Barre evening telegram. (Barre, Vt.) 1898-19??, 1898-06-08
SKELETONS IN CLUBS.
THE QUEER PERFORMANCES OF THE
TWO BLANKS OF NEW YORK.

deCently OreSseQ man, Win Snam- |
bling gait and shifty eye, walked down
Broad street one afternoon last week and
attracted the attention of broker who
was standing in his Office window. The
broker watched the man closely until
the fellow had disappeared around the
corner into Wall street. He had called a
visitor attention to the man.
"Have you ever seen that fellow be-
fpre?' he asked.
Ellis face is familiar, and am sure
that have seen him somewhere, but I
can't place him. Who is hep
John Blank" said the broker, men.
tioning family name that was we'll
known. II am member of three good
clubs" continued the broker, naming
three that one would naturally place at
the head Of the list of New York clubs,
land in the course Of long experience
with tho management Of them I have
seen some curious club skeletons. They
are unpleasant Blank was skeleton in
the - club until we finally got rid
Of him, and to this day none of the men
who knew the facts about his expulsion
has ever had any explanation Of them.
$50 far as family connections are
concerned, Blank is eligible to any club
in this city, and we always understood
that he had good income. 1t was about
five years ago, when was member Of
the house committee, that my attention
was first called to Blank. A member Of
the club came to me one day and said:
"'Seo here. I've got disagreeable
duty to perform. You know that re-
freshments are served at every regular
meeting Of the club, and have noticed
for several months back that John Blank
has slowed away lot of things in his
pockets on every such occasion.
"Why, that is absurd, replied,
and suspect that he has been drinking
too much. You know that these month
~ lunches arc free to the members.
"That was the view that took of
it the first time that noticed it, he
replied, but watched this man at the
last meeting very closely. He was not
intoxicated. He ate his lunch, and then
l saw him wrap up piece Of chicken,
some lobster salad and brick Of ice
cream in separate packages, put them
under his overcoat and leave the club.
It's an amazing proceeding, and i think
that it is high timo that something was
done about it.
"This mans complaint interested me,
and l investigated it. Some Of the club
walters told me that Blank had occa-
sionally taken articles of small value
from tho club, and that he always car
ried away package after free supper.
There seemed to be no reasonable ex-
PLANTATION for his little steals He was
and is lawyer in good practice, and,
as you know, no lives very comfortably.
l consulted with some of the other
house committeeman, and we decided
to look out for Blank at the next sup
per. He turned up promptly, and, sure
enough, we saw him stealthily make up
package from the lunch table and
walk out with it. There was nothing
left for us to do but to ask for an ex-
PLANTATION.
"Charges were preferred against him
and formal notification was sent to
him. Blank paid no attention to 1t. We
thought that he might not have recelv-
ed it and we sent him another notltica-
ton and made sure that it reached him.
Blank ignored it, and then we dropped
him for conduct unbccoming gentle
man. Blank never came near the club
house after his first notification, and SO
far as know no has never given an in
dication of resenting our action III drop
ping him. Now what do you suppose
was tho explanation of his thefts?
never have been able to find one that
was satisfactory. 1t has been asserted
,, that despite his large income he is nat
urally very misery fellow, but that is
merely gossip. l meet him occasionally
and he is always affable. 1t was dlsa
=, greeable affair, and to this day an III
applicable one"
A man who had listened attentively
:. to tho brokers' story said:
6 81 can equal that with an experience
:. in my own club. The man III question
: has recently died and it is only charlta
BILE to say that he was probably insane
for several years before he died. He wa
d, Arthur Blank -mentioning hlstor
=. ical name. about three years ago thl
,, man began to wear very shabby clothes
y He had always been very careful in nj
=. dress, and this change was surprising
:, He camo to the club and sat around
looking like tramp. His linen wa
ragged, and even the walters looke'
u askance at his clothes l knew that II
" had money, but it was not pleasan
:, task to suggest to him that he shoul
:. get some new clothes. He was an OIL
" bachelor, and he had rooms in an eS
pensive bachelor apartment house. Hi
- condition WAS disgrace to the clu
- and as q last resort half dozen OF nj
% old friends got up purse of 500 an
u went to his tailor and ordered a ne'
!, suit of clothes for him. They told tn
~ tailor that it was in payment OF
10 wager, When the suit was made, the
>. hacked it in box with new ha
" shoes. collars, shirts and two scarfs an
II sent it to Blank. A letter was lnclose
=, which read:
"DEAn BLANK-By express l send you II
. outfit that lost by my last election wager
II "Thc signature was such that no OF
Il could read it. There was some specul;
20 tion as to how Blank would take tn
* hint. Two days later he turned up
thc club in his new clothes, and wht
he was congratulated on thom ne sal
w thev were the result of an electlt
in wager. The new clothes were too lhu.
" for him, however. He got drunk Oh q
to strength Of them and staid drunk at tt
IA climb for the next two weeks, when
40 was dropped from membership. NE