The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1897-02-21
NAMES GROTESQUE CLUB.
CALLED THE THOUSAND AND ONE.
AVID LADEN NTH SECRETS.

IL Meets ON Pressure Isic, Where Scotch
whiskey Has Ever Flowed without the
Check OF Prohibition Law-Its Power In
the Courts ana Its vsra-'.. At Initiations
AUGUSTA, Me-, Fob. 19.--About thirty &C
tive nom oers Of Presque Isles famous Ono
Thousand and One Club held q reunion IN the
Com missioner OF Labor's ONCE on Saturday
night, to call up memories Of old times and
make plans for the Initiation Of new candidates.
hmtrR those present were Ave Senators and
eight Representatives in the present Legislature,
three Judges. two Councillors. tho State Treas
urer. State Land Agent. and an Ex-Governor
OF Maine. not one OF whom has over been
known TO say word In pubiic about the club
lne One Thousand and One Club is an ancient
and exclusive order. When q now member 10
initiated he learns several secrets which he
doss not care to tell. and lives In state Of
general trepidation until the next candidate
comes along and is installed. In this way the
burden OF secrecy Is made to rest heavily upon
the newest member. HIS face wears look
of yearning uncertainty at all tinss, and he
distributes cigars and llauld favors to entire
strangers with an abandon that is not In
keeping with his general Character.
The club was begotten OF need OF recrea-
ion which was felt by tn. officers OF the Aroos-
took war. who ". mt up to defend the northeast
.rR boundary of Maine in the autumn and win.
ter OF lS3s-3o. II wns pure horse play at first.
but as fresh recruits came In and fresh VIE
tins paid tho penalty OF their curiosity a
corntersiun vas adopted, and the club became
full-dedged. II sas called the One Thousand
aud One Club on account OF tho secret sign
which the members adopted. Thi, align was
innde by placing the palm OF the right hand
over the mouth, 20 that the index and middle
hnger we're astrids the nose. Is these means
the numerals 1901 wore expressed, the index
hnGer representing one thousand. tho second
finger standing Tor one. and the two nostrils
forming the Intervening ciphers. strangers
who tried TO initiate the sien always made u
mistake and put tho fingers astridc their mouth
and were mockinxly called members OF the one
Hundred and One Club. After the Webster
Ashburton treaty was signed and the troops
Msnt home, the club lsnEuished tra score Of
had never been enacted It would have died .
natural death. From 1855 to 1875 Maine was
nouri.hment in any form. As Presque Isle 10
on the border. end as Scotch whiske, flows
over,hirsty made long pIlgrinaees TO the va
laee for the purpose OF Quenching their thirst.
As Scotch whiskey prcvokes mirth, and as the
jolllty and good fellowship. ii new lease OF life
was given to this aged organization, so that it's
membershp increased until some OF tne best
men in Maine were un the rolls.
The stories that were told at Saturday
nights night reunion Sere strange and fnll of in,
yer; spoke fee!inrly OF HIS own Initiation. The
black oil. and swung him in blanket until he
was dizzy. Then the hiRh priest asked:
DO YOU believe In he elevation OF mani"
/ believe in the elevation OF man" muir
mnred the future Judge. No sooner bad lie
said this thaa the blanket made violent
swing, lifting him over broad partition and
dumping him In a big tank OF ice cod water:
About ten, years -eo Mr.. Cyrus lliIl, real
estate dealer OF Augusta, went to Presque
Isle on business, and WAS induced To JON ths
club. As he was powerful young man, the
80 that Mr.. Hill was sicg for week. When
he had recovered and gone home he grew mad
about It, and brought suit against five mem
bers OF the club for assault and battery. In
selecting n lawyer to press his suit he picked
out unwlttlngly one OF the men who had
helped to swing him In the blanket. Seven OF
the twelve Jurors who hsnrd the case were
clue mcm"er-. and tao presiding Judge had
been high priest for two YEAR, Mr.. Hi failed
to get a verdict. but the club men used him
40 well that he forgave his enemies and got
full consolation by attending "n, assisting In
the initiation OF two new candidates ar.
Hill said that Il he had his LIE to live over bo
would Join the One Thousand and One Club
ms soon As possible,
q member ot forty years standing, told OF a
you-G lawyer, John Cornish. who came up TO
preslus Isle in 1870 To plead before the Jurts,
He was an unusually able man. and felt very
smart among a lot OF hackwoods LAWYERS. A
vigorous Initiation into the club not only took
all he smhrtness out OF him. but grieved hiiL
80 that h. sued about twenty Of the leading
citizens OF AronstOoS county. Like all suits
OF n similar nature. Mr.. Cornish's suit was dis
missed without argument. The Supreme Court
was asked To investigate the matter. but re.
fused to do so, after which Mr.. Cornish packed
MP HIS law books and quit Milne. saying he
would never return to a State that had used
him shabblly He Is now municipal
Judge in l NJ W Hampshire town. and though
Maine laws and Maine justice With disrcspect.
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