The Jersey City news. (Jersey City [N.J.]) 1889-1906, 1896-11-14
TALENT BEATEN
A Pair of High Steppers from
New York Win the
Cake Walk.

The annual reception and cake walk of
the Keystone Walters Association was
held in Woods Hall last night. There
were oo1ored men and women from all
parts of this State and New York pres
ent. There were about six undred razors
in the hall when the fun was at its
height. Tha estimate allows one razor
for every "culludD guest and two apiece
for the walters. So far as is known not
a razor was used. There were no calls
for ambulances sent out from the hall,
and the five policemen who were present
were not called upon to make an arrest,
for which they were truly grateful. 1t
was not the fault of some of the out-of-
town talent that the air was not full
of razors from start to finish. Many of
them were in a ..scrappy'' mood, and
went about the hall with one hand
buried away down in their trousers
pockets. In those pockets there was a
razor opened and ready for use. Either
the liquor that was sold was too good
to get candidates in a fighting mood or
else it was SO bad that it stupefied the
consumers. AT any rate no candidates
for a carving doomed up, and as a con-
sequence the reception was a tame affair.
The feature of the evening was the
walk for the cake. job Glenn, Peter
Morris and John James, all white men,
were selected as Judges. They discreetly
took a position in the gallery and sur
rounded themselves with all the policemen
present. Fifteen couples walked for that
cake. The contest was a short one.
The local talent was getting in its fine
work, and it looked as though the cake
would remain in town, when suddenly
the cry went up, Oars de nna I"
All eyes were turned toward the main
stairway as in walked Mr.. and Mrs.
New York. They recently won the cake
at a walk in Madison Square Garden,
and they also hold the Richard K. F'ox
medal for all right" walking.
Blackburn is a wealthy man. He
dresses like a prince. He wore a black
eutaway coat and his trousers were of
somely gowned. They walked around the
hall once as if to size up their COM
petitors, and then they began to get in
their fine work. They double discounted
"Dey's thoroughbreds." yelled an en-
thusiast as Mrs. Blackburn began to
show her high action. Three or four
candidates from .Soubrette Row. up in
and the result was a clash. The trouble
was settled by five healthy floor man
ayers.
There was no more trouble until a
cloudy gentleman, who had a fine pac-
ing roll, announced with considerable
emphasis, that his Jersey friends had
pushed a ringer IN AIM. The ringer,
was a scrapper. She had a hat that was
covered with about ten yards of blue and
green ibbons. Sh tossed that giddy
in a corner in a jiffy, reached
down in the neighborhood of her shoe
for something and was preparing to give
her accuser a "go'' when she was grab
bed and hustled in a corner.
The walk continued as though nothing
unexpected had happened. The judges
finally called a halt and awarded the
cake to the Blackburns. A IS gold piece
went with the cake. The winners de-
parted with their trophy, much to the
disappointment of the local talent.
The second prize was carried off by
Harry Hill, a local walker of note. Miss
Lulu Strong shared the honor with him.
Hill was awarded a So gold piece. He
shot craps with his partner, it is al
legged, and won her half of the prize in
a hurry.
After the distribution Of prizes dancing
began, and was kept up until the pro-
prietor informed the lingerers that they
would have to pay extra rental If they
remained longer.