Arizona republican., 1905-04-25
JOE JEFFERSON STORIES
"Reminiscences of the Great Actor
 Told by Mackenzie Gordon.

Mackenzie Gordon was seen coming out of a telegraph office yesterday with sad look on his face and inquiry was at once made whether or not he had been hearing bad news. He replied that he had but that he got it first out of the morning Republican. It was the news of the death of Joseph Jefferson the famous actor and MT. Gordon's business at the telegraph office was the sending of a message of condolence to the family of MT. Jefferson whom he regarded as personal friend for years before he ever saw Arizona.
 Mr. Gordon who expects to leave here shortly after giving his farewell con- cert on May 3, and which is referred to elsewhere was asked if he couldn't relate few Jefferson stories. for story telling with MT. Gordon is an accom- plishment second only to his musical art It was known that he had spent more or less time at Buzzards Bay in company with the notables that have made the place famous, and that he had often been a central figure in en- talnments given by these notables both at their country residences and in New York. MT. Gordon replied that he had very pleasurable recollections of his visits there but individual remfnis- eences are sometimes hard to recall at moments notice.
 There Is one incident which was brought to his mind by mention made Tn the dispatches, of MT. Jefferson's fishing excursions with Grover Cleve- land. Jefferson was himself a great fisherman, second only in that neigh borhood to the great democratic leader with whom Jefferson was on the most intimate terms, for their homes on BuZzard's Bay are not far apart. It was ever an ambition of each man to get some sort of a fishing joke on the other It is related that on the occa- sion of the birth of Baby Ruth in the Cleveland household there was of course great anxiety to know the weight of the little one and the Cleveland family had not yet been provided with pair of scales. Accordingly a mes senger was dispatched to the Jefferson household commissioned to borrow a pair which he did with no trouble at all, and Baby Ruth tipped the scales at l6is pounds. MT. Jefferson had sent the scales by which he determined the size of the fish he caught
 One of MT. Gordon's most pleasan+ recollections is period of several days that he spent on the yacht Oneida. owned by Mir. E. C. Benedict. the not able guests of the occasion being Gro yer Cleveland. Joe Jefferson and Ad- miral Robley D. Evans.
 MT. Jefferson's favorite diversions were fishing and painting. When he was at home and was not to be found angling, 1t was a foregone conclusion that he was up In his studio in a building on his premises which was a replica of aa old Dutch wind mill Many of his paintings possessed merit and several of them are now haneinp in the Lambs club in New York. A few years ago Mr. Jefferson suffered the loss by fire. of a portion of his house and during the fire his negro cook was burned to death an incident that griev- ed him sorely for he was a very tender hearted man.
 Mir. Gordon last saw Mir Jefferson at Palm Beach Florida. where he was spending the winter and where as was his wont during leisure time he was engaged in charitable work, being at the time supervising a tableau enter talnment that was being arranged for by local amateurs. Mir Gordon also remembers attending a ball at Palm Beach given by Mrs. Henry Flagler at Whitehall one of the prettiest marble mansions in the world. Among the not able guests of that occasion, beside MT. 1 Jefferson, were the Duke and Duchess 1 of Manchester. Prince BOnaparte. Col. John Jacob AstOr and Harry Lehr.
 Another humorous incident related shoWs the natural wit that runs in l the Jefferson family the members of | which are devoted to each other In- i cidentally it is pertinent to remark that | the married children all have homes at Buzzards Bay adjacent to that of the | elder Jefferson who desired to keep the family together as much as possible. | when business did not call them else where. In this connection 1t will be | remembered that his son Thomas who | Is credited with having much of his | fathers histrionic talent played in | Phoenix during the season just closing. l But the story MT. Gordon referred to | last is a bit of family correspondence by cable. Mir. Gordon chanced to be in | London and in the companionship of l William Jefferson, one of the younger generation, when it occurred. Brevitv is the soul of wit and this correspond ence was brief. Here it is:
 London - "TO Joe Jefferson,
 Buzzard's Bay, Mass
 Send me five hundred"
 "BuZzard's Bay, Mass. ITO Cable Office, London,
 'Who wants five hundred?