Essex County herald. [volume] (Guildhall, Vt.) 1873-1964, 1903-01-30
ANECDOTES OF hewitt
Incidents In His Career While
Mayor of New York.
RIoH AND POOR ALWAYS RECEIVED

How He Advised n Discharged Work
man Who Came TO Him For Aid.
His Reception of a ST. Patrick's
cident.
or the late Abram S. Hewitt, the
former mayor of New York, several
stories are told by the "old timers"
around the city hall.
One night at Tammany Hall Mr..
Hewitt, then congressman, was
slated as chairman OF the county con-
vention, says the New York Tribune.
Mr.. Hewitt was on his way upstairs
with John Kelly and said to Mr.. Kelly:
by the way, Mr.. Kelly, don't
know anything about the slate Who
are going TO be nominated tonight"
Kelly began to go over the list and
finally remarked:
And | guess well put Billy Walsh
in for county clerk
why" said Mr.. Hewitt, walsh
keeps Il rum shop. He should t he
nominated"
We'll" said Kelly grimly what II
he does? It's legalIzed business,
running rum shop, and when it
comes To personal honesty Walsh IL
just as honest a man as you or me"
81 hope he's personally honest, for l
don't think much of his business" said
Mr.. Hewitt.
Walsh was nominated.
Edward l.. Carey, Seventh ward
sympathizer with the Fenian move
mcnt In Ireland, headed a delegation
TO the city hall on the Saturday be-
fore st. Patrlck's day, which fell that
year on Monday. Carey was sharp.
outspoken man and always drove
straight TO the point without waste of
words.
"Mr Mayor" said he to Mr.. Hewitt.
who on that day was not feeling par
ticularly well, I'VE are the men who
elected you, and we've come to remind
you that Monday is the nth of March.
We have come to ask you TO fly the
Irish fg from the city hall on st. Pat
rick's day. We think this is only rea-
sonable and proper. as we are the men
who elected you"
"Oh, so you are the men who elected
me, are you? And you want me to fly
the Irish flag. do your said the mayor
coldly. "Well, / want TO say to you
that won't do anything Of the kind
Good day, gentlemen"
Carey and his colleagues went away
boiling mad, but afterward they ad-
mhted that If Carey had not been so
pompous and undiplomatic the mayor
doubtless would have treated their re-
quest with greater consideration.
On the same afternoon Of the Carey
Irish flag incident news came that the
German emperor was dying. Mayor
Hewitt sent for Martin Keyes. the
keeper Of the city hall.
'Mr. Reyes" said he, 'if the German
emperor dies tonight or tomorrow
please fly the flag at half mast on Sun
day and Monday-but," with a pause,
1.-THE American flag Mr.. Keyes, the
American flag"
Turning and looking out of the win
dow, he remarked as he thrust his
hands into his pockets:
"If the German emperor should die
before Monday and the American flag
should fly at half mast from the city
hall on st. Patrick's day, l guess my
Irish friends will think I'm tough
citizen"
The latchstring always was out for
rich and poor alike at the city hall
while Mr.. Hewitt was mayor. He used
to stay In the outer large room, and
people wishing to see him took their
turn.
"Mr. Hewitt" said one of his callers,
a man dressed like laborer, 1--WE
been discharged from my place be-
cause | don't belong to the union. I'm
q married man with family and can't
afford to be idle. l thought I'd come
down and see If you can't do something
about it,
discharged for not belonging to the
union, were your" asked Mr.. Hewitt
"Well, then, why don't you Join the
unionT
"I'm against them," was the reply,
"for the same reason that you are
against them"
"Well, my friend" said Mr.. Hewitt,
II can afford to be against the union
because l don't have to work as you
do, but If were you and couldn't get a
job because | was nonunion I'd 60 and
Join union at once and not let my
family suffer"
Mr.. Hewitt used to tell the following
story about a Washington incident:
zone day number Of men from New
England were at the capitol, and one
of them said to friend that they all
wanted to see what Tammany con-
gresham looked like. The Boston con-
gresham who was showing them
around steered them over my way and
introduced them. AS they were leaving
me saw one of them turn. Looking at
me closely he remarked to one Of the
party: so he's Tammany congress
man, is he? Well, he amt such tough
looking man after ALL"
In February.
Next February each day Of the week