The Jersey City news. (Jersey City [N.J.]) 1889-1906, 1895-01-23
RAZzHRS NOT lowed.
Great Cake Walk in Greenville
Passed Off Successfully.

Metropolitan Hall, Greenville, present
ed an active scene last evening upon the
occasion of the Great International
Cake walking Contest held under the
Broome, of Thompson street, New York.
Big Zack,, a w~ell-kEown figure in local
colored circles, was master OF ceremonies.
He was arrayed in the same orange
and black full dress suit that he wore
when mascot of the Princeton team IN
the famous game with Yale, OF Us.
Jack guarded the entrance to the NAIL
and after directing the white folks 10
the ticket office, addressed each pur-
chaser of a ticket as follows
"I'm part of dis deception committee,
and I'd like to introduce yo' to de gem
man who is boss here dis night. IL am
nobody ese dan Mastah Asbury.' With
a lofty wave of his hand the "Decep-
tom Committee pointed to the door of
the ball room and led the way.
.'Dis is a gallos night" he went on,
go de guns of Harrison avenue. Mas
tab Asbury am a mighty big man, l tell
you. Dis are his party, an he glbs de
cake dat dey all walk fur
Everybody, of color, shook 'Mastah"
Asbury's hand. He was the lion of the
evening, even though he had announced
his intention of walking fur de cake"
After the minstrel show, which was one
of the features of the evening, the an
nouneement was made that the time
for the cake walk to begin had arrived.
..Mastah'' Asbury selected the judges,
and of the eleven named nine were mem
bers of the G~reenville Rife Club. The
Judges were:-James. Long, FRED Roeder,
william Agnew, Colin Boag, William
Charlock, ]. Chavant, William c. Col
Inns, e.. wuestner and P. c. Vreeland.
RAzORS COLLECTED FIRST.
After being assured that direct tele-
phone connection had been formed with
the city hospital and that razors We're
tabooed, the gentlemen selected con-
sented to act as judges, and took their
stations on the platform to view the
couples. The cake, a mammoth afTalf'
with ruffies on the top and sides, was
placed on a table in front of the judges.
The orchestra (f a cello, violin ana
wheezy guitar can be called such) struck
I'D a lively march. and "Mastah" AS
bury gave the signal for the start.
viii somebody hold my o~vercoat?"
asked one of the contestants.
Wear all your ~ciothes,l replled a
George Bailey Wear all oh den"
Some dared to cheer him.
II can win it w.dout clothes" shouted
back the man in front, and the audience
You're great on de wind racket, but
your legs am d,ckey," yelled U. 5. Grant
Johnson.
in front, 'IIl glib it 20 de Society for
de Prevention of Bow-Legged Cake
Walkers," and he gave the slender I'M
derpinings of his chief adversary a
LOTS or FUN FOR THE CROWD.
The festivities continued. No minstrel
show ever gave such a performance
The spectators crowded In on the walk.
ers. Everybody was excited. Several
strong men including Judge Billy Char
lock a laughed themselves sick. Y.
S. Grant Johnson was doing a aounle
Bailey looked upon him with disdain.
Bailey's chest was swelled like that of
Johnny Atkins, and his stride was
jigged and shook his toes until all the
other walkers grew jealous and caused
one man to yell foul" which nearly
caused a stampede among the colored
Watch dat ar mar turn dose cor,
one and only cake walk
dat We're neber beat, but that johnson
boy is a looloo. 1 goes my dough on
that niger"
Look at dat man Bailey!' yelled an
other; Hes got It in a walk. It's a
GEORGE TOOK THE CAKE.
When the music stopped "Mastah' AS
bury got on the platform and asked the
Judges if they had agreed upon the win
| ner. They replied that they had. and
that George Bailey was the man. When
| this announcement was made, loud cheers
were given for Mr.. Bailey, who, as one
cullud gen'rman. said, showed the New
| York doods that Jersey City has dc
| champion cake walker" Mr.. Bailey's
| lady was also from Jersey City. she be
ine Miss Josephine Johnson, of No. 81.
| First street. After the prize was carried
| off in triumph by Miss Johnson, the
crowd thinned out. With the great vic
| tory for the blase Mr.. Bailey, there was
| nothing to attract the sightseers, and
they slipped away by twos and threes.