The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1907-07-28
LEGGEHT'S GOTH YEAR ITS LAST
OLD HOTEL CLOSED ITS DOORS
FOR GOOD LAST NIGHT.
Building TO ne Torn Down 10 Make Way for
the New Bridge Terminal -Fareweiis
said to Michael eIahun by Old Timers
VINO E~rrequented tho Eating House.

A paddock secured the doors Of Leggett's
Hotel. 70 Park row. last night. IL was the
first time the place had been locked since
IL was opened In 1857 by the late Frank II.
Leggett. The reason why the doors were
locked was because the place went out OF
business at 0 O'Clock for good. The build
ing is TO be torn down to mako way for the
new bridge terminal.
All day yesterday the old timers were
coming round to take a last meal and a last
look at the old place and to say good-by
to the manager Michael Delahunt, who
had been In the place for twenty-eight
years. He said last night. whom he gave
a dinner 10 the butcher, grocer. fishman.
baker and others who had served the house
for many years. that his arm was sore
from shaking hands with the hundreds
Of old patrons Of high and low degree who
came around.
The members Of the mobility" who year
after year gathered about Q round table
near the front and had q MONDAY meal
together clicked their glasses good-by
shortly after noon. Just before the dinner
to the butcher, the grocer and h others
had finished n Of the men got up to say
a good-by word to the old place. He
couldn't make much Of q speech and Mr..
Delahunt relieved the situation by offering
to sing that favorite old song of mine.'
at which there were shouts and a hurried
scuffling Of feet INC a gathering OF hats.
Dslahunt's offer to sing q song was always
the signal TO break up a party at L~eggett's.
Then those present watched Delahunt put
out the lights and put the paddock on the
door.
Leggett's was then really closed. The
men roomers had been getting out for q
week. The kitchen fires were allowed to
go out. The policeman on the o tried
tho doors later in the evening. Old Leg
gets was done for. The auction Of the
fittings will take place tomorrow morning.
Among the old timers to take a last meal
were James H.. Ross Of the Brooklyn tax
Office. who for forty years has been coming
over the East River at Q O'Clock In the morn
ing to get his breakfast and who never
ate anywhere else IL he could help 1t. sSens-
tor Briefly. who has been a patron Of the
place since 1869. dropped In yesterday after
noon to rave a last piece Of oustard pie.
He came to New York in 1859 from Cam
bridge. Mass. TO see the Great Eastern and
n stayed ever since. Judge Daniel Web
ster Quinn. who for twenty-five years has
been eating his MONDAY meal there, had
his last portion Of roast beef. and when
he went out he looked straight ahead and
forgot to call on the cashier.
James Mullen, the feed nan. and the
chief spok sma Of the -nobility's" table.
came around for a last discussion or poll
tics and didn't neglect 70 tell about the
many happy rows the table had over Bryan
and free silver. Undertake. Adam Moran
was on hand and spent nearly an hour going
over the "reminiscences Of the place. A
dozen women patrons OF the restaurant
Delahunt. The bar was well p~atronized
INC the stock OF wet goods didn't run out.
Then in the morning Edward Gilligan.
who was head waiter in the place Tor forty
four years and who was retired about six
weeks ago, came around. Gilligan didn't
stay long and for once his wit was silent.
He used to spread clean napkins in front
Of the patrons and joke with the folks.
He had an eye for new customers and
always went out OF his way to pay special
attention to any n who looked like a
slayer. He boasts that he had as fine an
acquaintance with Judges and Mayors and
jurymen and business men and Tammany
politicians as any man In "
Lesgee's was q gathering place Tor Tam
DnNVcT anu JuukS buuy uDou W uOtu OUT
there. John Kelly and Coroner Nicholas
Brown were steadfast patrons. Richard
Croker came when he was City Chamberlain,
Hugh J. Grant and Thomas F. Gilroy came
there every day when they were Mayors.
have been the patrons Of the restaurant.
Senator George F. Plunkitt disooursed
from the mobility" table thousands OF
on honest graft. II you couldn't
find him In the bootblack's stand in the
o. H. AAsIl .l-A.. - Aln- -
Leggett's. Sheriff Flack tried 70 forget
his many troubles at the bar or at one Of
the tables.
It was a famous place to take juries that
were locked up for their meals. The Carlisle
t hsrTi" sad na Buchanan : Srsae n %Ssds sar , witns. ate
in the courts. h men who had charge
OF these witnesses for the city railroads
in damage cases always brought them
to the restaurant for their meals. The
for ZACH witness a meal. Some Of the wit
nesses would cat only rs or 30 cents worth.
Then a mysterious tip used to travel around
the place. Maybe Gilligan or some other
waiter who had been there q quarter Of q
century or more could explain 1t. One
mar would say:
How much did O eatp"
only 30 cents worth
We'll, you can get a cigar and q whiskey
with the balance. because you are entitled
10 " Genus WOTtn, WOulu " Juo Ip. oOnuc~
times the man In charge got q modest rake
of Of honest graft. M when he did
Plunkltt's eyes would indicate a mild APP
proval.
1t was around the mobility" table that
the history OF the place revolved a great
deal. There were nearly a dozen patrons
OF more han a quarter Of century who
gathered there every noon. Mullen by
common consent used to preside. The
discussions were largely on politics. When
free silver came up discord Tor a time crept
in and it took an the smoothing abilities
Of Mullen, Moran and Magistrate Walsh.
who ate there when he sat at the Tombs
or Essex Market. to keep things on an even
keel.
The table was made up Of Democrats
largely and some OF them couldn't 20 Bryan.
The table always talked over the news
of the day. but religious discussions were
barred. Sometimes when the members
got a lite hot Delahunt used to have to
step I'VE and say: just talk a little
softer. gentlemen"
The old timers we're especially proud
yesterday that the hotel was the centre
Of Irish patriotism to a large extent. When
John Redmond or Michael Davitt came
over to raise money for the cause they
invariably made tracks for Leggett's as
soon as possible. There they met many
--I