Pittsburg dispatch. [volume] (Pittsburg [Pa.]) 1880-1923, 1889-06-18
ELEVEN HOURSOFFUN
Fat Lawyers, Lean Lawyers, Old and
Young, and Four Judges Disport
IN THE WOODS AT ROCK POINT.
Allegheny Bar Association PicnicS Improve
by Age---YeSterday's Was
MORE ENJOYABLET ETHAN ANY PRECEDING

WUhE ENJUl ADuE IHAN AN fkECEDlNl
1t is generally supposed that lawyers can d,
nothing unless they are able to cite prece
dent, but in the matter of picnics they seem t,
be able to make common law" as readily a.
any of the old mummies who have given u
1,5OO or 1000 volumes of decisions which con
stitute the body thereof. Between 300 and 50
of them, members and guests of the Alleghen!
County Bar Association, went to Rock Poin
yesterday, and the most of them went as die
the Israelites of old up to their annual festi
walls, with Joy and singleness of heart Their,
was also sprinkling of the profession from thu
surrounding counties, among them Judge
Wickham, of Beaver. They had the Great
| Western Band with them, and Kennedy fur
| nished the solids and fluids in a manner thai
| won the hearts of the crowd, especially that
part fof the programme in which Strawberries
| were served twice to those whose digestions
| would allow it. .--
| The first impression one got as he scaled the
rocky height, and before he could see anything,
was that a circus was performing. The music
was fast and furious, like that in circus when
| the horses are urged to the top of their speed
in the grand ''tableau" or "walk-around." 1t
was subsequently learned that the legal exer.
cises were of that quality which required
music denominated at country shindigs-quick
and devIlish.
A ROUGH AND READY CROWD.
Some of the judges present were dressed
with the dignity comporting with their func-
tions and SO were some of the lawyers. but the
majority had on picnic apparel in which fan
mel shirts predominated, and when they got
heated coats and vests were shed with an
abandon that would have done credit to a
party of harvesters. .
There may have been pocket pistols in the
crowd, but if SO their effect was not visible for
everything, though hilarious, was decorous
MeSSrs. A. V ID WattprSOn IOSnnh Brown
took a straw vote to determine which way the
wind blew on the Constitutional amendment
question, and it resulted: Lawyers for 76,
against 80; Great Western Band, II for,
against; walters, for. 81 against The Judges
didn't vote. Some called it "non-committal''
and others ION the fence"
- The weather might have been better, and yet
it wasn't bad, considering that there was
a dancing platform in the grand pavilion
with an area OF over 5000 feet, beside
shooting and other pavilions covering as much
mole space and all sorts of recreations were
patronized. Some tried baseball but the most
seductive game, apparently, at least, was
quoits, and one thing was demonstrated, viz:
That the game is in its decadence, the older
"boys" generally getting away with the
younger. A few of the latter pitched respec-
table game, but the majority of the experts
mored that Mr. William Swisshelm was SO far
carried off his moral pins as to pitch a game
for prize of walking stick. How
ever that may be, he and Commissioner
all the young fellows except Alex. Gilfillan and
a few other country bred youths who had got
ten an education around various blacksmith
shops. Gilfllan was an adept at ringers and
leaners, making as high as one each at one
inning but Swisshelm's steady gait counting
generally one and sometimes two against Com
missioner Mercer. MIR. Henderson inscribed
victory on the banner of his side. Mr.. Mercer
generally put the rings in the right place, but
they generally refused to stay there, while
Swisshelm's disregard of technicalities counted
in general average, Mr.. Hall was also one of
the elderly boys who cut the combs of the
youngsters.
A CHANCE FOR VERSATILITY.
The events of the afternoon were the Viz
ginia reel and the regatta, but they were pre-
ceded by some excellent vocal music. Among
the singers were Messrs. G. F. Crawford,
George Elphinstone, W. P. Potter, J. Boyd
Duff, A. v. D. watterson, C. C. Montooth, G.
B. Brown, John Rodgers McCreery, and C. w.
Scovel, tenors; E. w. Smith, R. A. Balph, j.
H. Harrison, ]. j. Miller, ]. W. Collins, ]. L.
McCutcheon, and g. 9. DIckey, bassos.
Way Down the Suanee River was especial
ly fine.
In the reel the ''ladies" were distinguished by
wearing 'kerchiefs on their arms. Some of the
dancers were close on three score and ten in
age, but they were among the most alert, and
T. ]. Keenan,, Esq, and Major Negley and c.
c. Dickey, ESQ.,, as the Two Johns, covered
themselves with glory.
About o'clock the sun shone out brightly
and the regatta was ordered. There were five
double entries, John Rourke and James
Buchanan. John Slack and Henry Brunot, r.
H. Johnston and Henry Meyer, E. 2. Smith |
and Thomas Patterson and J: 5. McCutcheon
and Albert York Smith. The judges were |
Judges Ewing and Magee. Considerable diff |
Guilty was experienced in starting, and the boats
fouled frequently. The red turban of Mr.. Nc. |
Cutcheon, like the white plume of Henry |
wa uhn ann
provocative of mischief all the time. He and |
his partner, Mr.. A. Y. Smith, came near run |
ming down Judges Ewing and Magee several |
times. They protested vigorously and several |
of the spectators were certain they could see |
Their Honors' hair rise as they arose to their |
feet to repel the boarders. Certain it Is that |
Their Honors were in poor condition to
Messrs. Johnston and Meyer would win, but
they couldn't keep the channel, and Mr. John
ston said the trouble was that their boat had |
no keel. Rourke and Buchanan won the first
heat, and E. q. Smith and Thomas Patterson
the second and third.
THE NATIONAL GAME A FAILURE.
The baseball match was almost failure. At
The end of the third inning, when the score
stood IA to 8. the umpire, Mr.. William Frew, /
was hit in the eye by hot liner and retired,
when the game fell through.
The most surprising incident of the day was
US Ouc VI qul6IeSL IuemDeIS OF
oar. Captain Breck was holding hat to test
he kicking abilities of the bar. when Mr.
5tillwagon introduced Joseph Forsythe, ESQ,
Some very creditable work had been done
when Mr. Forsythe came forward and knocked
he tile out of Captain Breck's hands at the
height of eight feet. Mr. Forsythe kept it up
Until he demonstrated that there wasn't man
all enough to hold it out of his reach, and
hus stopped this part of the programme, as he
couldn't lind anyone bold enough to contest.
HELP FOR JoHNsTowN LAWYERS.
Before leaving, meeting was organized for
'he relief of the Johnstown lawyers, President
W. B. Negley, Chairman. After some talk the
following resolutions were adopted: That
], 600 be appropriated from the treasury of the
County Bar Association for the pur-
pose of aiding the members of the Cambria
county bar resident in Johnstown; that COM
nittee of five be appointed to carry this resolu-
ion into effect and that the secretary be in
tructed to ask the corporation of other bar
associations in the United States in the relief
# their brethren in Johnstown. Messrs. s.,
\. McClung, ]. II. Baldwin, E. Y. Breck, o. s.
and S. B. Schoyer were appointed
he committee, the first named chairman.
There was room for each to indulge in his
pecialty. Judges Slagle and Over seemed to
hink there was mental relaxation in euchre;
". Hayne, who is supposed to protect the
nny tribe hereabout, ruled that there was no
aw that prevented the catching of chubs in
he Connoquenessing. Though very much re-
lxed. about 800 members of the bar decided
hat if they lived they would do it again next
ear.