Richmond dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1884-1903, 1898-05-20
SUMPTU0US FEAST.
MAGNIFICENT BANQUET SERVED
INSURANCE AGENTS LAST NIGHT.
PENN MUTUAL MEN CONCLUDE MEETING
Many Toasts Responded to and Many
Patriotic Uttcrances Made-Festal
in Washington Next Year.

The fifteenth annual meeting of the
Penn Mutual Agency Association wa:
brought to a close last night with one
Of the most sumptuous banquets ever
served by the Jefferson.
The business meeting was held in the
assembly-room at the Jefferson at II
o'clock yesterday morning, anc the ban
quet was given in the evening.
The Penn Mutual agents, when they
assemble annually for their meetings,
enjoy themselves to the fullest extent,
but all Of them agreed last night that
in their fifteen years experience they had
never sat at more beautifully decorated
banquet table. Mr.. Hammond had beer
commissioned to decorate the room, anc
he excelled all his previous efforts In
that direction. Cut-fiowers were banked
upon the tables in such profusion as to
leave room only for the plates ana
glasses. and the windows and side walls
were all banked with growing lilies and
ferns, while the ceiling was tastefully
festooned in the national colors. with
long streamers pendant from all the
chandeliers.
MUSIC AT THE FEAST
The menu, too. was all that could have
been desired, and after the choice edl-
bles had been fully discussed the agents
and their guests lighted cigars and a
feast Of reason was enjoyed. During the
entire evening the insurance men were
treated 10 a musicale melange of high
merit. the Jefferson orchestra, concealed
behind mass of palms. discoursed sweet
music. and after each number by the
nnarIettp.
posed OF Messrs. Cloves. watkins. Lob
man, and Cardozo sang
Captain Cunningham Hall acted as
toast-master and the first toast proposed
by him was TO the President OF the
United States, which was drunk standing
and in silence. A toast TO Mr.. II. +.
West, president Of the Penn Mutual, was
also drunk standing, after which Mr.
George X. Johnston. vice-president OF
the company, was introduced. and made
a handsome speech euogistic OF the Penn
and its agents. complimenting the latter
on their iidelity.
FROM A MORAL STANDPOINT.
DIR. r. Allison Miller. the oldest agent OF
the company, and the president OF the
agency association, was next presented
and following him Rev. DR.. E. n. Ca
lisch was introduced. DIR. Calisch spoke
on nle-insurance from q moral stand
point. and made a most interesting tax
Mr.. Jesse j. Barker, the actuary OF ;he
company, was the next speaker, and be
spoke in the highest terms OF praise OF
the company of which he was part and
parcel. He was followed by Mr. Henry
c. Lippincott manager Of agencies. who
eloouently pictured the Penn Mutual as
the mother OF its agents and spoke Of the
loyalty of the agents to the mother
corporation
Captain Frank W. Cunningham sane
the Blue and the Gray and when hi
concluded Hon. b. Il. Munford spoke al
some length on the proneness OF legis-
lators 10 attack corporations of wealth
The other speakers OF the evening were
DIR. oliver r. Rex. chief medical director
of the company; Hon. Simon Wolf, OF
Washington: Mr.. James o. Pease. OF Phi
ladelphia; Mr. John McCloy, of Philadel-
phia; Mr.. ]. w. Hamer OF Philadelphia,
and Colonel n. II. Plympton, of Boston.
PATRIOTIC UTTERANcEs.
Some exceedingly patriotic utterances
were made during the evening. Mr.. Nun
ford made mention of the great achieve
ment OF Dewey and Colonel Plympton
spoke glowingly of General Lee, saying