Six Napoleons of Baltimore dinner - 6th September 2024

The Six Napoleons of Baltimore switched to a new format for 2024, with two meetings each year, both held at the Maryland Club. I reported on the previous meeting here. This meeting had a wonderful group of out-of-town visitors - from ten states (!), and was larger than the March meeting. It is evolving into a marque meeting for the regional Sherlockians - there's nothing so grand in DC or surrounding areas, and provides a true sense of occasion. The room itself had animal heads mounted on all four walls, a massive fireplace, and an 8 foot (at least) tall brown bear standing imposingly in one corner. The toasts were wonderful and inventive - my favorite was Shana Carters' sung tribute to Cab Calloway, who spent his formative years in Baltimore. Sadly, I do not have a recording.

The agenda shows that toasts were also made by Evy Herzog (Baltimore), Mike McSwiggin, Ira Matetsky, and Dennis Keiser. Karen Wilson did a wonderful job as Gasogene, both running the show, and facilitating a wonderful discussion of the story for the evening: The Adventure of the Creeping Man. Karen always organizes a quiz, and Shana and PJ tied for the win with 14/15. I don't even try the quizzes - recall isn't one of my strong points.

The highlight of the evening is the presentation by a postulant - a necessary step on the path to becoming a full member of the Six Napoleons. Xander Sobecki brought with him from Chicago a full set of armor that he uses for re-enactments, and described the origin of each piece of armor, considerations for wearing and fighting in armor (including how to get through airports with a 65 pound of suit of armor), what we know and don't know about military garb and practice, and where ACD's "The White Company" took liberties with history. I thought Xander ended with a nice point: were it not for Doyle, enthusiasm for medieval history entering the 20th century would not have been as strong. Xander looked fantastic - he dined and presented in armor. More on the helmet shortly.....

Finally, I presented the traditional "Sonnet for a Six Napoleons Dinner", read out at each dinner. The text (below) was written by 'Napoleon' James T. Hyslop, and published in the original Volume 2 (issue 3) of the Baker Street Journal in 1947. I wanted to look at my copy of that issue, and found that the sonnet was included as part of a report of the most recent meeting of the Six Napoleons.

And so, in the interest of being thorough, I transcribe here the report of that first Six Napoleons meeting in 1947, when the Sonnet was read for the first time. Typos are carried over from the original text.

THE SIX NAPOLEONS OF BALTIMORE

    OFFICERS: Paul S. Clarkson (Harker), Gasogene; Allen Robertson (Beppo), Tantalus; James T Hyslop (Peterson), Commissionaire. All communications should be addressed to Mr. Robertson at 3963 Greenmount Avenue, Baltimore 18, Md.

    Our meeting was held at the University Club, and all Six of the Nepoleons met at the Criterion Bar and raised the traditional toast at 6 P.M. We were honored to have as our guest on of the newly designated captains of the Maryland police, Lt. Alex L. Emerson, who gave us an interesting sidelight on the use of the bloodhound in the solution of crime.

    Richard Q. Yardley presented to the Gasogene the original of the cartoon appearing in the Sun for January 4th: his discussion of Holmes was erudite, as was the new theory on the famous tooth episode presented by Dr. John C. Heck, a neophyte on the lore who will pass the required examination.

    The Tantalus read the correspondence he had had with the Hon. J. Edgar Hoover, who was delighted with the portfolio of Scotland Yard photographs presented by Commissionaire Hyslop. Prof. James H. Fitzgerald Brewster, of Johns Hopkins University, reported that Sherlock Holmes was correct in his opinion of Monsieur Bertillon, whose testimony in the Dreyfuss case helped to cause a miscarriage of justice. Napoleon Paxton asserted definitely that Devine did not make the bust of Napoleon. It was decided to review A Scandal in Bohemia for the next assembly. The Tantalus reported that a subscription had been entered for the JOURNAL in the name of the Enoch Pratt Library of Baltimore. 

    The Napoleons submit, for the delight of the JOURNAL's readers, this "Sonnet for a 'Six Napoleons' Dinner" written by James T. Hyslop:

We have two honored guests with us tonight:

Each in our hearts reserves for them a chair.

One, tall, beak-nosed, keen-eyed and spare,

The other broad, full-faced and of a medium height-

Two men to whom the world owes much delight.

"The game's afoot" we hear the taller one declare;

Let us adjourn with that immortal pair,

To where a London gaslamp sheds a feeble light:

Let's join Inspectors Gregson and Lestrade

In paying tribute to our famous host;

Let's sample tantalus and gasogene,

Discussing crimes that tantalized the Yard,

And these two men, in mem'ry ever green:

To Holmes and Watson, gentlemen, a toast!

Finally (I promise) I can't help but acknowledge my daughter Matilda who sold drinks tickets at a card table for the evening, and thank Karen Wilson for inviting Matilda to dine at her table. While I am thankful, I couldn't help but embarrass Matilda in taking up Xander's offer for anyone interested to try on the 20 pound helmet. The body language exudes defeat.