The old merchants of New York City / by Walter Barrett.

OF NE W WOR r CITY.

69

occasions when a visitor called. They used to have crab
and lobster suppers at ten o'clock at night, and people
lived to be ninety and ninety-four who had thus indulged
all their lives. Then people slept until ten in the morn
ing, and enjoyed themselves.
But to return to the Waddells. Captain Henry Wa i
dell died in 1819. He lived at 53 Wall street many
years. His son, William Coventry, in 1827 was regarded
as one of the most promising young men in the city.
That year he was made Secretary of the Pacific Insuraiice Company. He held it until 1829, when he was
succeeded by Russel H. Nevins. Mr. Waddell was
called to the City of Washington after the succession of
General Jackson to the Presidency in 1829. He was
made financial agent of the State Department. Thomas
Morris was United States marshal at New York, when
General Jackson came into power in 1829. He failed
to pay over to his assistants in 1830. This knowledge
came to Mr. Waddell, who, was as I have stated, in the
State Department. Edward Livingston who was then
Secretary of State, had a strong personal attachment to
Mr. Waddell, having been in early days a frequent visitor and beau to the beautiful Misses Daubeney. He directed Mr. Waddell to inform President Jackson of the
defalcation by Mr. Morris, and from the intimate relations which existed between young Mr. Waddell and
General Jackson, for he was also confidential financial
agent of the General in the disbursement of the Secret
Service Fund, he found no difficulty in procuring the
appointment from General Jackson direct, before any
other applicants were aware of the vacancy, and in 1831,
W. C. Waddell came back to New York as U. S. marshal. He held the place many years. He was frank
an I generous, and always displayed a liberal hospitality.