Richmond times-dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1914-current, 1916-01-02
here" he demanded. indignantly.

here he demanded. indignantly
"iiavc a bottle" invited Mr.. Phillips.
reaching into the crate that had been
sot upon the floor. and oncrini; him one.
I'm aStonishcd." gaSpcd The prcSi-
dent, phillips. don't YOU Hnow tn"
rules of this organization" Don't YOU
know that no Intoxicating liquor Of any
Kind Is permitted in this buiidinG?'
Hcal,h Commissioner Phillips rcpl'e1
with something that sounded lIko
board OF health"
Then he added: 60 on. Jim Take
fail to yourself and be Il good guy.
Have a bottle"
There were four scpnrntc and dis
tinct disturbances in the hall %imul-
,aneously In action. E.ach icvolreI
around crate bearer Each crat.
bearer was struggling agains: several
members who attempted to wrcst Tho
crate from his grasp
Thcy We're husky boys. those crate
bearers They showed fight
Pandcmonium rci@ncd. Above tho
clanor could be heard tho voice Of tho
thirsty Phillips. who vas now opening
his third bottle:
Hey. YOU fellows, Swat any guy
in the bunglc who attempts to TAX
the wet goods from YOU"
President Purcell vocifcratcd. Get
out Of here, YOU men with .ha, beer"
he roarcd. Get out Of hc:. and taho
those crates with YOU If every man
concerned in this violation Of H.. Jaw,
Of the organization is not expelled. |
Will resign" Then he rushed down TO the
floor below, where Lawyer John j.
Blake, chairman Of the House C"'mAi,-
tee, was sitting in the realm" room.
obliviouS To the stirring scenes being
enacted above.
MIR. Blake let the newspaper he WAC
perusinG drop from his hands and
gaZcd In opcn-cyed astonish1cnt at
Purcell as the latter burs, into The
room gaspinr and gcs;icula,ing.
Blake" he began in a hOal SO wl;s-
per. DO YOU know what's aonr on
Upstairs"
We'll. what's doinr?" qucried the
chairman of the House Committee.
blake. won't t"l! YOU. You wouldn't
believe me. ] wouldn't believe ii my
self If ] hadn't seen It. AS hope for
salvation, there's AN intoxicI,ed bunch
of ruf.ians upstairs Juggling crates OF
lager beer into the spread Oh their
backs
Chairman Blake. Of the House Com
mttec. leapcd 70 his fs", with jolt
that made every globe on the electri
chandeliers dance. iic went up the
stairway four steps at jump.
Indignant members OF the Union had
succeeded. after a violcn; struggle
with each Of the crate bearers, in get
ting possession Of the bottles.
=
mandcd Mr.. Blake, confronting Mr..
Phillips.
"It's mystery to me-" responded
Phillips, finishing another bottle.
These men brought in fcw crates
OF ginger ale. soda, coco-cola and other
permissible refreshments, and that
gang Of wild men, headed by Purcell,
began TO throw fits"
Nr. blake seized "A bottle and applied
it 10 his nose. He grinned. Then. To
the horror Of $50 members Of the
Union. ne elevated il and tool; a swiE.
Never tasted better ginger ale in
my life was his verdict
The situation began to dawn upon
the indignant ones.
Well. III admit it's one on me- said
Captain y. T. O'Neil. chief OF the Stat"
convict road camps. Il fell for it."
The hoaX was exposed. everybody
laughed. President Purcell joined
tee in n bottle.
The identity of the clique of conSpir-
ators who brought beer bottle labels TO
the place and pasted them On the soft
drink bottles had not been discovered
when the New Years reception closed
at : o'clock last night.
II was probably the NOS successful
New Years reception in the history OF
the union. There was music. refresh
mcnts and a Christmas tree. There was
jollity in every minute Of the time in
tervening between I and : o'clock.
Bishop O'Connell came in and jollicd
the boys He made one OF his charac-
terstic speeches, called every man by
his first name; recalled the faces and
names OF some he had not laid eyes
on for fifteen years or more. asked
John W. Nokcley. auditor of the ChrSa :
pcake and Ohio. whether he had yet ;tc-
CURED all the stock OF III. company.
and departed
1t was n great celebration. Thcse
ccption committee: l.. -. Knightly.
chairman; j. X. Amcsbury. Frank X:
Kelly, j. J. Sullivan Il. L. Jerry and
W. y. Ross.
Preceding the festal events brici
speeches appropriate TO the occasion
were made by Father J j. Bow Ter,
Father Iianratty and several officers
OF the union. including President James
NJ. Purcell John J. Blake and James
}. Dreamer. II was announced that
for the instruction and entertainment
OF the members and their friends a
lecture course was now being formu-
lated. Among the speakers secured for
the series OF lectures is Bishop OCon-
nell.
Near the close of the festivities the
"McGills' gathered around the hu 20
Christmas tree that had been planted
in front OF the stage. and Charles T.
Taylor played Santa Claus. distribut-
Ing gifts where they would do the least
good. Health Commissioner Phillips
IA I'D Il,