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While perusing the 1898 issue of the American Chess Magazine, I came across some interesting items.
No date was offered by the ACM for this simul, but the New York Times of June 18, 1897 included this added information:
IMULTANEOUS exhibitions are, as a rule, not attended with the same interest as before, although they give the weaker player an opportunity to test his strength on a first-class opponent, and at the same time the single player and his adversaries are placed on a level, which otherwise could only be brought about by the giving and taking respectively of odds. Performances of this kind, however, have lately been overdone, and the single player generally finds himself in a very embarrassing position. If he makes a good score, there is no particular merit attached to it ; if he makes a bad score, he has made himself ridiculous. The position of the opposing player is no more favorable ; if he loses, it is, of course, no credit, whereas if he wins, he has done nothing to be proud of.
For this reason simultaneous performances have ceased to be great attractions, unless they are given by a player of world-wide reputation, like Lasker, Pillsbury or Steinitz.
The Cosmopolitan Chess Club made a lucky hit in invitingthe Past Master to give his first performance since his return from abroad. Eighteen members and invited guests mustered up courage enough to face the man who for over thirty years has held the championship of the world. The strongest players of the club, however, did not play, for some reason or other.
Before play started Mr. Steinitz inquired where the strongest players were seated. Some three or four were pointed out to him, whereupon he offered a gambit to every'one of them. Mr. Steinitz was in very good form, and met not a single reverse. Only three of his opponents were fortunate in drawing a game, while he scored the remaining fifteen. A synopsis of the performance is appended:
1....S. Newmann . . . . .King's Gambit dec . . . 0
2....A. Widmer . . . . . .King's Gambit dec . . . 0
3....F. Martin . . . . . . .Vienna . . . 0
4....S. Simon . . . . . . . French . . . 0
5....M. D. Rome . . . . . French . . . 0
6....H. Steinberg . . . . .Giuoco Piano . . . 0
7....W. H. Clay . . . . . .King's Gambit . . . 0
8....A. D. Dalbot . . . . .King's Gambit dec . . . 0
9....G. A. Rhame . . . . .French . . . 0
10....EH Cochrane . . . .King's Gambit dec . . .½
11....K. Kaufmann . . . ..Vienna . . .0
12...E. D. Lesser . . . . . King's Gambit dec . . .½
13....F. Powers . . . . . . Cunningham . . .0
14....H. Hammond . . . . .Kieseritsky . . .½
15....M. Spinnocet . . . . .Vienna . . .0
16....S. Voron . . . . . . . French . . .½
17....H. Schiller . . . . . . French . . .0
18....D. Terker . . . . . . . Falkbeer counter . . .0
Total—Steinitz won 15, lost 0, drew 3.
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