottage-on Fifteenth street
Just west OF Broadway, out twardly very
little changed, but in reality no more like
Its former wicked self than pink lemon
ade is like red-eye
| One may admire to-day its gable roof
Gothic windows, and curiolsly ornamented
| chimneys but the showcase windows
which now project on a line with the stoop,
sheltering various articles Of commerce
| were not parts OF its original self and
would have been regarded as a serious
| hinderanoe In the old days. The Cottage
OF old eschewed all Establishments OF the
advertisers art. yet II was ever popular
and frequently crowded with patrons.
Reed d Spencer were the proprietors
| the latter spending his leisure time out
side Of business hours In the gathering
Of collections Of oil paintings which
he from time to time disposed of at public
auction, the former devoted to the breed
| ing Of horses and the scientific develop
mcnt of casino.
1t would be possible. were one so dis
posed, to fll column with the names Of
well-known New Workers who have spread
their legs under the mahogany at Reed Il
Spencer's and partaken gladly OF the free
lunch which was served nightly at II clock
Free was the feast as water in running
stream. but none the less costly, for all
that Delmonico's. then distant from the
I, -.
never got the price that was frequently
paid for a free bird-on-toast at Reed &
Spencer's.
How far one may venture to identify
the hero Of the following true story OF an
incident in the Cottage one night back
IN the latter '70s is question. The
man is dead. but great many members
of his family are living. To those who
knew him well it will be no surprise 10 be
told that he was an ever-welcome guest
at Reed h Spencer s; those who knew him
simply as a business man will probably
not recognize his picture here.
His name stood at the head Of large
manufacturing concern; his childhood had
been spent in the vicinity Of Gramercy
Square; his daughter was one OF the first
American girls to wed foreign title. He
was pillar in the Union Club, tall, dis
tinguished, handsome gentleman.
He had arisen, after an hours play.
from the green table in the chief salon
OF the cottage; had drawn his check for
over $4,000 to pay for the hours amuse-
ment; had been helped into his long, loose
overcoat, and was in the act of bowling
good night to the smiling functonaries
Of the faro table when his fingers closed
upon folded bill in the outer pocket Of
his overcoat. Just behind him stood the
roulette table. it's eager wheel revolving.
it's ivory ball spinning to catch the left
over change Of just such faro-surfeited play
ers as he.
Tho folded-up little bill left his hand.
from a careless toss and landed on the line
between two numbers just as the ball. spent
OF it's revolving force, fell into one of the