Los Angeles herald. [microfilm reel] (Los Angeles [Calif.]) 1900-1911, 1909-03-09
SLAVE TRADERS BAROMETER
HANGS IN NEW YORK HOTEL
Brass Relic with Interesting History
of Privateer Days in the
Westminster

Set in wall beside the clerks desk
at the old Westminster hotel, IN irving
place, is a curiously shaped pair OF
brass weather glasses. The auctloneer
who is pounding his way through ODDS
ands ends of household furniture on the
floors above. will reach them some time
and the bidding then promises to be
the feature of the sale now dismant-
ling this old time hosiery.
The brass antique has a history. Paul
Slattery, the head porter, who has been
in the service of the house for more
than thirty years, says so; and ne is
the sole surviving member of the stan
of William G. Schenck, who came to
the Westminster in 1880 and conducted
it for nearly twenty years as the smart
est family hotel in all New York.
Schenck had moved to Irving place
from the old Merchants hotel at the
corner of Cortlandt and Greenwich
streets, and had brought the brass ba-
rometer with him. 1t had occupied a
prominent place on the wall In the
downtown house, and Mr.. Schenck
ordered that it be given an even more
conspicuous position in the fashionable
new quarters he was then opening. To
insure its safety he had it built into the
wall, and there it has stayed to this
day.
The history of the glasses was Sc
cret among the landlord and his friends
and if anybody knew it today 1t was
because he had been told by the joviai
host before his death in 1893.
Enough of them know or think they
know" said Slattery today, ito draw a
group of bidders down here when it
comes up for sale. 1t will go for a
good price, too. don't think there is
a piece of furniture in the place that
will top it."
Every old patron of the hotel prob
ably remembers the pair of mercury
tubes set in brass. They probably re-
member with equal vividness the day
some friend led them before the instru-
ments, and then, over glass of sherry
in the low ceiled bar. told the story
about it, May be the story was differ
emily told each time, and possibly few
if any of the tales bore particle, or
truth but each person believed fmpIlc-
lily what he heard, and was sincere
when he passed it on to his friend.
Mr.. Schenck was the type of the New
York landlord that made he city ia
NOUS He began business before the
war days and his acquaint lnce extend
ed across the seas both tt Europe and
to the prosperous ports of South Ameri-
ca. The officers of many a ship that
came into the harbor dropped in at the
Merchants first thing after their ship
was made fast. William Schenck was
their close personal friend, and his
house their headquarters.
The favorite story converting the ba-
rometer connects it with the slave
trade of the early nineteenth century.
1t is supposed to have been a gift from
an officer of a privateer who picked 1t
I'D in the South seas, and the Spaniards
IN whose possession it was at that time
came by it from a pirate forebear who
took It off New England merchant
man.
There are ramifications of the tale
which make 1t as dark and grewsome
as the most romantic could desire; but
an auction sale, with it's jostling, push
ing crowd of second hand dealers,
boarding house keepers and newly
married pairs, is no place nor time to
lay on the true colors Of a sea yarn.
The bidders overran the house from
cellar to garnet. They came with note
book and pencil, tape measure and
chalk, and wagons. The buyers for an
tique shops went away early, and made
no effort to conceal their disappoint-
ments. There was nothing there for
them.
To the moulded walls and ceilings,
the marble mantels, mirrors, CRATES
and wide windows of the fashion OF the
forties. plush rockers, iron and brass
bedsteads, stained chairs, folding beds
and cots with finseled draperies, made