The diamond drill. (Crystal Falls, Iron County, Mich.) 1887-1996, 1913-03-08
ODDITIES IN CLUBS TURKEY GIVES UP
Some Curious Associations That
Were Born In London.
FREAKS IN NAMES AND AIMS.
The Abduction Club Was Formed For
the Purpose Of Carrying of He,rsssss
BY Force and the surly Club to Pro-
mote tho Use OF Abusive Language.

the Purpose Of Carrying OFF He,rsssss
BY Force and the Surly Club to Pro-
mote the Use OF Abusive Language.
One Of the most extraordinary clubs
London mas ever known. says the
Standard. was the Signing club. the
members n which were supposed TO DO
wholly nh sorbed In thinking OF their
sweetheai rs. Each would hold I'm his
hand a bi. OF ribbon. lock OF hair.
purse or -ome other article belonging
to the object 4 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 recits
a poem In honor OF his lady. and at the
meetings tine was imposed upon thu
member who did not sigh five times
within 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 nbduct 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. Tie
evil became eventually so serious that
a special act OF parliament was passed
making abduction 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. ITO.
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 disbanded 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 iat
faces. When the members dIned to-
gether and young pig. the favorite
dish. was the principal item on the
menu the snout was always cut or.
The Club OF Ugly Faces was also
founded by a gentleman who boosted
In
member had chin OF the size and
shape OF shoe horn. another a huge
mouth and n fourth very large. pro-
truding eyes. No one was eligible for
membership who had not some facial
malformation. and all members on ini-
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 BIllIngsgate 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 I'm order
that they might not lose the reputation
they had gained. Any member found
guilty OF courtesy or politepess was
promptly fined.
The Split Farthlng club was limited
In membership TO men who agreed TO
stint themselves 10 the utmost In order
10 Increase their possessions. one
member ls reported to have had his
garments SO darned that there was
not enough OF the original material
left 60 show the texture. The mem
beers presented 80 starved an appear.
ance that II was said there was not
an ounce az fat among the lot
The Everlasting club was limited In
membership 10 hundred. and the
members divided the day among them
selves I'm surh n way that there were
always some present upon the prem.
Uses The great Dire OF London put an
end to this institution. az the premises
were 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 10
go out. an old woman being kept solely
for the purpose OF attending 10 IL. Dur
ing the fifty years OF its existence the
members smoked fifty tons OF tobacco.
drank 3OtDO butts OF ale. 1000 pipes OF
port and NM barrels OF brandy In add
ton 10 other liquors.
The Nun Killing club was limited In
membership 10 men who had killed op-
ponents In duels. The conversation NJ
the gatherings was confined to bullets.
wounds aud slaughter. The president
was said Ia nave killed half dozen
men In single combat, and the seats at
dinner were arranged according To the
numbers the members had slain Al
banquets a side table was provided tot
visitors who had only drawn bIood
The cub hnd not n lengthy existenrp.