The Owosso times. (Owosso, Mich.) 1897-1926, 1899-02-10
SECOND ANNUAL BANQUET
OF the Fat Mans Cycle Touring Club at
H0lel Wildermuth.


Mans ycle Touring Club was held last
Friday evening at Hotel Wildermuth,
when party If 30 fat men and their
ladies gathered about the tables to enjoy
the feast in manner peculiar to the
members of that organization.
The Fat Mans Club was organized three
year, ago for the sole purpose OF having
good time and especially for the pur-
pose of seeing that no member should
ever feel the pangs of hunger. The
membership is limited to 20, and while
several of the charter members have
moved away from Owosso, sufficient
number of applications are always on file
to fill all vacancies. During the past
year the Club has suffered the loss of two
valuable members in the removal from
our city of Rev. j. @ Cromer and Slpt. j.
w. simmons
Landlord Wildermuth had spared
neither work nor expense in preparing
the annual spread, and succeeded in out
doing everything in the banquet line
ever attempted in Owosso.
The tables were arranged in the north
dining room in the form of hollow
square and were handsomely decorated
with cut flowers and smilax, while the
center was filed with palms and potted
plants. An elaborate menu was served
under the personal supervision of Mrs.
Wldermuth, which is sufficient guar
antee of excellent service.
The banquet was served in eight courses
lasting until 10 o'clock, when POSTMASTER
Geo. B. McCaughna-by the way, Judge
McCaughna has few equals and no super
iors as stmaster-introduced Fat Man
w. S. Hunt as the champion lightweight
grocer of Owosso, who responded to the
toast "Punctures. When he had fin
ished many of the air castles erected by
some of the fat men had been punctured
and the guests were kept in state of ex-
element bordering on riot from the
time Hunt started to score the Club until
the last victim fell before his lance. when
he resumed his seat and quiet was re-
stored.
He was followed by Fat Man Supt. Aus
tin, who spoke on the chainless Wheel
Although Mr.. Austin has been a member
of the Club since it was organized he was
prevented from being present at the last
annual banquet, being at that time con-
nected with the Saginaw schools He is
very popular with the fat men, however,
and his presence on Friday evening added
much to their enjoyment.
Fat Man Van r. Pond was to have
spoken on the su oject of "Scorchers,"
but was called out of the city just before
the banquet.
Rev. j. &. Cromer, of st. Louis, Mo-,
an honored member of the Club, ex-
pressed his regrets at icing unable to at
tend the annual seating contest" by letter
to the POSTMASTER, which was read at the
banquet and heartily received by the
guests. A similar letter from Fat Man ].
W. Simmons, of Ypsilanti, arrived too
late for the occasion.
The speech of the evening was made
by Stanley E. Parkill, who toasted the
ladies. The speaker, who is always at
home in making an after dinner speech,
was particularly eloquent and to the
point on this occasion. He was followed
by Mrs. Gilbert l.. Taylor, who toasted
"The Club" in behalf of the ladies pres
ent. The selection proved to be wise
one, Mrs. Taylor pleasing her hearers
very much with witty sayings relative TO
the fat men.
The program concluded with selec-
ton from robin Hood" by Fat Man
Fred Osburn, who succeeded in bringing
down the house. But few of the men,
bers were aware that Fred was a master
of light opera until they heard him on
this occasion, and it goes without saying
that he will be in great demand hereafter
with the club.
1t was near midnight when the fat
men and their ladies started for home.
and the second annual banquet became
part of the clubs interesting history.