Evening public ledger. [volume] (Philadelphia [Pa.]) 1914-1942, 1919-05-01
1.-THE BIGGEST LITTLE CLUB"
Biggest Little Street Is Cause OF Phlla-
deIphian's Readable "Reminiscences


10 me Editor Of hc Ercninp PnbIi" Lcdgcr:
Sir-Apropos of the "Frivoity a Ia
Paris" and its consequent mcrrimcnt. as
presented in Philadclphia's 5 Latin Quarter
1.-The biggest little street in the world -
,,,mar brtwccn Locust and Spruce--for the
Victory Loan sale. | am reminded OF the
g,od old DAYS in New York city when the
biggest little club in the world. ana tue
,,ost uuiouc. was the rendezvous of the
ritv's artistic and professional Itr-lh"
,rorderloiu Club 1t was located just "p-
,,osite the we'll known and famous lhIr,l"'n
street precinct station house, one" cor"
mondpd by the equally famous Captain
Alexander $. Williams. but at the t''n' VI
,hc clubs Inauguration by the genial Gap
tuiu Reilly. who was an honorary h'e''o''
of the organization.
DIR Charles J. Perry, +. liummatt Nor
Tor, nf the New York Herald DIR. John v
, Sweeney Walt MacDougall. comic arllS'
Lieutenant d'Clu. marine editor OF the W."
york World. and the writer were among th'
charter members. The late John W. h"iar
wos elected president. and the members in
,.luJ.d such eminent artists, physicians ana
LAWYERS and ncwSpapcrmen us Raiae'
Jnscfry, William NJ. Somnacher' Monsieur
Dagnon. the eminent French baritone -
mor q Tagliapirtra lthc beloved Tag J.
sho aro,t singer. who. with Adeina Patti.
.,irrcd the old Academy audiences; Arrhl"
Gunu wonderful painter and costermongcr
sipgor. Clarence and Raymond Hyde, wal
tor Gross good old Captain d Mand"vlll"
lvicc prcsidcnt): Chester Lord the emf
u,nt journalist Hugh Grant, twice mayor OF
Now York city; Joe Howard, Jr., great
i,,,rnoiist and one time president of the
pross club: Justice Mccarthy and Justice
Duffy the 'little' judges: Lawyer Zen
Patterson. Billy Graf, OF the World: RubN
Brooks, banjoist OF Brooks and Depton
fame; poor Aubrey Bourlcauit' hne actor
and son of Dion; Walter Thomas, actor;
Dpbv Bell Ned Harrigan, the Charles
Dickens of America, and of Harrigan and
Uort fame; Fitzgerald Murphy. playwright
and actor: John O'Keefe, journalist; DIR.
Johr II. Woodbury.. of facial soap fame:
tho genial Billy Deutsch. me late Nat Good
VII, Nestor Lennon DR.. Charles Fl. May,
tho great ophthalmoIogist DR.. Ramon
,;uiteras. urologist. and mighty big game
hunter and the only amateur boxer who
Hoored the great John l.. at the old, New
York Athletic Club; Dr. Austin Flint.
nhysioIogist: John Jacob Astor, and
thousand more of the great 'uns of the
| metropolis.
| The entertainments and parades were the
| wonder of the neighborhood. Mardi Gras
was the feature of important events. Car
,rencita Otero. Nina Harrington. the Due.
d'Orleans, Lillian Russell and other celeb
rites were frequently the guests of the
lrh at the 'renderloin' dinners anu
watermeIon and crab dinners. held some
times at he club rooms. but more fire.
ouently on the roof garden of the Casino
| ,rbeotre or in the immense amphifheatre
| of thc Madison Square Garden. The names
an tbe roster of the Tcnderloin Club were
names TO couiure with. DR. Charles !
prrry. of Perry Pharmacy fame. was tn,
host known man in the city, and was, |
Lolieye the sponsor for more clubmen than
any other man in the country. Rafael
| Joseffy. according to Huneker, was the
| .,most subtle of Chopin interpreters. and.
| oe course, one of the greatest artists who
over lived. Joe Howard was known to
overy newspaperman in the universe: John
w Kellar, one time editor of the New York
Recorder, and president Of the club and of
| the New York Press Club was. up TO the
time of his death, prominent figure in the
nolitical life of the city, having been charity
| commissioner for years The dinners at the
| cIub were as Bohemian as could be. and the
| euests could never forget the hospitality OF
| This great coterie of hosts. Even the old
| time table d'hotes at Marie's, -. h. G.'s,"
| cafe Martin the Knickerbocker, the BLACK
| Cat" etc. were "frosts' IN comparison
| And the music ! happened Ia be on the
musical committee and WAS the official ae !