New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1903-05-31
TRAINS QUEER WAYS
Isolated for Disease, HIS Whinrs Re
main Strong.

To the last George Francis Train retains his ex-
trep,e individuality. The man who at the age OF
seventy-four lies i'll from attack OF smallpox
In an isolation camp at Stamford. Conn. still re-
tains sufficient force Of will to attempt 20 press
upon others his peculiar beliefs. His striking per
sonalfty has always appealed the press. and even
in his Illness events beyond his power TO controi
to bring again the name of the sage OF
Madison Square into the columns Of the press
When he went TO Stamford from this city TO VISIT
his daughter he did not count upon more notorlety
1t was forced upon him. Mayor Leeds, whose letter
regarding hunting spread the knowledge OF
the name Of Stamford all over the land, and the
Common Council of the town were the 1nstru-
nents Disregarding the opinions OF experts and
the City Health Officer IL ordered that Citizen
Train should be taken from his daughters nome
and placed in isolation camp at an expense 70
the city of about $50 day The people Of the city
are grinning-as much thought of the burden or
expense sadded upon them will permit-over the
handiwork Of the overcareful Common Council
The other day Citizen Train declined to take food
and medicine because they contained alcohoi and
were animal in substance He dictated a state
the Health officer In which he said that he
was surprised find 1t doctored with alcohol
Never having tasted poisonous liquor" he said,
ito you from blame I decline to take any
more . Now 1 have touched animal food
for three decades and here are two poisons which
to me are deadly. Besides. L cannot take UP
newspaper without being met by carbollc poisoning.
Now. each day the nurse sprnkles my floor several
times with this poison diluted Now, 1 believe the
poison be absorbed by the million pores Of
the skin. George. the boy attendant. hangs two
curtain sheets soaked In formalin at my door
The nurse also sponges me all over with the said
carbolic acid. Having taken medicine in half
century. am immune from sickness Unless I can
bit Of toast. oatmeal and fruit viii eat
nothing
For the sake of his daughter to whom was com
municated his determination. he at last consented
to take such food and medicine as were furnished
him these terms: Tell my daughter" said
the health officer that if she VIII stop eating ami
NAL food and giving it to my grandson. I will take
medicine and such nourishment you Will fur
nish.'
Train. as long ago as 1877 used to say that he
would live for 200 years. One Of the reasons he
signed for this belief was that he had taken 10000
baths. He also based this belief the fact that
he had not shaken hands with any one for five
years. He believed that the conservation Of psychic
force would add to length of days This was his
reason for refusing shake hands with others.
To prove this he would cItnch his hands together
and then suddenly release them.
What guarantee have you Mr.. Train" he was
asked, of attaining to this unprecedented
age?"
4 will tell you; It's great secret. but will let
you have it Shut your hands tight His inter
rogator did so.
Now said he. open them
His order was obeyed A faint flush caused by
the excessive pressure was dscernible in the palm
of each. Mr. Twain examined them attentively
shook his head and remarked sadly: only an
average life! It's hard. but it cannot be helped
Now mark me and see the difference
He clenched his right hand tightly for a mo-
ment. and suddenly opening 1t the palm was seen
to be suffused with hue deep a red as a tur-
key gobbIer's crest
That said Mr.. Twain trfumphantIy "fs the in
faluble sign Of longevity
Shortly after President Mckinley was elected
Mr. Twain gave lecture in Association Hall Phila-
delphia' against what he called the 'stokely-
Drexel-Scott-Chtlds-Came ring" AT the
conclusion or his talk a number of went upon
the stage to congratulate him upon his fervent ut
terances but he waved them all aside ard an
nounced that he had made an agreement with him
self never TO again shake hands with human
being, he believed that such contact robbed
him of his vital force.
After his speech at the Glover Club dinner in
January, 1897, Congressman Grosvenor of Ohio the
friend of President Mckinley. came forward with
oUtstretched hands to congratulate Twain upon his
speech. Twain waved him back. Crosvenor looked
abashed, though he mortified He did not
know that George Francis Train never shook
hands.
Train reported once saying that Mark
Twain had lived upon his audiences on one Sun
day evening. in 1877. he suoke in New-York
Twenty years ago. said he. reported.
Il wrote one two books that had a
Geservedly world wide reputation and also
wrote occasionally for the newspapers MY writ
ings were. besides being profound and erudte.
ways sparkling and brilliant. At times l. indeed
descended into humor-the highest best kind OF
humor, mark you. Well. now. imagine my
establishment day upon learning that some
piCayune humOriSt in California was calling him
self Mark Twain. You he had said himself
very shrewdly that Train a that would
attract crowds and So in effect, he stole it, and
that same Mark Twain has been for fifteen years
living upon my audiences. / have borne this ST
lentIy and like Christian for all these years. but
now. when they begin with him as he
has endeavOred TO have himself mixed up with me
it is little too much, and won't stand it CON
tnuing he is reported TO have said that play OF
the "Cided Age" written by Mark Twain and d
Warner in 1873, would have fallen fiat his
exertions The night II produced says the
report of his words II took a and invited
Matilda Heron famous actress in her dlyl and
Biou to go with me | at that the thing
was a dead failure. There wasn't any fun in IT.
1t dreary tomb Says I. Pshaw. this
fellow has stolen my name. but III help him So
I got UP and stepped to the front of the box Ev-
erybody recognized me. I clapped- The effect was
OF course. instantaneous. The house accepted my
Judgment, and the play stamped a success. So
much for this Mark Twain. I wrote him the
day and he didn't have the politeness to answer it,