New-York tribune., 1905-08-20

The Merritt clambake has become a holiday In
Westchester County. and the crowd at the beach
grew constantly until at night it must have num-
bered ten thousand. There was not a town. village
or city that was not represented. and no one could
be found who did not appear to be having the time
of his life. The only discordant comment that was
heard was from some of the women. The gallant
Sheriff has thousands of women admirers, but un-
fortunately he could not invite them to the clam
bake because 1T stag" affair Women had
to content themselves by standing outside the tent
and watching the sights
One woman, as she her husband with his
sleeves rolled up putting away clans and Holsters
with both hands, turned to a companion and eX-
claimed: Say. do you want to know my dehnlton
of a clambake? It's a place where lot or women
come to see the men eat Fortunately Rye Beach
abounds with summer hotels, and many OF the
women came in later at private dinner parties.
Sheriff Merritt and his friends had big parade
in Port Chester before they went to the beach
The Westchester branch OF the association was
commanded by Alderman James Patterson and was
led by the famous Mertz Band. The New-1ork
branch, in command of Colonel Tim Garvey,
brought up the rear two hundred strong. The
New-YorE crowd brought the st. James Fife and
Drum Corps with them. In their ranks were Judge
Hover, Judge Bolte Thomas Foley, Assemblyman
Al. Smith, Peter Hughes, chairman of the law
committee of Tammany Hall: Martin T. Garvey
lay aside politics one day in the year 10 come up
TO Rye and have a good time with the Dig west
The crowd had no sooner reached the beach than
and opened up game. When Sheriff Merritt heard
OF this he was indignant. He pushed through the
crowd and ordered the gamblers to pick UP thelr
paraphernaa and get out of town. You fellows
have got an awful nerve, said he, ITO come here
and open up gambling game rlgh- under my
when you know I'm Sheriff of he t)unty
and to enforce the law
The gamblers tried to protest to the Sheriff. that
they friends of his, and he replied:
You friends of mine or you wouldn't ask
me to stand by and let you break the laws
1t afterWard turned out that their game was
harmless. and that they had conducted it during
the winter at several church fairs. but the Sherln
decided TO take chances and sent orders for
them to keep away.
The most Interesting features of the day. aside
from the clambake. were the ball game between
the Pleasantvie and Port Chester teams and the
bowling contest between the largest and smallest
members of the Merritt Association. The Port
Chester team the ball game with a score of
to i. Che bowling contest between Admiral
and William II. Burnett. hotelkeeper at Locust
Valley, Long Island. Burnett is seven feet high
and weighs 437 pounds. Admiral Dot amused the
crowd by walking between his opponents legs dur
ing the game. The New-York branch was accom-
panied by Chuck Connors. who amused the crowd
Among the well known Westchester people at the
olambake were County Clerk Leslie Suthe~'n"d,
Assemblymen Wainwright and Righv -u.nty
Treasurer Joseph B. See. Judge Charles Sinnott.
Stephen Van Tassel Daniel p. Hays. former
president of the Harlem Democratic Club; Under
Sheriff Charles Nj Lane. John Walker of Boston;
Supervisors A. Smith Hopkins +. p. Kear. John
w Bovron and L. f Studwell: Frank Hardy,
Judge ". H. Boyd, Commodore c. s. Forbes, Alex
ander Sutherland and Dan Nolan. At night many
OF the guests returned 10 Port Chester where they
witnessed magnificent fireworks display.