New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1897-12-07
THE ST. NICHOLAS DINNER.
BRILLIANT GATHERING AT DELL
MONICO'S.
THE USUAL HISTORICAL FEATURES PREsENl-Ap-
DRESSES BY BISHOP POTTER. C. G
BEAMAN AND OTHEI

DRESSES BY BISHOP POTTER. C. c.
BEAMAN AND OTHERS
All the brilancy and festivity that have marked
IN. annual dinner Of the ST. Nicholas Society IN
past years were renewed last night. when FOR the
sixty second year It's members celebrated the an
niversady OF their patron saint with the customary
feast Successful as have been the preceding dinners
which have helped TO keep green the memory Oh
that ancient Bishop OF Myra. who from being the
patron OF children and sailors came to be tne SAINT
OF the Hollanders and as a natura. consequence. or
the early settlers OF ew-Amsterdam the oucS'
members OF the society were prepared 10 make
affidavit last night that this years dinner was tne
most conspicuous and noted OF all WITHIN theh
memories.
The traditional ceremonies that are observed AZ
the annual festival. OF the society were repeated
last night In all their interesting details. Inc COL
ored footmen dressed In the odtime coleman cos
tunes. the old weathorcock, which, betore co"'ins
into possession OF tho society. hrst surmouhteo
the old Town Hall at BurlIng Slip and later point
ed the wind over WASHINGTON Irvings house At
Sleepy Hollow; the ancient mace OF the ofsahiza-
ton and tho revered three-cornered nat OF tno
president took the foremost part always allotted
TO these historic adjuncts OF the annual gathering
OF the ST. Nicholas members. While not LAVISH
tho decorations were tastcfully distributed. Be
hind the president was placed the coat-Cfarms OF
tho society surrounded by American and llolana
flags. and suspended from the gallery Immediately
facing him was the banner OF the order.
AT THE PRESIDENTS TABLE
At the centre OF the raised cross table was seated
Franklin W. Stanton. tho president OF the society.
and on either side OF him were Bishop Potter; e.
c. Beaman OF the New England Society; John d.
Crimmins. OF the s.. Patrick's Society J. W Nroo-
man. OF the Holland Society: Henry ". Prince OF
the Colonial Order; John A. Kasson, Reciprocity
Commissioner Of the United States: Nicholas FISH
Of the Society OF the Cincinnati; Frederic ). De
Peys.er. OF the Society of Colonial Wars; william
Lyall o. the st. Andrews Society: the Kew. III
George r. Van Dc Water. Berkeley Mostyn' OF
the ST. Georges Society. and Colonel 'hhrleS L.
James. of the St Davids Society.
Last year In consequence OF the large NUMBER
OF applications for seats. the stewards IN charge
Of the arrangements were Obliged to revert TO inc
system which they have not followed for fuzzy
decade OF seating their members at the orthodox
long tables The greater area however' placed az
their disposal this year In Deimoncos new nan
sGetns ,shss whes haye Tended to induce that
conviviality and friendly intercourse ."nlch nave
always been u prominent feature OF THESE '''
A SOUVENIR PIPE.
In addition to the handsome printed menu cards
and the long clay pipes without whlch no o'
Nicholas Society dinner would be orthodox or COM
plete. there presented TO each guest as
souvenir OF the occasion. briar pipe. with the
bowl carved IN the shape OF a head wearing mo
old fashioned colonial hat.
I. was Just upon 10 o'clock when the president
rose to begin the aner-dlnner oratory. After vel
canning the guests with warm cordially h" went
10 say;
Tho s., Nicholas Society does not claim to be
d.tnctiyely Dutch soceiy IT n. sGci.y how rSR
ever that the great majority OF our members Ua'e
with pride their origin 70 Dutch ances'Iy ~. H III,
!, 81 Xichoas Day. our dav md feel N hoa-'.
fal 81 mood We boast Of <x,ytwo years Of Deacs,,
epp'lcanis has grown 30 erge that We hay" raisel
our limit Of membership ana now ' hh1rar.s am, and
afty members on roll. The society T. TO b
msnrnt fund which amounts 10 - - We haN'
also a commemorative fund OF N"o ,.
1t has been snd that our remar Aable recon
forbid all discussion ~ party politics Well mat
{, ore reason hui ,hcrs Is ,,ronsen one h M
Old schoolmate. and college friends are gathered
around ,he,s table. n,rr ", .,nSw m ". arc
not a dining society only. We believe IN ch-r.sh,
Ing n. traditions and ms ss fs o. me o hi Sy
ana OF thi. society that true gratitude which Is
the memory Of the heart.
roAsrs TO GOVERNOR AND PRESIDENT
Before resuminG his sent the chairman proposed
the healths OF the Pr,-iden, and tho Governor or
IN. stat. OF New-York. which were drunk with
musical honor..
Frederic J. De Pcys,er followed with response
20 the toast OF the g.. Nicholas Society lie made
ono OF his usual humorous speeches; made up Tor
The most part by faceiious allus:ons 70 those
around him. which, because Of their happiness o.
greatly en,oysd BY ii. hearers ..o~,o, :, IN.
chauncey 81 p.pew haa ben :ec S" IN thai
OF "Our CITY" The death Of william u fauldins
ever. and in his place bishop Potter nc chaplain
Of the society. took the subiec Acknow,,,dsinns s
Pev.i.r had used in referring to him. Bishop Pot
ter begged his audence 70 rcmemhcr tha
bestowed upon him kept adjacent TO his throne
n .ervitor who. under similar conditions 20 "hlcn
I. Tlisbn Pot lad
Z: Knss wh ns S %S4s, eT a
A LAUGH ON MR. REAMAN
eft Was in something Of the same spirit" Bishop
Potter continued. and with the fire scepticism or
New-Englander ths, Mr.. Beaman. who sits next
70 m. murmured gently. when Mr. Dc Peysler was
IN the midst Of OF his best panesyrc.
.R,.hop this is all very well but at The same time
Mr. Beaman I. not member ~ my union. or
would aubm., him 10 ecclesiastical disc,pinrroc ,.
- aud,rg a sneaker TO undertake the task Of re-
spondng TO hi. toast. Bishop Potter preceded: 81,
,his society who informed mel am tehi"S YOU
the absolute and naked truh-that me s,nJ'<t 81
oios Socie,y hui that It's members who had been
asked TO speak the theme dc'iheo 10 iuu ~
The city OF New-york which should insplre sun
Whatever dghcs shc has ialen u ln,9
She MAJ fail ! can refer you to our friend, Mr.
mn: in S OF tbs reta 1" an
made by an eminent Catholic pr'late VINO was
woited ,non IN a smoking ear OF a railroad Taln
nv a Protestant Clergyman who undertook 10 con-
,irce hin, that there was no such place ~ purba,
tory After the Protestant clergyman nal nreu'n
and pleaded for some lime the Catholc prriat. n.
i.st s,id. Cannot YOU conceive any cfcum.t ances
under which It might be quite satisfactory Tor yon
TO purgatoryE No II ~ ilmposI iorv under
any conceivable circumstance Very wcll. sald
In enIarglng upon his subject. Bishop fotlct
pointed out that New-York was not city , 10 DE
ashamed OF and whatever might y" h'r Idilui T.,
.nI denclenrl.s they were remcdialle II her chll-
dron cared to remedy them TO these ,hc T., oppor,
wavs ,o M the standard OF education me stan"ru
Of civic loyalty tho standard OF rt-poi1'p9iI'!
then with All her faults. TO love hor SIM tc co'
Win q flowing tribute to Mayor strong. ~,
LLnrA VI