Omaha daily bee., 1899-12-10
EDITORS ENTERTAIN GUESTS
Famous Gridiron Club, Composed of
Washington, Correspondents,
ra .-. Gives Annual Dinner.

|. WASHINGTON Dec. 9.-The December
dinner of the Gridiron club was given to-
night at the Arfihgton' hotel, where about
13C guests were entertained in a character
istic manner by the forty correspondents who
compose the famous organization. General
II. V. Boynton presided. He took part in
an interesting burlesque election in which
numbers of the club personated well known
statesmen and politicians and participated
in a Kentucky Philadelphia election on
plans of the most exaggerated type. General
Boynton was unanimously voted out, but be
called in the army and navy" and was
again seated ....
p The initiation of Mr.. Rudolph Kaufman
of the Evening Star was made the text for
a clever skit. The candidate appeared as
"Aguinaldo,' running fer safety and pursued
by three members of the club, represent
ing Generals Lawton, Macarthur and
Wheeler, "Aguinaldo" was captured by
these three Officers" and then General
Otis" another member of the club, stalked
in with military pomp and, after some con-
versation, received the report of the officers,
each claiming to have captured the Filipino
chief. After the capture he cabled General
Corbin that the army under my command
presents the nation as Christmas gift,
"Aguinaldo." General Otis" was presented
with "house" for his great victory ,..
Another incident was the reading of an
alleged dispatch from South Africa detail
ing a great victory which the English had
achieved oyer the Beers This was followed
by a number, of British soldiers running the
whole length of the room, pursued in a
letsurely manner by 'tOom Paul Kruger"
who cracked his whip in great glee. There
were many other features sandwiched in
with bright and witty speeches. making the
entire evening one of thorough enjoyment.
Among the prominent guests present were
Senators Fairbanks, Quarles McComas,
Clark of Wyoming, Elkins, Beveridge, Har-
ris. Spooner, Hanna and Wolcott; Repre-
sentatives Hull, Grosyenor, Bromwell, Allen
OF Mississippi, Pearce, Cushman, Eddy,
Dick, Cowherd, Dolliver and Kahn, Major
General Leonard Wood, William r. Merriam,
director OF census, Charles G. Dawes, comp
troller of the currency, and Henry C. Payne,
Milwaukee. l.
In the afternoon the annual meeting of
the GrdirOn club was held and the follow
ing officers were elected for 1900:
President, Henry l.. West of tho Washing
ton Post; vice president, Arthur W. Dunn,
the Associated Press; secretary, Richard l..
Fearn New York Tribune; treasurer George
H. Walker; executive committee-Louls A,
Coolidge, Boston Journal; o. o. Stealey,
Louisville Courier Journal, and r. M. Lar
ner, Charleston News and Courier r. L.
O'Brien of the Boston Transcript was elected
a resident member.
Before the annual meeting Mayor Smyth
Major Hemphil and Messrs. Kaun-
nan and Hill of Charleston !
met the officers of the club and
extended an invitation to the organization
% visit their city at an early date. The
natter was presented to the club in ses-
sion and it was unanimously decided 20 ac-
,ept the invitation. 1t is expected that tits !
South Carolina pilgrimage will take pace |
about the last week In December