The Bennington evening banner. (Bennington, Vt.) 19??-1961, 1912-10-09
ODDITIES IN CLUBS
Some Curious Associations That
Were Born In London.
FREAKS IN NAMES AND AIMS.
Tho Abduction Club Was Formed For
the Purpose of Carrying OFF Heiresses
by Force and the SurIy Club to Pro-
mote the Use of Abusive Language.

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 q bit of ribbon, 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
speaking being allowed. On initiation
the member had to compose and recite
poem in honor of his lady, and at the
meetings a fine was imposed upon the
member who did not sigh FIVE times
within a quarter Of an hour.
Again, there was the Abduction club,
organized In 1866 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 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 abduc-
ton took place on April IA. 1779.
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-Five members remained.
The No Nose club was founded by a
gentleman who was an unwilling fol
lower of the Egyptian fashion OF fiat
faces. When the members dlned to-
gether and young pig. the favorite
dish. was the principal item on the
menu the snout was always cut of.
The Club of Ugly Faces was also
founded by a gentleman who boosted
an enormously large nose Another
member had chin OF the size and
shape of a 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
malformation. and all members on ini-
dation 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 Billingsgate fish market,
and the membership was limited to
cabmen, carmen and watermen, who
used to meet once a 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 Farthlng club was limited
In membership TO men who agreed to
stint themselves 10 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 men,
bers presented so starved an appear
ance that II 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 a way that there were
always some present upon the prem
lses. 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 was nearly burned
to death because be 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 II. Dur
ing the fifty years OF its existence the
members smoked fifty tons OF tobacco.
drank 10000 butts OF ale, 1000 pipes Of
port and 900 barrels OF brandy in addi-
ton TO other liquors.
The Man Killing club was limited I'm
membership TO men who had killed op-
ponents In duels. The conversation at
the gatherings was confined to bullets.
wounds and slaughter. The president
wSs said to have killed half a dozen
men in single combat. and the seats at
dinner were arranged according to the
numbers the members had slain. At
banquets a side table was provided for
visitors who had only drawn blood
The club had not a lengthy existence.
rs nearly all the members were exc
cuted.
Suicides clubs have been long in ex-
istence. and one existed recently In
Kursk. The club had for its motto
Death Is the cure for all MS" but. as
set forth In its book Of rules. candi-
dates for membership had first OF all to
show that they had a substantial rea-
son for wishing 20 die A would he
csudidate who presented himself with
the weight Of ten or more years OF IN
happy married life was necesved with
open arms. loss 81 fortune. incurabie
disease and a record Of ~ luck were
also excellent qualifications for mem
f-rship.
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