The daily morning journal and courier., 1906-03-20
KNIGHTS TEMPLAR BANQUET
BRILLIANT GATHERING AT MU-
 SIC HALL LAST NIGHT

Right Emminent Sir Samuel J, Bryant
 and Other Distinguished Men Present
 -Han Transformed Into a Gigantic
 Banquet Room -- Tempting Menu
 served-The Toast List and Those
 Who Responded-Omcers of New Ha- @
 ven Commandery and Names of Those
 Who sweIIed the Large Crowd.
 The new Music hall last night had gathered within it's walls one of the largest and most distinguished gather ings of men of all ranks which has taken place in New Haven in many months. Tic occasion was a reception and banquet tendered to- the grand commandery of Connecticut by the New Haven commandery, Mo- 2, Knights Templar, It was the prelude to the annual conclave which opens In this city at the Masonic temple this morn. ing. In all some 600 Knights are ex- pected to take part, mostofmhom we're present at the banquet last night.
 Music hall had very brilliant and beautiful appearance at 10;S0 D. m, when the guests had assembled, and the lights were turned up. The stage had been transformed into scene that rivaled fairyland, and was ar tistically decorated with potted plants and cut flowers, the work of Frank S. Platt. Here all the principal guests and speakers were seated. The remain der of the Knights and other guests were accommodated at tables which ran the whole length of the hall. The other decorations were by Cunningham, and were composed chiefly of American flags gracefully draped around the hall while banners emblematic of the Knights Templars were strung all around the gallery, and Welcome Sir Knight faced the guests as they en- tered. During the progress of the ban quet music was discoursed by Fichtl's orchestra, and the catering to the large gathering was successfully carried through by Landlord Wglite of the Ton tine hotel.
 Among the guests was Right Eminent William J, Diehl of Pittsburg. He has been mayor of that city, and when the triennial conclave met there in 1898, he as chairman of the committee on hotels, cared for the New Haveners who at- tended the conclave in body. The committee in charge of the re- ception is as follows: Walter S. Garde chairman; Leon D. Monks. Wallace S. Moyle, treasurer; Frederick H. Wal dron Charles E. Rounds, William " Bradley, John Crabb, Arthur D. Per kins.
 | When Judge Samuel J. Bryant arose and proposed the toast of the president of the United States it was responded to with a burst of enthusiasm that has seldom been equalled at any such gath | ering. The Sir Knights to man arose to their feet and as the orchestra pealed forth the strains of "The Stal Spangled Banner" it was taken hold oi by the immense throng and sung witf great vocal gusto finishing up witt three hearty cheers.
 The following was the list of toasts
 Toastmaster-Em. Sir Walter S l Garde.
 Invocation-Rev. Elm. Sir Andrew c Hubbard, D D ., Danbury, Conn.
 Toasts-Our Distinguished Visitors Rt. Elm. Sir Samuel J. Bryant, grand commander of Connecticut,
 The Strength of Knight Templarisn l Devoted to the Service of Humanity Rt. Elm. Sir Wm. J: Diehl, Pittsburg Pa, grand commander of Pennsylvania
 The Grand Encampment-Ver Elm Sir Arthur Macarthur, Troy, N. Y. grand senior warden of the grand en campment of United States.
 "A Good Time" as Limited by tn, Standards of Our Order-Rt, Elm. si Edwin A. Blodgett, Springfield, Mass. grand commander of Massachusetts an, Rhode Island.
 Our Debt to the Past, and How Dis charge It-Rt. Elm. Sir Dana J. Elan j ders. Maiden, Mass.