Gautier's Restaurant

[L Verge]

Most of us know the story of the late-night meeting that Booth had with his cabal at Gautier's Restaurant in March of 1865. The average reader, however, probably assumes that the restaurant was some dive that catered to the lower echelons in life. Such is not the case.

I belong to a wonderful forum called Streets of Washington that carries tidbits of D.C. history. I just received the latest email from them, and it is on the fancy caterers and confectioners of the city from the early 1800s. Here's a snippet of how they describe the establishment of M. Charles Gautier:

How Sweet It Was: Washington's Great Caterer-Confectioners
Posted: 30 Jun 2014 04:30 AM PDT

A prominent profession in the 19th century, the caterer/confectioner was the epitome of commercial fine dining. Acclaimed chefs in the French tradition in those days were expected to display their virtuosity through their delicate and sumptuous confectionary. When they opened their own restaurants, they would offer catering services and sell cakes and candies in addition to offering sit-down dinners in their fashionable dining rooms. Catering was essential for these early restaurants because most of the city's important dinners and receptions were held in private homes.

One of the most prominent of mid-19th century caterer/confectioners was Charles Gautier (1811-1884), who had immigrated to the U.S. in 1838. In 1846, Gautier advertised a “Great Christmas Display” at his Ville de Paris on the northeast corner of 11th Street and Pennsylvania Avenue NW, promising he could “supply parties and balls with every thing that is rich and good and needed on such occasions, at reasonable rates.” He invited visitors to see his display of “a large number of superb Cakes, most tastefully and richly ornamented, ranging in weight from five pounds up to near twelve hundred pounds!” The Evening Star’s James Croggon recalled that Gautier’s Christmas display also included handsomely dressed dolls, which drew admiring crowds.

Gautier was a master of haute cuisine. He catered inaugural parties for James Buchanan in 1857 and Abraham Lincoln in 1861. When not catering enormous parties, Gautier tended to his elegant restaurant on Pennsylvania Avenue. In 1853 he built a new place at 12th Street and Pennsylvania Avenue, and a detailed description was printed in the Alexandria Gazette:
"Entering the main front door from the broad sidewalk of one of the most frequented parts of the avenue, you find yourself in a handsome Confectionary and Comestible Store, the counters of white marble, the floor of chequerwork, the walls and ceiling highly embellished, and lighted, at night, by gas emitted from a chandelier of much taste and great costliness. Immediately in the rear of this, but still in the same room, you advance, up a step or two, to a saloon with walls beautifully papered, and fittingly ceiled and carpeted, containing series of marble-topped tables and exquisite chairs to match, for the accommodation of lady visitors or parties of ladies and gentlemen…. Descending into the lower regions of the establishment, we encounter a room for the making of Ice Cream, three apartments for the manufacture of French Confectionary, store rooms, oven, kitchen, furnace-room, &c., all fitted up with a view to convenience and labor-saving, and after the most modern and approved plans…."

A March 1865 advertisement proclaimed Gautier’s to be “the restaurant of this city, where a gentleman can take a lady to enjoy the luxuries of the season, as no improper characters are admitted here.” Ironically, that very month, one of the most improper characters in U.S. history, John Wilkes Booth, had met with his co-conspirators at Gautier's to plan the kidnapping of President Lincoln. Gautier was later questioned about the plotters, but he had no involvement in the conspiracy. After the war, Gautier got out of the confectionary and catering business and concentrated on wholesale liquor sales, including his trademarked Native Wine Bitters. He died at his home in Washington in 1884.

[J. Beckert]

If I remember correctly, someplace connected to Booth is pictured here and I think it was Gautier's. Isn't it the building with the large awning?

[Gene C]

What a great photograph. Do you know the occassion of the photo? There appears to be mourning crepe in some of the windows, but some of the womens dresses don't appear to be proper mourning attire?
(I've got to quit watching Joan Rivers - Fashion Police)

[J. Beckert]

It's Lincoln's funeral procession, Gene.

[LincolnMan]

Great historical information Laurie.

[L Verge]

It's rather ironic that one of Gautier's daughters married Edward Doherty, a member of the Garrett's Farm Patrol that cornered and killed Mr. Booth.

[J. Beckert]

My mistake. American Brutus identifies the building with the long awning as Rullman's Hotel, not Gautier's, and describes it as place where "daily meetings occurred between Booth and some of the conspirators". I'm not sure I've ever heard it mentioned before.

[L Verge]

Isn't Rullman's where Michael O'Laughlen and the gentlemen he came to town with on April 13 or so stayed? There's something about them eating in the dining room and O'Laughlen leaves them to go find Booth?

[J. Beckert]

Yes, I just found that, but I've never heard that it was used for daily meetings.

[L Verge]

I hadn't either. Does AB give a citation?

[J. Beckert]

Not really. That's the notation under the photo, but the only references in the book just mention O'Laughlen and Arnold staying or drinking there - no meetings.

[BettyO]

Streets of Washington is a fantastic e-newsletter. I highly recommend subscribing to it. Lots of great information. Gautier, after the assassination went into the "bitters" business and I've only seen one of his bottles in the antique business. Here is his patent for same:

   

Interesting about Rullman's. Thanks, Joe and Laurie. I didn't know that was the hotel. It's the one with the big wooden post awning, correct?

[J. Beckert]

That's what AB says, Betty. The building with the long awning. I think that must be Pennsylvania Avenue, then.

[RJNorton]

Joe, long ago I thought I'd post a photo of Gautier's Restaurant as a "What is this" trivia question. I looked and looked and drew a blank. I have never seen a photo of Gautier's. I wonder if one exists.(?)

[L Verge]

My D.C. expert, Joan Chaconas (who has every book known to man on the subject of D.C. history!), tells me that she has never found a picture of Gautier's. Jim Garrett was speculating a few months back on one that he thought might be it, but I'm not convinced and neither is Joan.