The Anaconda standard. [volume] (Anaconda, Mont.) 1889-1970, 1899-04-09
THEY'RE A VERY QUEER LOT |
Bachelors Who Have an Odd
Way of Dealing With Marriage.
SOME OF THEM MUST WED
The Lucky One Is Elected and Then He
Must Find a Bride or Pay Pen
alties and Be Put Out
of the Club.
Written for the Sunday Standard.

Written for the Sunday Standard.
Waukegan, ILL.,, April 4.-There is in
this city, which is a thriving port on
the west side of Lake Michigan, 50
miles north of Chicago, one of the most
singular clubs that has come TO the
notice of the reading public for some
time. 1t is the Waukegan Bachelors
club. recently brought into prominence
by the singular experience of its first
president, DR.. w. W. Pearce, now may
or of the city. Some years ago Dr.
Pearce offered a prize of 500 to the
member of the club who should first
become the father of twins. The prize
was won by Dr. Pearce himS f, and
this queer instance of a mal wlrrirG
his own prize together with the novel
nature of the competition, has cated
general attention to an organization
that is one of the most unique IN OK
istence.
The Waukegan Bachelors club was
incorporated under the laws IF Hi
nois Aug. is, 1891 The incofpor ,tors
of the club were: Dr. w. w. Pearce, ].
A Carman, A. Lloyd Logan, ]. S. Shute.
1t is an organization of men banded
together for social fellowship ard en-
joyment Contrary to the inference
derived from the name. all n>emcers
of the club are not bachelors. Original
ly they were, however, for bachelor
The right to marry is given to the Tren-
bers by special election, one being cho-
sen every year whether it may he his
own desire to enter the realms of n,3 t.
rimonial bliss or not. There were II
charter members, and none out those
elected to do so have ever broken the
solemn and fraternal vow of single
bleSSedneSS
The club is composed of the hest
professional and business young men
of the city, the limitation of member
ship to % being the only disagreaable
feature in the minds of the young men
who lOnglngly desire to become bach
elors." To have provided by the cen
stitution thai members should never
marry would have been to attempt the
impossible. So, in order that the salt
in the club life might not lose it's SAVIOR,
with each succeeding year it was de-
creed that one member should be elect
ed to make some woman happy or mis-
cradle as the outcome might be. Gu
pidian vows do not destroy the love
each one has for his Alma Mater, and
at the club he is as much of a bach
elor as his unmarried brethren
The annual meeting of the club IS it's
red letter day. Great anxiety over the
election is manifested in the city as
well as in the club, for on that day
the fate of some bachelor must be set
tied. During the supreme meeting the
balloting is always solemn affair.
Occasionally sharp politics are brought
into play and votes are punched for
particular man, but oftener the vote
is scattering, and after the ballots are
counted some unsuspecting man dis
covers himself suddenly thrust into a
sphere of matrimonial necessity. With
him it is a case of tie up or lose the
claim to bachelorhood-a paradoxical
situation.
Thus far all who have been elected
to renounce life of single bessedness
have succeeded before their year ran
out in convincing local or distant bellies
that they are among the handSomest
and best of men. Members who have
been elected to matrimony are: j. 2.
Hull, w. E. Warden, r. H burst Dr.
G. H. Slyteld, c. E. Shultis, DR.. Perez
val Pearce. DR.. w. w. Pearce, W. I.
Lyon and E. P. Bidinger.
Several years ago DR.. w w Pearcp
was the choice of the club Soon af-
ter election day he made trip to Bos-
ton and brought home the intellectual
bride who recently presented him with
twins. The occurrence was doubly in
teresting, inasmuch as the mayor won
his own medal, which he says he will
always be proud to wear.
The mayors brother, Dr. Perciyal
Pearce, was elected to be married in
1888. The summer had scarcely passed
when he led to the altar Miss Jessie
Cooke daughter of Homer Cooke, one
of Chicago's leading attorneys. He
met the young lady while rusticating
at the clubs summer retreat at Third
Lake, in his own county Last year r.
P. Bidinger, a leading shoe dealer of
this city and township assessor, was
the chosen one of the club and he was
married before the end of the year. An
other election in recent years was Will
liam l. Lyon, who found a lovely bride
Id II
Hon. G. r. Lyon a leading member of
the Illinois legislature.
NO club Is more patriotic than the
Bachelors. When war broke out with
Spain the patriotic spirit of every mem
Der was aroused to the highest pitch
Most of them were prosperous men
with business on hand that they could
not leave, yet all recognized the fact
that they should be represented in the
conflict for Cuban freedom. According
ly, the ballot box was resorted to and a
representative was elected to serve in
the ranks of the United States army
w. c. Parker was the choice. He join
ed the Illinois cavalry, troop NJ
The present officers of the Bachelors
club are: Cyrus Blodgett. president;
Arthur Smith, vice president: Theodore
burst, secretary and treasurer; DR..
Percival Pearce, chaplain
The headquarters of the club are at
Ihlrd Lake, IN Lake county, Ill, where
their summer house and beautiful
grounds are situated. old Maid is
their famous sail boat, known as the
champion all over the string of lakes
in that vicinity.
No organization ever contained a
more sOciable lot of people, and wher
ladies' day at the club house comes
around every year the climax of the
pleasure season is reached. Four de-
grees are conferred on members by the
Bachelors, as follows: Junior Bachelor
Senior Bachelor, Married Bachelor ant
Most Reverend Bachelor. The last is
conferred only once in seven years anC
on the chaplain alone.
1t is to be hoped that some way will
Remarkable Rescue.