Harrisburg telegraph. [volume] (Harrisburg, Pa.) 1879-1948, 1919-09-09


}. Mystery Night" arranged by the
entertainment committee for mem
bers and friends of the Harrisburg
Rotary Club, is all clear to-day to
those who had the pleasure of at
tending.
The only mystery now is how the
| committee thought out SO many
novel and entertaining stunts.
Frank Davenport, the chairman,
blames it all on Norris Longaker;
Norris says the responsibility lies
entirely with Lee Moss; Lee lays 1t
to Shirley Watts, at whose home
the entertainment was held on
Island Park and the athletic field
adjoining. Shirley is positive that
Floyd Hopkins was the chief con-
spirator, and Floyd insists that the
whole committee and then some"
I had a hand in the plotting. And
this appears to have been the case,
| for very prominent among those
who were running things with a
high hand on the island last evening
were Colonel James B. Kempcr,
Major Machen, Captain George F.
Lumb, head of the State Police De-
partment; Captain Pitcher, also of
the State Police; General S. S.
Rutherford and a band of able
| bodied assistants who aided and
| abetted them in the crimes that
were committed right under the
noses of the crowd. Heaven only
knows what might not have happen
ed had it not been for the presence
of the ly-organized troop Of
! State Police. designated for Harris
| burg, but temporarily located at
Lancaster under the command of
| Captain Herbert Smith.
Real Army "Chow"
| Nearly 800 Rotarians and guests,
| including many heads of State De-
partments, were present when the
call to Chow" was sounded ard
| they lined up two by two and filed
down toward the stands fronting on
the athletic field, where the big
show followed the feed"
The food was cooked in the big
! travelling army kitchen that stands
in front of the recruiting office ir
Market street, and was loaned for
the occasion through the instru-
mentality of Colonel Kemper. The
dishes served included baked beans.
J beef stew, mashed potatoes, rice
! pudding, rolls, doughnuts and coffee,
all of which was prepared by Army
| Cook Braunbeck, who followed the
American Army through France in
that capacity and is an expert in
| handling a field kitchen on wheels.
! Many liked the cooking so well that
! Colonel Kemper expects a big rush
in recruiting to-day.
| The elbow" was served in cafe
terra style, the diners taking their
supper with them to the stands.
occupying the same seats for the
big show which followed. 1mme-
| nf tho fold
had been erected the scenery that
served during the Kipona as John
Harris wine cellar, but which Cap
tain Lumb, as master of ceremonies.
solemnly informed the audience
was a Mexican bandit den.
| A large part of the fun and frolic
which followed was really demon
stration of the methods and aolllty
of the State Police in any emer-
gency, and they did so well that tho
Rotarians Joined in three cheers Tor
| Captain Lumb and the Harrisburg
Troop.
Holdup Staged
The first act on the program was
the holdup of a farmer by high
wayman, who shot and wounded a
State Trooper who came to the res
cue. But, as 1t often happens, the
police were travelling in pairs and
| in a thrilling scene and hot chase
| the desperate was properly brought
to book and yanked off the field in
the most approved manner. Just
about that time the president OF the
| club, G.. M. Steinmetz. discovered
that his watch was missing and
noted a stranger who had been sit
ting close to him slipping quietlJ
through the crowd. He set up a
| great hue and cry and amid lot OF
| excitement n State Trooper nabbed
the "pickpocket," who was another
member of the force in civilian
clothes, and restored the stolen
property. 1t was all fake, but SO
cleverly enacted n majority of those
present were fooled.
Prince of Wales Arrives
Captain Lumb announced, when the
excitement had quieted down, that the
great trouble and expense" the Club
had procured the presence of the
Prince Of Wales, now visiting in this
country, and Immediately the Prince
and his valet arrived in a big auto
mobile. 1t occurred to many of those
present, that the Prince bore strik-
ing resemblance to Shirley Watts, but
as he wore handsome military re-
gala. of course it could not have been
he, for Shirley is a man of very dem
ocratic habits; and there were others
who remarked that the valet looked
strangely like Lee Moss, but Mr.. Moss
is a man of such austere manners
that he wouldn't even stoop to acting
as valet to his own white shoes, so
that suspicion also must be dismissed.
The Prince made long and eloquent
address, during which Lee Moss-beg
pardon, we meant the Princes valet
ministered to him with numerous
drinks-water of course.-and sup
piled him with dozen or more hand
kerchiefs, His Highness declining to
use one more than once. The Prince
said he was surprised at the height
of American men. and mentioned
Bob" Lyon, Charley" Wood and
Frank Musser as examples, and he