The Worcester spy. [volume] (Worcester, Mass.) 1898-1904, 1899-12-04
CAUGHT UNAWARES,
Wachusett Boat Club
Surprises It's
President.
]. H. MEAGHER WAS THE VICTIM.
P. II. Hurley Elected Chief
Executive at the An
nual Meeting.
J. H. MEAGHER WAS THE VICTIM.

The Wachusett Boat club elected Of
flcers yesterday and also did a neat
little piece of business which was not
on the program. The latter was the
presentation of handsome gifts to John
II. Meagher, retiring president of the
club.
The presentation took Mr.. Meagher
by surprise. 1t was the last thing in
the world he had reason to expect for
even with the generous Wachusetts
yesterday was the first time the re-
firing president was remembered in
such manner. While the gifts were of
no small value and handsome enough
to make king feel proud of their pos
session. it was the kindness of the re-
membrance that touched Mr. Meagher
He had good license to feel proud of
his work when the gifts We're handed
him. The glowing eulogy of his man
agement of the affairs of the club
which member pronounced as a pref
ace to the act of presentation, might
have been omitted. The presentation
itself was a more eloquent measure of
praise to the highly successful execu-
tive ability he displayed in running the
clubs business.
Both the speech of the member and
the presentation of the gifts were a
contradiction to the slight claim for
credit which President Meagher took
for himself in his valedictory. Having
served as president for two years he
felt it duty to rehearse the glories
of the club, for which he labored so
hard, before resuming his position
among the members. While he spoke
with pride on the greatness to which
the CLUB has attained, he claimed little
credit for himself, in fact, he glided
over his connection with any of the
stages of progress with altogether too
much modesty.
The annual meeting was held yester-
day afternoon in l. c. B. hall The
Australian system of voting was used.
nominations for the various positions
having been previously made by a com
mittee sent out for that purpose The
following officers were chosen: Presi-
dent, +. II. Hurley; vice president Jas
L. McGrath, recording secretary John
I. Riley; financial secretary, John NJ
Gallagher; assistant financial secretary,
Frank j O'Leary; clerk, James ].
Hurley: treasurer, DR.. M. P. Higgins;
captain, Charles A. Lewis; lieutenant,
Edward FL Ten Eyck; executive com
mlttee, John H. Meagher John J.
O'Malley, Michael Moynihan, william
II. Toner, Michael ]. Ryan and Frank
Z. RaWdon. Several candidates for
office ard for positions on the board of
directors. declined their nominations,
and requested their friends not to vote
for them
President Meagher made brief re-
view of the affairs of the club for the
last two years. The new club house
has been built during his reign, and
the club has expended more than $10,-
600. He showed the financial condition
OF tho club tn very satisfactory con-
dition. He spoke with pride of the
high position the club occupies in am
ateur aquatics all over the country, and
has even extended it's fame to other
countries. He cited numerous Incl
dents to- show the respect with which
the club is held by those high in aquatic
authority in this country the frequent
favCls shown the club being a certain
token of this
When Mr.. Meagher had finished, the
presentation was made by John M. Gal
lagher financial secretary of the club.
The gifts were a handsome gold watch
chain and charm and diamond of the
first water, set in a handsome gold
ring. TIE arrangement of the setting
is unique, as it is possible to untwist
the stone and screw it into another
setting. The presents are magnificent
cnes for their intrinsic value alone.
Mr.. Gallagher made neat speech, in
WnlCn ne recounIeQ many OF the clever
things Mr.. Meagher has done during
his term of office. He called the presl-
dents attention to the gratefulness
which is felt by members of the club
for the ircessant work which Mr..
Meagher has done. With a proper ap-
preciation for the exalted position the
club occupies and the knowledge Of it's
successful career for the last two terms,
at least, Mr.. Gallagher said the mem
Enr crixy Of a
for such success to President Meagher
The president made a speech of ac-
captance which conveyed to his fellows
his thankfulness for the remembrance.