The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1905-01-02
DOC OWEN has REFORMED.
CEDRIC7S PASSENGERS SURE OF 1T
TO THE RESOLUTION POINT.
smoking Room Resolves That the Gambler
Is Most Entertaining Gentleman
and Contributes $50 for 4 Loving
Cup I'm Which to Drown Oid Memories.

Doc Owen, who has as much right TO his
title as many Colonel. did not return from
Europe Yesterday aboard the White Star
liner Cedric, in from Liverpool and Queens
town She is his favorite ship. and he
sailed hence aboard her on Dec. 7. He
had returned TO this port in her on Nov. Z,
announcing TO the reporters who greeted
him mt the pier that he had definitely aban-
doned the business Of gambling on the
sea. and that thereafter he would act on the
dead level
Not everybody believed in the genuine
ness of Docs reformation then. not
withdrawing that he had played no cards
on his November voyage. But the Cedric
brought in yesterday overwhelming testi-
mony of Docs sincerity. Passengers
who had travelled with him when he sailed
away in the Cedric on her former trip to
the eastward were even enthusiastic over
him.
He has always been a persuasive person
and has been even credited with hypnotic
powers He certainly had the faculty OF
evading prosecution for swindling pas
sengers who played poker with him in the
smoking room, but he got his picture into
the rogue's gallery, although he made a
legal fight TO have it removed on the ground
that he had never been convicted Of any
crime.
Naturally. many of the travellers by the
Cedric on her last trip to Liverpool knew
Doc almost az well as they knew the
ships surgeon or the purser. That he had
decided TO become virtuous was known 10
everybody aboard. as IL had been pub
lished in nearly all the newspapers here
abouts.
DOCS troubles began on the first night
out. His acquaintance tried to get him
into all sorts Of games OF chance, but
he WAS IA indifferent to temptation as an
anohorite. He even refused TO bet on
the ships runs, and then everybody felt
he had really reformed; but under great
pressure he consented 10 auction Of the
pools
manner and he made the auctioning in
teresting by Interpreting his remarks with
stories that brought down the ship. His
popularity grew with every day OF the
trip and when the Cedric arrived at Queens
town he had achieved a reputation as a
raconteur that his admirers say ought TO
make him a fine promoter OF other schemes
than relieving his fellow Yoyagers Of their
change, large and small, at cards
Nearly all the Americans aboard met in
the smoke room. the story goes the night
before the ship got 10 Liverpool and made
speeches complimenting Owen and passed
resolutions, which, in effect, declared that
their distinguished fellow passenger. Mr.
W. j. Owen. ought and hereby does re-
oeive the thanks Of the gentlemen frequent
ing the smoke room for his entertaining
stories and his modest and inofiensive
manner Of relating the same that Mr.
W j. Owen has been an indispensable
source Of amusement and has greatly re
Reved the tedium Of the trip, and that 1t il
the sense of the assembly that loving
cup should he presented TO Mr.. W: J. Owen
as a token Of the appreciation OF his fellow
voyaRers.
fhereupon. according to the story brought
in by the Cedric. Mr.. Langhorne Of West
Virginia collected sl0o to buy the loving
cup The date Of the presentation was
not made known. but it is said it will take
place on shipboard when Doc returns 70
New York.