Los Angeles herald., 1905-04-30
CLUB MAN DINED
IN SHIRT SLEEVES
WARM EVENING CAUSE OF A
SHOCK FOR MEMBERS
ETIQUETTE VERSUS COMFORT
sharp Note Sent to the Offender Di-
vIdes Country Organization
Into Two Opposing
Factions

It Is a question Of summer etiquette,
but II still Is mighty disturbing to the
Century Country club of White Plains,
NJ j., even though there are snow
drifts on the golf links and the winter
wind whistles shrllly up and down the
Landers road. And the question Isl
"Ought a perfect gentleman in the
presence Of ladies', one being his wife.
dine at his club on a hot summers
night In his shirt sleeves; and If he
oughtnt and does. should the house
committee, II they also are perfect
gentlemen, take the erring member to
task in typewriter letter dictated
to a stenographer?"
Like every great question, this will
never be settled until 1t is settled
right.
Questions Two Sides
The first part of the question has
been raised by the house committee,
of which Albert M. wittenberg, whole
sale coal dealer, is chairman, which in
cludes Harry II. Meyer, president of
the club and member of the stock eX
change house of Seligman e Meyer;
Benjamin Stern of Stern Bros dry
goods firm, and Harry Rindskoff.
The tail end of the question has been
raised by Henry G. Bernheim 1t was
Bernhelm who, according to the story.
so faraviolated all precedents of sum-
mer etiquette as to dine at the club
one evening last summer in his shirt
sleeves.
How 1t All Happened
According to Bernheims friends, he
and his wife visited the club one after
noon last August. Bernheim played
several sets Of tennis. When the play
was over he and his wife decided to
dine at the club, and he ordered the
dinner served on the veranda.
When it was announced that dinner
was ready it appeared to Mr.. and Mrs.
Bernheim that they were the only
members in or about the house. After
they sat down Bernheim felt the heat
was oppressive and, always mindful of
the courtesy due from a husband to
his wife, he asked Mrs. Bernheim if
she would mind If he dined without his
coat. Mrs. Bernheim, having wifely
sympathy for her husband, and having,
moreover, some real knowledge of how
we'll her husband, who is still one of
the younger alumni of Columbia,
looked in tennis hannels minus a coat,
said she didn't mind in the least.
Finical Male Person About
Therefore Mr.. and Mrs. Bernheim
had delightfully."- comfortable and
quiet dinner, supposing they were the
only persons except the servants In
the building. 1t happened, however,
so Bernheims friends assert, that there
was finical male person in the house
who is so great a stickler for form
that he wouldn't shock himself by
appearing even before his wife with
out coat. He saw the Bernheims
dining and promptly reported to the
house committee that the Bernheims
were in utter ignorance of the first
principles of propriety.
The house committee, or some of it's
members, particularly Harry II.
Meyer, the clubs president were prop
erly shocked and resolved that strong
measures should be taken at once, The
shrtsleeve habit must be nipped in
the bud. 1t is asserted that the shock
sustained by Mr.. Meyer was so power
full as to pass clean through him and
penetrate the feelings of some of the
rest of the committee.
Bernheim Gets Letter
This would appear to be true, for not
long afterward Bernheim received
note typewriter on the club paper.
,,,l,iot ,ood g., follouc.