The troublesome nephew of a prominent Massachusetts Congressman and Civil War general, Benjamin Butler, George H. Butler was a theater critic and writer.
27 Memorial Drive West, Bethlehem, PA 18015
"Bohemianism in America was born in a cellar, and it never got above ground," reminisces this article. "Perhaps if it had it would ceased to have been Bohemianism. The cellar was Pfaff's restaurant, on Broadway, near Bleecker street, New York." In addition to giving an overview of the Pfaff's scene and listing some of the frequenters of Pfaff's bar, the article also includes a poem about the Pfaff's bohemians by Edgar Fawcett and a statement of autobiography dictated by Henry Clapp.
"There has been a great deal written about these meetings at Pfaff's, and from some accounts one would think the conversation was very brilliant. I think this was rarely the case. . . . I think the charm of the place was its coziness."
Edgar Fawcett's poem "[Before I was famous]" is printed as part of the article "Bohemianism: The American Authors Who Met in a Cellar."
Arnold is mentioned as one of "the best know writers who frequented that cozy corner [Pfaff's]," as well as a regular contributor to the Saturday Press.
Butler is credited with contributing towards a granite monument for Clapp's grave site.
Clapp is referred to as "The King of Bohemia, the man who, above all others kept the band together." He is described as "a small, queer looking old fellow, with reddish gray whiskers, iron gray hair, a protruding forehead and a short, black clay pipe that he was forever smoking." The article also contains a never-before-published biography of Clapp's life dictated by Clapp himself to the author of the article.
Clare is mentioned as one of "the best know writers who frequented that cozy corner [Pfaff's]," as well as a regular contributor to the Saturday Press.
Delmonico is credited with contributing towards a granite monument for Clapp's grave site.
Dunn is mentioned as one of "the best know writers who frequented that cozy corner [Pfaff's]."
A poem by Fawcett "wherein he is supposed to lament the worldly success that separates him from his old friends" at Pfaff's is included with this article. Fawcett's poem mentions three Pfaffians in particular, "artist George," "splenetic journalistic Fred," and "dreamy Frank," which may refer to George Henry Boughton, Charles Frederick Briggs, and either Frank Goodrich, Frank Forester, Franklin J. Ottarson, or Frank Wood.
Fisk is credited with contributing towards a granite monument for Clapp's grave site.
Gardette is mentioned as one of "the best know writers who frequented that cozy corner [Pfaff's]."
Halleck is mentioned as one of "the best know writers who frequented that cozy corner [Pfaff's]."
Henry Clapp is quoted as saying, "After the Saturday Press failed, I went on the Citizen with Miles O'Reilly."
In the biography of Henry Clapp, Jr., included within this article, Clapp is quoted as saying that he founded the Saturday Press with Howland.
McWatters is credited with contributing towards a granite monument for Clapp's grave site.
North's friendship with Henry Clapp, beginning in England, is recounted here.
O'Brien is mentioned as one of "the best know writers who frequented that cozy corner [Pfaff's]."
Ottarson (referred to as "Joe Otterson") is mentioned as one of "the best know writers who frequented that cozy corner [Pfaff's]."
Pfaff is described as "a fat, cross looking German with one of the kindest hearts that ever beat in a human bosom. I do not know what his religion was, or is, whether he was an agnostic or whether he drew his inspiration for life in the monkey development idea, but those who knew him knew how kind and good he always was, especially to men of the literary calling. Too many of this class, utterly selfish and devoid of principle, took advantage of this trait and owed him for many a meal they were perfectly able to pay for. As for tramps and beggars his restaurant was the Mecca to which they paid visits persistently and regularly the year round. Some would receive a package of food, some simply a huge hunk of bread and many a coin."
In the biography of Henry Clapp, Jr., included with this article, Clapp comments, "I recommenced the Saturday Press on my own hook. Mark Twain published his 'Jumping Frog' in my paper. Artemus Ward was a regular contributor. George Arnold, Ada Clare, Nat Sheppard, Nathan D. Urner wrote for it. The Count Gurowski wrote a series of articles for the first paper, giving his experiences in London. Harriet Prescott contributed." Clapp also mentions that he wanted "the advertising and the editorial columns" of the Press to be separate.
Shepherd (spelled "Sheppard" here) is mentioned as one of "the best know writers who frequented that cozy corner [Pfaff's]," as well as a regular contributor to the Saturday Press.
Twain's publication of the story that would come to be known as "The Celebrated Jumping Frog of Calaveras County" in the Saturday Press is recounted here.
Urner is mentioned as one of "the best know writers who frequented that cozy corner [Pfaff's]," as well as a regular contributor to the Saturday Press.
Ward is mentioned as one of "the best know writers who frequented that cozy corner [Pfaff's]," as well as a regular contributor to the Saturday Press.
Whitman is mentioned as one of "the best know writers who frequented that cozy corner [Pfaff's]."
Wilkins is mentioned as one of "the best know writers who frequented that cozy corner [Pfaff's]." He is also referred to as the dramatic editor of the New York Leader and the author of articles signed "Personne."
Winter is mentioned as one of "the best know writers who frequented that cozy corner [Pfaff's]." Winter is also credited with contributing towards a granite monument for Clapp's grave site and with writing the inscription and epitaph for the monument itself.
An electronic version of this text is available at Brooklyn Daily Eagle Online, which has digitized the issues of the Brooklyn Daily Eagle from 1841 to 1902. It is hosted by the Brooklyn Public Library and is free and open to the public. Viewing the electronic version of this text will lead you to an external website. Please report dead links to digitlib@lehigh.edu.
The troublesome nephew of a prominent Massachusetts Congressman and Civil War general, Benjamin Butler, George H. Butler was a theater critic and writer.
27 Memorial Drive West, Bethlehem, PA 18015