Rensselaer Semi-Weekly Republican, Volume 41, Number 39, Rensselaer, Jasper County, 26 January 1909 — Chicago's Indiana Society. [ARTICLE]

Chicago's Indiana Society.

Wm. B. Austin, Rensselaer’s foremost citizen in Chicago, is an active member of the Indiana Society of Chicago, which is said to be the strongest state society in the United States outside of the Ohio Society of New York. t'. 'The membership of the society Is limited to 200, and consists of leading business, professional and literary men. George Ade, the author, is one of the vice-presidents and Mr. Austin has been one of the trustees for several years. He has also served for three years as the chairman of the invitation committee for t b e annual banquet. This affair was held .this week at the auditorium annex, on Jail. 11th. Geo. Barr McCutcheon was the toastmaster at the lest annual function, and the following Were the speakers and their subjects: Meredith Nicholson: 'Tie R'ae of Science in the Paw-<Paw Belt ” Dr. J. Everist Oath el': “A St iteless Citizen of she Republic.” Roh. Addison tl. Harris: “Tie Folks Left-at'Home.” George Ade: "The Hoosier Abroad.” An expensive souvenir book, containing the program, menu, and pages dedicated to the leading authors, was published, and each person at the banquet was presented with one of the books. The banquet was ass per plate affair. The annual banquets are by no means the only social functions of the society. The members stand ready to recognize real Indiana talent in whatever method it may be displayed, and Thursday evening, Jan. 14th, they composed a theatre party that took most of the boxes and many seats at the Illinois theatre, where Mrs. Grace Van Studdiford is starring in the Golden Butterfly. Mrs. Van Studdiford was formerly Mi s Grace Qulvey, a cousin of Dr. E. E. Quivey, once a well known dentist of this city. The theatre party concluded with a banquet at the Stratford hotel. Of the affair the Chicago Tribune of last Saturday had the following to say: I hear that the Indiana society had a royal time Thursday evening when they turned out to greet their distinguished stateswoman, M'S. Grace Van Studdiford. First they took eve.so many boxes and scorse of seits at the Illinois theatre, wte e s e sings each night. They had a banquet at the Strattford. Wilbur D. Nesbit, who is a Hoosier to his pce’ic finger tips, was toastmaster, and so great was the crowd that hailed from the lit rary center of the universe that tha whole tearoom was served. I be! eve the entertainment began with a commi tee. Very marvelous committee it was too, and not to be matched. John T.' McCutcheon was chaiiman. Ti e lay members were Lou's W. Landman, John Farson, William C. Fr e. Edward Rector, William B. Austin and John B. Kitchen. Among tee baxholders for the event were the following and fheir families (when a l of them were told, it seemed diffi ult to be’leve that so many Hoosiers and semi-Hooslers could be in t b is plain Illinois town): J. M. Studebaker of South Bend, Ind.,; United States Ju J g| Baker, Woods, Seaman and Lands, Joseph H. Defiees, p es'dent of the society: George Ba r r and John H. McCutcheon, John C. Eastman and William C. Free.