, 1884-06-13
THE THIRTEEN CLUB.
Its Original Organization and It's
Present Flourishing Condition.
The Popular Superstition Demon
tratcd to Be n Delusion--- Various
Other Thirteen CIubS---Hon-
orary Membership.

The credit OF originating tho Thirteen club
belongs to Capt William Fowler, the Jolly
proprietor Of the Knickerbocker cottage, an
old-timc andmark on Sixth avenue. Some
thing occurred in his place one night that
reused his latent disgust for superstition Of
NIL sorts, and directed its whole force against
that popular Authorization as to The unlucki-
ness Of thirteen people sitting down to table
together.
Thenceforth he made it his principal mis-
sion in life to combat that delusion. Although
he is an old Mason OF high standing, and
probably possesses mors personal acquaint-
Gnce both in and out OF tho craft than any
other individual in Now York, it took him
several months of persistent endeavor before
he could get together twelve men who would
sit down with him at table to dinner. Any
number Of men would say: "Oh, yes, GER
tainly. know the idea is all nonsense. mere
childish superstition. You can count on mo
for one"
But when the night Of test would
come they would not be on hand.
At length, however. tho thirteen were
got together. and they went into the
use OF the supposedly unlucky number
"l3" in every practicable way. They hll n
business meeting ut 7:l3 in the evening Of
Friday, Jan. Is, 1859, IN the Knickerbocker
cottage, the number OF which on the avenue
4-5-i, adds up 10, and ut s:l3 they sat low
to dinner in room 10. To enter the room
they passed under a ladder Of 10 rungs: the
Old American hng with - stars was canopiel
over tho chairmnn's head; there were IS Jet
OF gas; the menu of IS courses was prettily
printed on n pasteboari coffin lid, ndorne,
with ID gilt nail-ieads; 10 bottles of wine
decked the table; IL gay boutonniers lay near
the 10 plates.
The guests enjoyed themselves until n very
late hAuF hut Vhnra vYna tnr-a- u--.- IL
walters who looked upon them nil rs doomed,
and feared sharing thcir fate. Two OF tho
walters, indeed, Gsl from tho house i'm
mediately inter seeing the table set.
Now. according TO the latest annual report
by Scribe Charles Scotheran, the club is IN
the third year OF nourishing existence, and
has a membership of twice thirteen times
thirteen, 33S, No 18th of a month has
yet passed without at least thirteen members
of tho club meeting TO eat, drink, and be
merry, and upon some occasions two or
three tables OF thirteen have been occupied.
THUS far no member has died within tho
year prescribed by superstition us the allotted
limit of life after dining in n party of thir-
teen. One member died fifteen months after
his last dinner in tho club; one ex-member
who never attended n dinner died, and one
honorary member. Potter Cooper, who had
never dincd in the club, but was fully in
sympathy with IT, and was only deferred by
his age from enjoying It's celebrations. passed
away.
Other Thirteen clubs nave been founded,
both in the United States and in EUROPE,
since this one has BEEN demo m stratsl that IL
was not fatal to belong to such I'm organiza-
ton. There arc sixty-two honorary member
of the parent club, headed by President c
A Arthur, and including n number of tn
most honored names in the nation. There Is
no cost attached to honorary membership.
Life membership costs SO. The dues OF
active members arc 10 cents per month, and
the dinners cost just what they are worth, no
more. The parent club was legally incorpor-
ated Sept Is, 1889, and now grants charters
to other clubs. The foe for a charter Is slG 10.
Incidentally, the member take care to
spill the salt at table, wear proudly the motto
"Morituri to Salutamus," have their wine
lists printed in tho shape OF tombstones, and
go iourneying on Fridays when they can.