The Laurens advertiser. (Laurens, S.C.) 1885-1973, 1897-03-09
A BADaE.
President Mckinley Receives n Sou
venir from the Sigma Alpha Epsi-
lon fraternity.

f HtrH arE a&N - asa -E.-
Among the bonors bestowed upon
President Mckinley during the past
week was q beautiful badge of the s. a.
Els, presented by a delegation of tho
national fraternity, which was headed
by Postmaster General w. L. Wilson, sof
West Virginia, and Hon. John G.
Capers, of South Carolina. The pre-
sentatiOn took place the day before the
Inauguration, and the following account
is given by the associated press cor
respondent:
About $3.50 O'clock notice came to Mr..
Mckinley that a delegation sought I o
meet him to make a presentation. The
appointment had been made In advance
for this call, so the president-elect de-
scended from his room to the second
floor of the hotel, whore the delegation
was in waiting. 1t was headed by
Postmaster-G General Wilson and irclud-
ed Hor. John G. Capers, of the attor-
~ney-general's office /; Rev. Walter b.
Capers, of Virginia; Representative
Harrison, and w. d. Dunlap, Of Ala
bama; Nathan Heard, OF PennsS lyania;
Judge Charles Howry, of the court Of
claims bench, and A. M. Austin, Of
Ohio. They were all members of the
Sigma Alpha Epsilon fraternity, and
were thcre to present a badge of the
order. The preoident-elec: greeted his
callers with the greatest ~cordiality.
He was in good spirits, and seeing
Postmaster Wilson in tAe van he was
reminded Of the old days of their SER
vices in the house. Taking him by
the hand. he exclaimed
81 have not seen you since the storm
OF last November. Come over by the
window whereI can see you plainly
AID make sure you look as you did in
Tho nN,1 all In sc, uH-- ~.
on one side and l on the other"
After reciprocating this greeting in
the same spirit, the pOstmast. + gen.
cral proceeded to make q lite speech
in entirely Informal language. He
vas charged with the presentation 80
the ~president.elect of a badge which
unfortunately he did not have himself.
AS an earnest of his good faith he
produced the receipt of the express
company and q telegram announcing
the shipment of the article, but up 10
the time for the presentation Of it, it
had not arrived. 1t vas hardly possible
the time for another appointment, SO
the committee thought 1t best to make
this explanation and send the badge
itself along later.
When the prcsid ent elAct was in
augurated governor OF OHIO he wore
on the lapel of his coat u very pretty
badge and tomorrow on his Inaugural,
tion as president he will again wear
his college fraternity pin. This time,
however, the badge, though smaller
in design, is more elaborate and costly,
and Is the gift of the fraternity at
large. The national convention Of the
order in st. Louis in December passed
a resolution for the purchase aud
presentation of the badge and 1t is sup.
posed 10 DO the most handsome and
costly badge possessed by any member
of the organization. Tho president
elect thanked the delegation In suit .ble
terms and promised to wear the badge
If, as he remarked jocosely, there
really was any such badge, and his
visitors we're not joking. ~his poin,
was soon NIT, however, for just as the
party started away an express mes.
senger brought in haste the delayed
package.
Postmaster General Wilson immedi
ately opened 1t, assisted by the presi
dentelsct and disclosed u beautiful
work Of the jewelers. art, studded
with diamonds. When this ceremony
was over tho president-elect spcn,
some time in exchanging greetings
with the friends who had gathered IL
the parlor, and it was noticed that he
gave q particularly warm greeting &c
Representative Harmer, OF Pennsyl
vania, and held d whispered converse
ton with him.