Evening journal., 1912-03-19
NEW NEWS OF YESTERDAY
The Incident That Led to
the Founding of a
Famous Club
By Holland.

In 1906, at the age of 95 years,
Colonel LeGrand b. Cannon died at
his country home near Burlington,
Vermont. He was a man of great
wealth; he had developed railway and
steamship lines in New York and in
Vermont and he was for many years
one Of the leading merchants and citi-
zens of New York city. Mr.. Cannon
was a man Of national reputation,
especially in the days Of the Civil
War; for he was one of the most ar
dent and enthusiastic supporters
with his purse and personal influence
end also as a soldier-of the Federal
cause. He was also one of the charter
members Of the Union League club of
New York city (the original Union
League organization), and i'm the last
years Of his life he could sometimes
be prevailed upon to tell the younger
members of the club the dramatic
story OF the manner in which that
club was organized.
For many years" Mr. Cannon would
begin his narrative, "the leading so
cial club of New York city was the
Union club. II numbered among it's
members many of the prominent mer-
chants, bankers and professional men
who were conspicuous in affairs of
the State, even Of the Nation. A good
many members of the United States
Senate and some of the house of Rep
resentatives were nonresident mem
bers OF the club. Among these public
men who were active in affairs at
Washington and who were members
Of the Union club, was Judah p. Bon
iamin of Louisville. who, because of
his service as Secretary Of State for
the Confederacy, is known in history
as the brains of the ConfedeTacy.'
After the Confederacy was organ
lied, Mr. Benjamin resigned his seat
in the United States Senate and be-
came a member Of Jefferson Davis
cabinet He was first appointed attor-
ney general.
shortly after Mr.. Benjamin depart
ed from Washington for Richmond the
annual dues at the Union club be-
came payable. He neglected to pay
them, and when the time limit was
reached his name was posted for nom
payment of dues.
Some of Benjamin's friends
among them, | remember, were Au.
gust Belmont, the banker; William
Travers, the broker and we'll known
wit, and S. l.. Barlow. one of the lead
ers Of the New York bar at that time
raised the money among themselves
and paid his dues.
"a member of the club, Colonel Al
fred Craven, who was of Virginia
birth, West Pointer, and at that
time city engineer of New York, de-
nounced the action Of the club mem-
bers in paying Ben1amin's dues. Col
onel Craven was SO worked up over
this matter that he spoke in loud
voice in the public streets about it
"A day or two later Mr. Belmont
and Mr. Travers' met Colonel Craven
in the Union club house and called
| him to account for criticising the ac-
tion of club members.
Instead Of apologzing Colonel Cra-
ven told them that he thought Benia-
i min should have been expelled, thai
! he wasn't fit for membership in the
Union club. And then, getting a little
heated, the colonel added: lie isn't &
gentleman; he isn't even honest
know him, was brought up with him
at school And ! want to say to you
gentlemen that ] am personally re.
sponsble for what I say here; and II
any of you want satisfaction / am
ready to give it, .
"Of course, that made a great deal
of discussion in the Union club, and
the result was that some of the mem
bers thought that the time had come
to organize a new club which should
represent Union sentiment in New
York. The idea was no sooner suggest
ed than it was adopted, and within a
few months the Union League club
was organized almost directly as a
result of The Judah p Benjamin incl
dent in the Union club"
] Copyright 1912, by e. J. Edwards
All rights reserved)
Tomorrow Mr. Edwards will tell "A
| Story of the Plain People"