The Salt Lake herald. [volume] (Salt Lake City [Utah]) 1870-1909, 1904-05-08
EUGENE FIELDS howl CLUB.
The ''JokeD the Poet Played On Some
Missouri Editors.

A number of young persons Of this
place have organized what they term
The Owl Club" The members are de-
voted to literature ana music, More
famous than this club VIII probably be
was q short-Eved band OF brothers in
voice culture that was ironically called
the Howl club
About a third Of a century ago Eu-
gene Field made the name of "OWt
club" notorious iu Missouri. The par
ent branch was In Columbia, where
Field attended the state university.
Local clubs were soon established i'm
many towns where Field had friends
and admirers. A person didn't have TO
qualify as a singer 20 belong 10 an
"OWI club, but he did need an eX-
quisite set OF lungs, capable Of doing
the hardest SORT of service on all OCca-
eious. Noise, not melody was the pass
port 10 promotion.
I'm the early '10s the Missouri Press
association met in annual session at
the old Wabash hotel in Macon. Be
sides Field and a say lot OF youngsters
were Joseph B. Mccullough OF st,
Louis, Colonel ". T. SWitzlcr of Coz
lumbia. the late Judge John W. Henry
Of Kansas City then on the bench here.
Colonel John II. Williams. Major w C..
B Gillespie and a dozen other griZ-
zlcd warriors, who had dropped the
platoon az young editors and taught
them how To make the Wei1in EesOuud.
His civil service requirement was a
Eilt-edgcd vocal machine, and the boys
delivered the goods"
They pTacticed on Old-fashi0ned camp
meeting songs til the landlord Of the
hotel threatened 10 turn them outdoors
iu disgrace. one night Field started
his band of Young rioters dOwnstreet.
all Yelling Ike auctiOneers at a stock
sale. IN his speech of welcome the
mayor had dFuratiVeiy passed over the
keys Of the city" and Field had trans
lated this 10 mean tEat the police were
muzzled and the loads drawn from the
househOlders shOtgunE.
Hunted Up a Policeman.
so the bars were let down and the
editorial muckiug birds charged four
abreast through the streets. bowling
like dervishes on the way to the Sacri-
fetal altar. When Field had LED the
uproar 20 about the right height ne
slipped around an alley and hunted up
q couple of policemen. He told them
crowd OF intoxicated jewellers was
taking the town and it would be
ostrich plumes in their helmets 81 they
ran the whole outfit into the Gala bo0se-
The tip MAS acted upon forthwith
The policemen called tn two OF three
rendered without urtUE a shot. or
course. they protested vigorously.
which the policemen accepted as the
natural procedure of maudiiu men.
They begged the officers TO send for
Field who they soon observed was not
with them. The prisoners were taken
around TO the Euardhuusc and 10 humor
Jnem n messenger was sent for the
band leader. Ii@ld carried an eve
glass. which he operated with beCom-
inE Eolemnity- When they observed
him they thought their troubles were
over.
The policemen have made a mistake
Gene" said one Of the victims Tel
.em how it is. so they'll let us our OF
This beastiy hole"
Fieid surveyed the group CeoIly and
deliberately He walked around ana
inspected them from different sides
Ike man does who is figuring on buy-
ING horses or cattle. Then ne turned
10 one of the pightwatchmeD.
Field Didn't Help Them.
What did YOU want with me. SIR
bHeerE he asked.
Well said the towns sentinel
these guys said they was editors ana
that they could prove it by YOU.
Fleld shook bis head sadly.
Editors. why YOU didn't believe
any such staff as that. did you?" re-
proachfuily as IL questioning the off,
GERS Intelligence.
Wen no. ] didn't they struck me
rs plckpockets."
think you are right about that. 8"
said Field. II am certain they don't
belong 90 our crowd. If were YOU I
would keep them here on bread aud
water a few da1-s. and perhaps you'll
find out where they're wanted Very
likely there g good reHard ont for