Daily capital journal. (Salem, Oregon) 1903-1919, 1913-01-27
THE STORY OF A FAMOUS
BOHEMIAN CLUB IN CHICAGO

lA'"o''"N' bi'NS thO AOliONAhb elNNOullt
of the "Whitechapel Club" a famous
Bohemian club of Chicago:
"The Whitechapel Club Of Chicago,
although founded twenty-five years
ago, and lasting only six or seven
years, still remains in the minds of
newspaper and other men as one of
the most remarkable of Bohemian
clubs. 1t was founded in 1887 and
first had rooms back of Henry Cos
ter's saloon in an alley near the Chi
cago News building. 1t soon gathered
unto Itself all Of the clever men Of
Chicago who were writing for the
newspapers, and a few of their intim-
ate comrades in other lines Of work
but Of sympathetic spirit. The men,
bership included:
Finley Peter Dunno, who had not
as yet created Mr.. Dooley.'
George Ade, who was a reporter
on the Chicago Record, just starting
his Streets of the Town, the begin
ming Of his famous Fables in Slang.
Ben King, who was writing anus
ing verse; such as If | should Die
Tonight and Nothing To Do But
Work. They have preserved his fame
though he died many years since.
"Opie Read of the Arkansas Tray
eler.
ALFRED Henry Lewis, who was the
Washington correspondent and, l be-
lieye, was even then writing the Wolf
Vile stories.
William g. Lewis, who has for
some years been editor of the New
York Morning Telegraph.
Frederick Upham Adams, the nov-
elist, who was writing President John
Smith.
"Thomas 3, Powers, caricaturlst
and illustrator, who had not then en-
tered the field which has made him
so well known
Horace Taylor, the artist.
wallace Rice, reporter and poet
one of the most learned and scholarly
Chicago journalists.
Arthur Henry, who has since writ
ten The House in the Woods and
The Island Cabin
"W. A. Taylor, now editor of the
Associated Sunday Magazine.
"W. W. Denslow, artist and illus
traitor Of Wizard Of o. fame.
"The club was nameless at first.
But one afternoon a group were sit
ting in one Of the rooms when a
newsboy passed through the alley and
cried: All about the latest White
chapel murdern Seymour paused
with a stein of beer half lifted, and
said; 'Well call the new club the
"Whitechapel Club"
"The members of the club at its
start made a practice of collecting
relics Of tragedies which they re-
ported the Sioux War broke out, and
Seymour and others brought back
from the battles a large number of
skulls Of Indians, and drums and
blankets drenched in blood, which
were hung on the walls Of the club.
From that time on it became the
practice of sheriffs and newspaper
men everywhere to send anything of
that kind to the Whltechapel Club.
The result was that within a few
years it had the largest collection of
criminal skulls in the country. DR..
G. Frank Lyds'on afterwards wrote
u book on the skulls Of criminals, us
ing the Whitechapel collection as the
basis, The club also had about fifty
hangmans ropes. There was in the
club a famous collin-shaped table,
and each member had a silver screw
in 1t bearing his number.
Admission was obtained in a pc
culiar way An applicant for mem
bership had his name proposed, and
1t was then posted on a bulletin board.
lie was on probation for thirty days,
during which he had to be at the
club at least five days in the week,
in order to become acquainted with
the members. Within that time any
member could go and tear his name
down, and that ended his candidacy.
When his name finally came up for
voting, 1t required the full vote of
the club to get him in.
THE fame Of the club led to its
end. Rich and important men of Chi
cago pressed for membership Some
were admitted, then more. As a re-
suit, the club lost It's Bohemian char
acter, and finally disbanded"
ONE OF THE HEIRS
IIVpc ~ cITpnE