The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1898-01-02
THE INDEPENDENT TURNER'S.
A Banquet and Transfer OF Property
Marks the Day.

The Independent Turner Society (Unab-
haengiger Turnverein) last night celebrated
its nineteenth anniversary and also the oc-
casion of the transfer of property at the
corner of Illinois and Ohio streets TO the
society. The property was purchased in 1884
by an association auxiliary to the Turn
verein, known the Turner Hall Associa-
ton. Shares of stock were sold to members
of the society and others, and the old
church property was purchased at low
price. In the fourteen years the Turnverein
has been able to buy in all the stock of the
Turner Hall Association, and also to build
the bowling alleys adjoining on the north.
Further than this the property purchased
has more than doubled in value, so that now
the Turnverein is one Of the most prosperous
clubs in the city.
The double event in the history of the
Independent Turner Society was celebrated
last night by banquet. The guests assem-
bled from to o'clock, during which time
they were received by the officers of the
Turner Hall Association and the Turnverein.
At o'clock the doors to the upper part of
the old church building were thrown open,
and the guests were seated at four long ta-
bles, extending lengthWise the full extent
OF the hall. Each table seated fifty-six per-
sons, but one was not quite filled, In all
about 210 persons sat down to the banquet.
The hall was decorated tastefully for the
occasion. On the east wall were the let
ters u. Il. v" worked out in green stuff
and also in electric lights of red, white and
blue. The American flag 11oated alongside
this. A centerpiece from the middle of the
ceiling contained some flowers and greens
AID vari-colored electric lights. Around the
balcony was a purple and white drapery.
The tables were covered with flowers and
plants.
Alter the guests had all been assigned
seats President Fred Schrader, of Turner
Hall Association, made the formal transfer
of the property to the Independent Turner
Society in a brief speech in which he
praised the huStling qualities of the officers
and members of the society, which enabled
it so soon to take absolute control of the
valuable property. George Seidensticker
president of the Independent Turner Soci-
ETY., responded, accepting the deed of trans
fer.
After the banquet a number of toasts
first, with '"rhe Independent Turner Soci-
ety. for his subject. He gave an historical
sketch of the society from Jan. ], 1897
when it split from the Social Turner's on
the question of socialism. which the Ma
tional Turner's Society sought to have in
dorsed by the Turner societies. There were
thirty-three charter members, follows:
Henry Bauer, Herman Barndt, Henry Ball
man. II. Erlerich, William Jungclaus Paul
Gawrzelski Phil Zapf, Herman Siebold
Fred Schrader. George Spahr, Julius Miles,
SEN Peter Lesser, Adolph Bauer. Fred Gros-
sert, John Bieler. Fred Klare, John Rosen-
berg, Harold Schmidt, Leopold Strauss,
Adolph Seidensticker. G. Gonpf John Lesser
Carl Levison, George Ryer Lorenz Schmidt
julius SCHUYLER, George Seidensticker, w.
H. Stcoestrov. Bernard Dietz, John A.
Shoemaker. Fred Pfieger, Edward Schmidt
and Otto Miller.
of opinion which caused the formation of
the Independent Turner Society. His talk
was along the same lines as that of Mr..
Keller. Other toaStS were responded to-
and it was midnight before the festivities
ceased.