The Hood River glacier. (Hood River, Or.) 1889-1933, 1912-10-03
ODDITIES IN CLUBS
Some Curious Associations Ihat
Were Born In London.
FREAKS IN NAMES AND AIMS
The Abduction Club Was Formed F0'
the Purpose of Carrying of H''rsssss
by Force and the surly Club to Pr0'
mote the Use of Abusive language

r the Purpose of Carrying OF Hs'resse'
by Force and the surly Club to PRO
mote the Use of Abusive language
One Of the most extraordinary cluo'
London has ever known says th'
Standard, was the signing Club the
members Of which were supposed 10 O'
wholly absorbed in thinking OF theii
sweethearts. Each would hold ID Dis
hand bit of ribbon, lock OF halr'
purse or some other article belonging
TO the object If his affections, and IRON
time to time he would address TINS az
ticle In terms of endearment' no othei
speaking being allowed. On Initiation
the member had to compose and reclte
a poem in honor Of his lady, and at the
meetings fine was imposed upon the
member who did not sigh I'VE times
within quarter of an hour.
Again. there was the Abduction club'
organized in 1906 by some well con
nected Irish youths, who banded them
selves together to abduct heiresses and
good looking young women OF gentle
birth. As there was q large member
ship, many forced marriages took place
in consequence of their exploits. The
evil became eventually so serious that
special act Of parliament was passed
making abduction a capital offense.
The members assisted each other by
providing relays of horses and car
riages whenever necessary. The wealth
OF the two sisters Kennedy, daughters
OF Richard Kennedy of Rathmeaden
manor Waterford, caused the attention
Of the members to be drawn to them.
Gerald Byrne, grandson OF Sir Gregory
Byrne, and James Strange Willard were
drawn In the lottery, and the abdue-
tion took place on April IA, 1913.
The principals were arrested tried
and condemned and they were execut-
ed in the following May, notwithstand-
ing the fact that ministers of the
court Of Vienna, grandees Of Spain and
French mobiles implored their pardon.
The club was introduced into England
In ITO, but dlsbanded in 1902, when
twenty-nine members remained.
The No Nose club was founded by
gentleman who was an unwilling fol
lower Of the Egyptian fashion of fiat
faces. When the members dined to-
gether and young pig, the favorte
dish, was the principal item on the
menu the snout was always cut off.
The Club of Ugly Faces was also
founded by gentleman who boasted
an enormously large nose. Another
member had chin OF the size and
shape Of shoe horn. another a huge
mouth and a fourth very large, pro-
Lruding eyes. No one was eligible for
membership who had not some facial
and all members on ini-
Liation had to make a speech in praise
OF Aesop, whose portrait hung over the
Of the clubroom.
The Surly club had its meeting
place near Bllingsgate fish market,
and the membership was limited to
cabmen, carmen and watermen, who
used to meet once week to exercise
the art of abusive language In order
that they might not lose the reputation
they had gained. Any member found
guilty Of courtesy or politeness was
fined
The Split Farthing club was limited
in membership to men who agreed to
stint themselves to the utmost in order
to Increase their possessions. One
member is reported to have had his
garments 50 darned that there was
not enough of the original material
left to show the texture. The men,
bers presented so starved an appear
ance that it was said there was not
an ounce Of fat among the lot.
The Everlasting club was limited in
membership to hundred, and the
members divided the day among them
selves in such way that there were
always some present upon the prem
ises. The great fire Of London put an
end to this institution, as the premises
We're burned down, and the only mem
Der on the premises was nearly burned
to death because he refused to leave
until he had emptied all the bottles on
the table. The fire for lighting the
members pipes was never allowed to
go out an old woman being kept solely
FOR the purpose of attending to it. Dur
ing the fifty years of its existence the
members smoked fifty tons of tobacco,
drank $1,000 butts of ale, 1000 pipes OF
port and 200 barrels of brandy in addi-
ton to other liquors.
The Man Killing club was limited IN
membership to men who had killed OPP
ponsnts in duels. The conversation at
the gatherings was confined to bullets,
wounds and Slaughter. The president
was said to have killed half a dozen
men IN single combat, and the seats at
dinner We're arranged according to the
numbers the members had slain. AT
banquets a side table was provided Tor
visitors who had only drawn blood
The club had not a lengthy existence
as nearly all the members were exc
cuted.
Suicides clubs have been long IN ex'
istence, and one existed recently ID
kursk, The club had for its motto
Death is the cure for all ills;' but as
set forth in is book of rules candi-
dates for membership had first OF all 10
show that they had a substa itial rea-
son FOR wishing to die. A would De
candidate who presented himself with
the weight ot Ton or more years OF I'M
N.... aanNf