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In and about the City: Death of Charles I. Pfaff. Something about the Proprietor of the Once Famous "Bohemia."

"In and about the City: Death of Charles I. Pfaff. Something about the Proprietor of the Once Famous "Bohemia."." New York Times. 26 Apr. 1890: 2.
Type: 
newspaper
Genre: 
journalism, obituary
Abstract: 

The obituary gives a brief history of Pfaff's career as a saloon and restaurant owner. The success of Pfaff's establishment at 653 Broadway, the popular meeting place of the Bohemians, is mentioned and notable Bohemians are listed.

People Mentioned in this Work

Childs, Nathaniel [pages:2]

The obituary identifies him as one of the "Knights of the Round Table" of the "lions of Bohemia."

Clapp, Henry [pages:2]

The obituary identifies him as one of the "Knights of the Round Table" of the "lions of Bohemia."

Clare, Ada [pages:2]

The obituary describes her as "the lioness, the 'Reine de Boheme." Clare is also described as "erratic but gifted." Her death from hydrophobia, caused by "the bite of a favorite terrier," is mentioned.

Clemenceau, Georges [pages:2]

The obituary identifies him as one of the "Knights of the Round Table" of the "lions of Bohemia." He is also identified as "the famous French statesman of later days."

English, Thomas [pages:2]

The obituary identifies him as one of the "Knights of the Round Table" of the "lions of Bohemia."

Hall, Abraham [pages:2]

The obituary identifies him as one of the "Knights of the Round Table" of the "lions of Bohemia."

Halpine, Charles [pages:2]

The obituary identifies him as one of the "Knights of the Round Table" of the "lions of Bohemia." He is primarily identified here as Charles G. Halpine.

House, Edward [pages:2]

The obituary identifies him as one of the "Knights of the Round Table" of the "lions of Bohemia."

Marshall, William [pages:2]

The obituary identifies him as one of the "Knights of the Round Table" of the "lions of Bohemia."

O'Brien, Fitz-James [pages:2]

The obituary identifies him as one of the "Knights of the Round Table" of the "lions of Bohemia."

Pfaff, Charles [pages:2]

The obituary states that he was "known to thousands of the older residents of the city as the proprietor of the famous 'Bohemia' chop house that flourished at 653 Broadway, near Bleecker Street, between 1860 and 1875." Pfaff died at his apartment in the Kenilworth of a gastric hemorrhage at the age of 72.

Pfaff was born in Baden and emigrated in 1855 to start a saloon and restaurant on Broadway. Pfaff originally had two establishments, one on Broadway near Amity Street and another at 645 Broadway for about five years; then he opened his place at 653 Broadway. This establishment became "the favorite resort of all the prominent actors, authors, artists, musicians, newspaper men, and men-about-the-town of the time." It is described as "not an attractive-looking place, for it was on the floor below street the level, and was fitted up in a plain, quaint fashion, with an estrade, but the service was clean and the cooking excellent, and it soon made a reputation that brought it hundreds of dollars' worth of daily custom."

The obituary statest that Pfaff was "a model host, and personally looked after the comfort of each of his guests." The obituary mentions that Pfaff had a cook that could prapare the large German pancake, known as "pfannekuchen" and beefsteak "to perfection." According to the obituary, "hundreds of people would visit his place to taste these edibles, drink his famous 'best' Rhine wine, and get a look at the lions of Bohemia."

The obituary mentions that Pfaff moved his establishment uptown in 1876, and claims that he quit the business completely about three years before his death (approx. 1887). The new bar was not as successful as its predecessor.

The obituary mentions that Pfaff made quite a bit of money at his Broadway establishment, which he lent to his friends, who did not repay their loans when he needed them to do so. The obituary insinuates that his friends believe that Pfaff's worry about debt and finances "had much to do with hastening his death."

Stedman, Edmund [pages:2]

The obituary identifies him as one of the "Knights of the Round Table" of the "lions of Bohemia."

Stoddard, Richard [pages:2]

The obituary identifies him as one of the "Knights of the Round Table" of the "lions of Bohemia."

Strakosch, Maurice and Max (brothers) [pages:2]

The obituary identifies him as one of the "Knights of the Round Table" of the "lions of Bohemia."

Ward, Artemus [pages:2]

The obituary identifies him as one of the "Knights of the Round Table" of the "lions of Bohemia."

Whitman, Walt [pages:2]

The obituary identifies him as one of the "Knights of the Round Table" of the "lions of Bohemia."

Winter, William [pages:2]

The obituary identifies him as one of the "Knights of the Round Table" of the "lions of Bohemia."

Winthrop, Theodore [pages:2]

The obituary identifies him as one of the "Knights of the Round Table" of the "lions of Bohemia."