The Stark County Democrat. [volume] (Canton, Ohio) 1833-1912, 1902-03-21
Canton Boys Banquet
the Winners.
NOTABLE GATHERING
OF Sportsmen and Orators at
the FestaI Board--Akron
Won the Trophy
.si7, Shoot.

filfi = ..tA'af o.
There was a bond Of fellowship, a
mystic tiss ~ nysterioas something,
that bind the followers Of the gun
and rod into one common Brotherhood
that Cannot be fathomed BY scientist
or lo8ifnni Secret socissies need an
oath oE fealty. POLITICAL ahiIiations
make Htrange bedfello~ss but when
hunter meets hunter no matter what
the status In life, there Is no need of
sign or sgrip.-there Is the halo of the
fields, the odor7of burnt powder, few
traces Of care born Of sorrow over
birds that got away. that appeal from
heart to- heart, and hands go. forward
instinctively and Gasp each other
warmly, and friendship is forever
sealed. ET
1t was a gathering of just such
friends that sat down at the festal
board at the Hotel Yohe Monday night
to fittingly end the days contests, un-
der the auspices of the Canton Gun
club. During the afternoon, when the
maugatrap was whirling the inani-
mate targets swiftly through the air,
these men had been rivals. The shoot
ing was over. The victors had won a
clean contest. There was not a dis
pute through it all. Regrets there
may have been, but no animosity rank
led after the last shot was fired. All
were friends. and jolly good friends at
that
THE MASTER AND HIS ALLIES.
II was nearly 9 o'clock when the
guests sat down to the table. There
were forty congenial spirits there. AT
the head Of the table was the Hon.
James A. Rice. He is member of the
gun club-one of the acquiescent sort.
He shoots afield, but seldom at the
traps. He was fanked on the left by
President Theo. J. Phillips, and on
the right y Secretary John A. Strang.
What mischief he did not think of
himself, those lieutenants suggested
to him, and when the time came he
made trouble for everyone present. =.
.Thes menu was an elaborate one.
This is meant in the strictest sense
Of the word--in the superlative degree.
The service could not have been ex-
celled. It took an hour and half to
discuss the viands, after which DR..
Phillips introduced Mr. Rice as the
presiding genius. His speech was a
modest one. He even acknowledged
that he was not an expert trap shot
but In the field and in other lines of
shooting he claimed to excel. He re-
fused to furnish to the press cory
Of his address. SO that only in tradition
can it be, preserved. .t .s ,c,.
Mr.. Rice introduced Secretary Strane
as a pathetic orator--one who moved
audiences to liquid woe-or possibly
he said, drove them 10 it. Mr.. Strang
verified this statement byya, mournfpl
reference to his score In the tournal
ment. The speaker threw bouquets at
the visiting Akron team, and suggest
ed that II Akron won the trophy tn
home club would put up another and
win it Itself.
BRADLEY'S LITTLE YARN.
Attorney Bradley, of Akron, was
then called upon. Mr.. Rice presumed
supon the fact that his profession would
aid him in telling hunters yarn that
would discount anything the laiety
could produce. But to the surprise Of
all. after rendering thanks to the Can
ton boys, the legal light dropped into
a religious mood and wound up with
prayer he had heard in Nebraska
when he was teaching school. and be-
fore he had degenerated into an at
torney. He offered to give advice
without any fee attached on how to
shoot doubles, but the suggestion was
received with derision .(he had missed
ten straight but few hours before.)
Dr. Becherer, Of New Berlin, was
called upon. The dispenser of pills
grew eloquent as he described shoot
ing as an art, and quoted President
Roosevelt on the men behind the guns.
He said It was the Akron men behind
the guns who had been their undoing
that day. He droppsd a wreath Of
praise and a sprig or two of laurel up
on the brows of Strang and Phillips
for TIE interest they took in keeping
up a club interests in Canton.
AN ENCOUNTER WITH DOUGLASS
w. H. Douglas, formerly of Akron,
but recently connected with the Can
ton street railway as superintendent,
had been corralled by the crowd and
nun into the banquet room. Rice as
signed him to the subject of how to
run a street car around a curve on a
straight line. Douglas flew off at n
tangent, left the rails and refused to
take the curve. He ignored the sub
ject entirely. and spoke of the many
friends he had made in Canton and
expressed regret that he was so soon
to leave the city.
@. u. Wagner. of Akron, was called
upon to crate He first launched for
ward In a screed upon certain aquatic.
or rather hydraulic feats that had to
do with irrigating arid sections of
Wiecon ain md u,aaaurtng the Roy riv-