Rock Island Argus. (Rock Island, Ill.) 1893-1920, 1912-10-05

ODDITIES IN CLUBS
Some Curious Associations That
Were Born In London.
FREAKS IN NAMES AND AIMS.


| by Force and the Surly Club to Pro-
saote the Use of Abusive Language.
One of the most extraordinary clubs
( London has ever known, says the
| Standard. was the Signing club. the
| members of which were supposed to be
wholly absorbed in thinking of their
sweethearts. Each would hold in his
| hand a bit of ribbon, a lock of hair, a
purse or some other article belonging
| TO the object Of his affections, and from
time to time he would address this ar
! ticle in terms OF endearment. no other
I speaking being allowed On initiation
/ the member had to compose and recite
| poem in honor Of his lady, and at the
member who did not sigh FIVE times
| within Il quarter of an hour
] Again. there was the Abduction club,
! organized in 1866 by some we'll CON
nected Irish youths. who banded them
| selves together to abduct heiresses and
| good looking young women of gentle
! birth. AS there was large member
]
/ in consequence of their exploits. The
evil became eventually so serious that
] q 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 Byrue. grandson of Sir Gregory
/ Byrne. and James Strange Willard were
/ drawn in the lottery. and the abduc-
! ton took place on April II. 1TI9.
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
III ITO, but disbanded in 1902. when
twentynine members remained.
The No Nose club was founded by u
gentleman who was an unwilling fol
lower Of the Egyptian fashion Of fat
faces. When the members dined to
Cether and young pig. the favorite
dish. was the principal item on the
menu the snOut was always cut off.
/ The Club of Cgly Faces was also
founded by a gentleman who hoasted
an enormously large nose. Another
member had n chin of the size and
shape of shoe horn. another a huge
mouth and a fourth very large. pro
truding eyes. No one was eligible for
membership who had not some facial
nialfOrmatinn. and all members on mi
tiation had to make a speech in praise
of AeSop. whose portrait hung over the
mantelpiece of the clubroom.
The Surly club had its meeting
place near BIllnGsgate fish market.
and the membership was limited to
ca bmen. 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
promptly 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 so darned that there was
not enough of the original material
left to show the texture The mem
bers presented so starved an appear
aDce that it was said there was not
an ounce OF fat among the lot
The Everlasting club was limited in
membership TO a hundred. and the
members divided the day among them
selves in such n way that there were
always some present upon the prem
Uses. The great fire of London put an
end to this institution. as the premises
were burned down. and the only mem
Der on the premises WIS nearly burned
to death because he refused to leav
until be 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 10000 butts OF ale 1000 pines of
port and no barrels of brandy in add
ton to other liquors.
The Man Killing club was limited in
membership to men who had Killed op-
pOneats IN duets The conversation at
the gatherings WAS confined to bullets.
wounds and slaughter The president
WAS said To have killed half dozen
men IN single combat. and the seats at
dinner were arranged arcuriing to the
numbers the members had slain At
I banpuets side table was provided for
visitors who had only drawn blood.
The club had not a lengthy existence.
as nearly all the members were exc
cutPd
Suicides clubs have been long I'm ex-
I iStenre. and one existed recently In
| kurSk The club had for its motto
Death * tine cure for all Ills" bur. as
s4-t forth In its book of rules. t-andi-
dates for membership had fir<t Of all to
shaw that they had n Suhsta ltiaI rea
SOU for wishing fo die would ne
candidate who presented himself with
tsr weight al ten OF more years of m.
happy married life was received With
! Cii-n AIRS. Loss of fortune inrura bic
/ o-SpaSe and record of III luck were