The Owosso Times

FIRST ANNUAL MEETING.

The Fat Man's Cycle Touring Club Opens the Season In an Appropriate Manner.

Royally Entertained by Messrs. Fred Osburn and I. H. Keeler at Hotel Wildermuth, and Later at the Elegant Home of Fat Man Keeler.

From The Owosso Press:

The first meeting of the Fat Man's Cycle Club for the season of 1898 was held last evening, the club being entertained at supper at the Hotel Wildermuth by Fat Men I. H. Keeler and Fred Osburn. It has been some weeks since the dining room of the Wildermuth was made to ring with the club yell, and the manner in which the members were cared for was sufficient assurance that Landlord Fred and his good wife were pleased to see their old friends back once more.

A handsomely decorated table arranged to accommodate the entire club was spread in the south end of the dining room and as the club was seated each member was presented with an American Beauty, the gift of Mesdames I. H. Keeler and Fred Osburn, both members of the Auxiliary. At the conclusion of the banquet the club adjourned to the elegant new home of I. H. Keeler where a business meeting was held and officers elected for the ensuing year.

The Secretary-treasurer's report showed all claims against the club paid and a balance of 10 cents in the treasury. The report further showed the following as the club's resources at the close of the last season:

Cash mentioned above .10
Fines of members not paid 430.50
Jersey stock in Shiawassee and Clinton counties held by Chas. W. Gale as trustee of the club 750.00
A superb Auxiliary, value not calculable in the coin of the realm.

The report was accepted and ordered published.

Next in order was the nomination and election of officers for the coming season. Stanley E. Parkill made a most thrilling and convincing speech in placing in nomination the successful candidate. Mr. Parkill's well rounded periods, his oratorical flights and piercing eloquence, strengthened by vigorous, national convention gestures and thunderous pounding on the speaker's desk, captured his hearers and was the feature of the meeting. No state or national nominating convention ever listened to a more effective speech, and no body of able bodied men, numbers considered, ever more heartily applauded a speaker. Mr. Parkill simply carried the meeting by storm and secured the unanimous (save the candidate's vote) re-election of President A. M. Bentley.

After quiet was restored the other officers were elected as follows: Vice president, Chas. E. Rigley; secretary and treasurer, H. Kirk White; executive committee—The officers, C. W. Gale and E. Wykes.

After transacting routine business and the appointment of a committee to consider the subject of "clothes," for the club the coming season, the hosts invited the members to the dining room where most delicious Fat Man's punch was served. Following this came the story telling portion of the evening's entertainment, when Jeremiah Cromer and his fellow fat men entertained the club until, owing to the hour, the members were forced to bring to an end the jolly good time they were enjoying.