Chicago eagle. [volume] (Chicago, Ill.) 1889-19??, 1919-12-13
JOHN e. WiLklE
WRITES OF OLD TIMES
IN THE PRESS CLUB.

John f. Wilkie, former chief of the
United States Secret Service. and
popular assistant to the president of
the Chicago Surface Lines, was one
Of the ablest newspapermen in the
United States. He is past president
and Is an honorary member of the
Press Club of Chicago.
One OF the pleasant features of the
anniversary dinner given by the Press
Club OF Chicago at the clubrooms on
the evening Of Nov. II, to the found.
ers OF the club, celebrating the for
tieth anniversary, was q letter from
John +. Wilkie, read by Clyde A. Nor.
rison. The letter was received with
great enthusiasm and was as follows:
Nov. II, 1919.
My Dear Mr. Morrison: deeply
regret that 1t will be impossible for
me to be present at the dinner cele.
brating the fortieth anniversary Of the
Press Club. l am keenly appreciative
OF the honor conveyed by your COM
mittees invitation, and my melan-
choly over my inability to be present
took on deeper tinge when ] grasped
the significance of the fact that this
was to be a complimentary" dinner
Entirely apart from the attraction that
lies In the opportunity to renew the
associations and friendships OF years
gone by, there was this very substan-
tial jab dealt to the high cost of living
by the promise of food without price.
On the theory that my loss will be
your gain, you will doubtless feel that
you are not only "in" the price of the
dinner, but you and your fellow mem.
bers and friends will have been spared
the ordeal Of listening to few re-
marks from the undersigned. And !
feel now that that will be some com.
pensation.
II would do my eyes good to look
again upon the friendly faces Of the
old familiar days. particularly would
like to survey the classic features of
Tod Cowles without whiskers. Tod
managed to keep his whiskers so long
as he lived in Chicago and II, as ! I'M
derstand, he lost them in New York
II only goes to demonstrate to what
lengths a confirmed poker player will
go-not even drawing the line AT haz
arding his hirsute adornment in the
belief that the other fellow held only
two pairs against his little threes--
and losing.
And Tom Macmillan has lost his'n;
though | would not go to the length OF
suggesting that the honorable and ven
cradle T. c. sacrificed his facial shrub
berry upon the altar of the goddess OF
chance. II Is more likely that Tom
INDUCED in a shave about the time
that whiskers were out OF style on the
Federal bench. Far be 1t from Tom
10 interject any note OF discord in the
Federal courts,
And would like to hear VIII Eaton
the faithful steadfast friend and orna
ment of the Press Club - father
mother, obstetrician, wet nurse and
all the rest OF it to that delightful ant
lamented child of the club, dear little
Scoop, deity touch the high spots II
mis- Chicago newspaper experience
from the early seventies to the pres
ent day
There will be two eX-presdent'
with you hope, John Finn and Jo'
Dunlop, each having done his share
in the old days TO make the Press
Club famous and successful.
think the oldtimers will agree thai
If Col. Donovan, the debonair Harry
OF the good old days, were to indulge
in a few heartfelt references TO down
trodden Ireland the shade OF San
Steele would raise and voice a few