The Birmingham age-herald. [volume] (Birmingham, Ala.) 1902-1950, 1904-02-14
GOSSIP FROM NEW YORK
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BY JOHN MARTHoL.

New York, February 13.-since satur-
day evening when at the dinner given to
John Hone, President of the Manhattan
club. an impetus was given to the Parker
boom, the Parker sentiment has been
running strong in this city There are
those who would have the silent demo-
cratic leader break his silence and declare
himself candidate. and there are others
who applaud this silence pointing back
ward to 1900 and 1896, when the country
suffered from ruinous verbal deluge
emitted by an oratorical candidate.
The attitude of Chief Judge Alton
Brooks Parker is commended by bench
and bar and by conservative and indie
pendent business men. His most intimate
political friends and advisers state. and
take it with truth, that the judge has
not deputized any person to. speak for
him. AS far as | can learn, and have
made serious effort to discover the facts,
the Parker boom has behind 1t the strong
est men in this and other states and all
more enthusiastic than the Judge him
self. These friends state that IL they
could persuade Parker to declare himself
a candidate they could easily perfect
combinations which would clarity the po-
liticaI atmosphere. But this the Judge
will not do. He has attained high place
In his profession, the highest place in the
judiciary of his native state In his high
office he has served with distinction. BY
his opinions he has won the high regard
of the bar and by his courtesy and con-
sideration as presiding judge the friend
ship of those who have cases in the
Court of Appeals. His salary Is $4,000,
and he has eight years before him of an
unexpired term. with little doubt as to
denomination and election. His duties al
though exacting, are In accord with his
tates; his income is ample for his moder-
ate desires and his position fills the full
measure of his ambition. 1t is not to be
wondered, therefore. that Chief Judge
Parker is not an enthusiast In seeking
presidential honors.
The late William C. Whitney was one of
the greatest of art collectors. To adorn
his home in this city European palaces
were despoiled of many of their treasures.
The bronze gates of the house, for in
stance, came from the Dorla palace at
Rome. Mr.. Whitney chose the Italian
Renaissance period for his home because,
as he said. he wanted a "home-lilke1
house, and in his view the French styles
could not provide this Needless to say.
to decorate a house in this manner is far
more difficult and costly than II one the
more usual styles be chosen, and to do as
Mr. whitney did, and buy the original OBJ
jects instead of having them initiated Is
Impossible except for a man. of great
wealth There is hardly a modern piece
of work to be found any where in the
house with the exception of the floors.
while each detail is the most perfect of
its kind that 1t was possible to find. The
chimney pieces, for instance, are nearly
all elaborate works in marble from old
Italian palaces; the hangings are from
similar sources; the ceilings of several of
the larger rooms were taken bodily from
famous buildings in Europe and the fur
,nture and much OF the wood work are
of like character. =
On one side of the hall is the dining
room Nearly all the wall space of this
apartment is covered with sixteenth CEN
tSry Italian wall paintings. The chimney
piece is a magnificent specimen of Vene-
tian workmanship, reaching to the cell
ing AND the firedogs. of bronze. are be-
leved to be the finest In America. Mr..
Whitney paid fabulous price for them.
81 am afraid to tell you how much" he
said 1t is a. Persian rug of immense size
almost covering the floor. The dining
room chairs are upholstered in patterned
velvet of gorgeous design On the other
side OF the hall is the library. The book
cases and paneing are of old oak-it Is
said that they were once cathedral stalls
and ARE carved with an extraordinary
elaboration of detail. The hangings in
this 9rnomy-aFe particularly fine, Of thick