The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1898-11-12
The Banquet rendered General
Miles Last Night
BY the Union League Club at
the Waldorf Astoria
RARELY EQUALLED,
And Rivalled in Magnificence
the One to Mckinley.
Many Distinguished Men Pres
emit Including Roosevelt.

New York. Nov. 1.-THE compliment
airy banquet given to Major General
Miles, commanding the United States
army, at the WaldOrf-Astoria, last
night. in point of numbers, extensive
preparation and brilliancy, rivalled the
great banquet given last year in honor
of President Mckinley by the merch-
ants and manufacturers of the country.
The leading persons, military. naval and
business men were representation
guests were present. All of the sec
ond floor of the Astoria portion of the
hotel was utilized for the dinner. The
grand banquet hall was too small and
some tables were set in the adjoining
rooms.
The banquet hall itself was a marvel
of beauty The galleries and balconies
were artistically draped with the ma
tiOnal cOlOrs in silk. The arrangement
of the decorations over the table at
which sat the guests of honor were SUI
perb. Many cOlOred bouquets of chry-
santhemums in crystal holders produced
a charming erect me WnOle was
enhanced in beauty by the brilliant uni
forms of the various arms of the naval
and military service present.
The menu cards were bound in vel
ium, with portrait of General Miles
and small pictures representing some OF
the scenes through which the general
has passed in his military career,
scenes in the civil, Indian and Spanish
wars.
At 7:sO o'clock Joseph H. Choate, the
tOaStmaker, took General Miles by the
arm and after brief levee in the Aston
gallery headed the long line to the ban
Quet room. AS the general and Mr..
Choate entered the dining room a large
orchestra struck up Hail to the Chief
Just after the oysters were served a
cOmmOtiOn was heard on the north side
of the banquet hall. Soon after cheers
were heard as GOVernOT-elect Roosevelt
Ta Ia
was much cheering, every one rising to
his feet, the ladies in the boxes growing
enthusiastic and waving their hand
kerchiefs at the colonel He was es-
corted to a place made vacant by the
illness Of General Shafter, who sent re-
grets at the last moment Colonel
Roosevelt shook hands with General
Miles and this was the occasion for
more cheering.
Among those who sat at the guest ia
bic. presided over by Joseph H ChOate
were Major General Nelson A. Miles at
his right and Rear Admiral Henry Err
ben at his left. Governor WolcOtt of
Massachusetts, GOVernOr-eIect ROOSe-
welt, Governor Bushnell of Ohio, Daniel
E. Sickles, Benjamin F. Tracey, eX-
Governor Levi P. Morton, Captain Ar
thur Pagett, r. N; Daniel H. Hastings,
governor of Pennsylvania, Major Gen
era1 .. o. Howard, Seth Low, Roswell
p. Flower, Chauncey NJ. Depew, Will
liam J. Sewall and Lloyd LoWndes, gov
ernor of Maryland.
a place was reserved for Rear Ad-
miral W. S. Schley, who unfortunately
had gone to Washington.
unique feature of the banquet was
the manner of serving the ice cream.
A drum and fife corps, playing Yankee
Doodle, preceded two score of walters,
who marched into the banquet hall car
rytng alOft huge platters of ice cream,
in the center of each one being a NINA,
tuFe statue of Washington, Jackson,
Jefferson or some other great hero, or
statesman The corps marched to Gem
eral Niles seat and placed a large stat
ue of General Washington in front of
him.
A dozen members OF the governors
foot guards of New Haven, Conn, were
IVA
After a brief speech by Mr.. Choate
IN which he warmly eulOgized the guest
of the evening, General Miles was Civ
en- an ovation He smilingIy bowed his
acknO dgements of the excited ap-
plauSe and said in part:
'JOyfully dear is the homeward track
IF we are but sure of a welcome back
Such a generous reception has been
rendered to me tonight as few are per-