Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1904-09-24

acres from the waters of the sound by
, filling in.
| On his yacht. the Oneida" Mr.. Borcdict
and Mr.. Cleveland have taken many cruises
, together for fishing or shooting. When on
board the yacht 1t is Mr. Benedict's habit to
address Mr.. Cleveland as Admiral while
Mr.. Cleveland gives him the title of Com
modore"
When Mr.. Cleveland left the White
House and became a resident of New York
city, he rented house adjoining that OF
MI. benedict in 31st street, and door was
cut through the partition wall so as to
make the two houses practically one. The
two families were thus constantly to-
gether.
Mr.. Cleveland has always had much re-
spect for Mr.. Benedicts advice. An in
stance of this was given when Ruther-
/. ford B. Hayes died. The question was
! whether Mr. Cleveland should attend the
funeral of his predecessor in the presiden-
cy. The democrats of the country had all
ways been bitter toward Mr.. Hayes, be-
cause they believed that he had occupied
the place that rightfully belonged to Sam
uel j. Tilden. Mr.. Cleveland asked Mr..
BENEDICT what he should do and Mr.. Bene.
dict advised him to go to the funeral. Mr..
cleveland went, and he was sharply criti-
cfsed for it.
Mr.. Benedict is a man of great execu.
tive ability. When the conservatives were
beaten in the Chicago convention he, de-
ciared in favor of the formation of a new
party and absolutely refused to follow Mr..
Bryans lead. He was in full sympathy
with Mr.. Cleveland's declaration for Judge
Parker, however. and he is now working
naTd Tor the democratic ticket. 4
Homer s. Cummings.
Homer s. Cummings of Stamford, who
| represents the state in the democratic ma
tonal committee is Mr.. Benedcts chief
aid in the struggle for Connecticut. He
| Is only thirty-four years old but already
he has won a reputation for briIiancy Of
| mind. He is regarded as a man who loves
contradictions, and he delights to aston.
| ish his friends by doing the unexpected.
He came from Chicago to Connecticut and
graduated from the Yale law school IN
1893. He was president of the Kent Club
While he was In the university. and ne
represented Yale in her joint debates with
Harvard. He made himself known as q
ready and forceful speaker.
After his graduation he became the ju-
nior partner of Samuel Fessenden, at that
time the republican leader of the state He
was an ardent republican himself, and all
who knew him were surprised when he an
nounced in 1896 that he was in favor Of
free silver and the principles laid down In
the democratic Chicago platform.
AT that time many old-line democrats
were leaving their party in order to sup
port Palmer and Buckner or Mckinley Mr.
Cummings was welcomed by the democrats
VINO remained steadfast, and within four
weeks after he had announced his change
he was nominated for secretary of state on
the democratic ticket. He entered heart
and soul into the campaign, stamping the
state and making good run in year that
was bad for the party with which he had
aftilia ted himself.
In the following year he married a daugh.
ter of James D. Smith, a Wall street man
and the wedding, which took place on board
Mr.. Smiths yacht, the Viking off Larch.
mont in the sound, was a distinguished SO.
cal event.
Mr.. Cummings was elected mayor OF
Stamford in 1901 and he was nominated
for representativs-at-larg In the state in
the following year. but was defeated
His name is connected with an amusing
hoax that set the entire coutry laughing O
year ago. A poultry show was being organ
lied in Stamford, and Mrs Cummings was
one or the committee in charge of the ar.
rangementS. 1t was announced that tho
, Stamford Cat Club intended to make a
mouse-catching contest feature of the oc.
casfon giving suitable prizes to the owner
of the puss that succeeded in disposing Of
the largest number of mice in given time,
1t was intended to provide 1899 mice for the
exhibition.
The mayor of Stamford wrote a message
of protest, declaring that the proposed con-
test was against public morals. and that
he would not permit it, Clergymen made
it the text of sermons, and the Society for
the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals took
the matter up, preparing to prosecute ell
concerned. There was great excitement in
the town over the affair.
Finally its promoters asked for a public
hearing before the mayor. They explained
to him that the only cat that had been en-.
tered for the contest was an automatic cat,
run by machinery and that the mice that
whole scheme had been designed to adyer.
t1Se the poultry show.