09/07/2026
circa. 1907 ~ The Ornery Gang, Derry PA
Top Image; Dr. Smith and his new bride. Writing on side: "Dr. Smith + Bride in matrimonial auto." along bottom: "We are all well when are you coming home?
Bottom Image; Banner across First National Bank building, where Dr. Smiths office is located contains the following nice legend: "Hully Gee, What a time -Sammy Smith and his blushing bride, coming about September 3d, Teeth pulled free."
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Latrobe Bulletin, August 27, 1907
DERRY IN GALA ATTIRE TO WELCOME GROOM HOME Derry, Pa., Aug. 27.--That remarkable combination which Dr. S. S. Smith ran into, namely, being married on the "23rd' which came on Friday, is working very swiftly toward his undoing. Just run around to the First National Bank building, where his office is located, and see for yourself. Extending entirely across the front of the building a large banner has been placed. This banner, besides being ornamented with pictures of various sundry articles such as shoes, baby bottle, and other articles pertaining to the new state which Dr. Smith has just entered, contains the following nice legend: "Hully Gee, What a time -Sammy Smith and his blushing bride, coming about September 3d, Teeth pulled free." Besides this motto, and the pictures of the articles mentioned above, on each end of the banner is a picture of Maud who is to take a "leading part" in Dr.Smith's reception.
Besides this the glass portions of the two doors leading to Dr. Smith's office have been placarded with the following: On one side, "23 for me, upstairs is where I pulled and plugged to git de money to marry de girl," and on the other the picture of Maud with the motto "Watch for me September 4 or 5. I have been wilting, Doctor, waiting long for you." In addition on the doorknob is bunch of old shoes, surrounded by several mottos supplied by the "boys." The above mottoes and banner are the ebullition of members of the "Ornery Gang" which will have charge of the reception to be tendered to the Doctor on his return to town.
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Latrobe Bulletin, August 31, 1907
That remarkable banner which adorns the First National Bank building, and which contains a nice motto about Sammy Smith and his blushing bride, besides pictures of Maud, shoes, set of false teeth, a diaper, and other a useful and necessary articles for use by a newly married couple, is achieving fame throughout the country. A picture of the building, as decorated by the "Ornery Gang" has been taken and souvenir post-cards have been made by the thousands. These have been sent all over the country by scores of people, the person particularly referred to on the banner, namely, Dr. S. S. Smith, having been sent no less than 40 of the cards.
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Latrobe Bulletin, September 6, 1907
Photograph of Famous Banner. The Bulletin is in receipt of a souvenir postal bearing a picture of the office of Dr. S. S. Smith, of Derry, as it was decorated by the "Ornery Gang" in honor of his recent marriage. The picture brings out with great distinctness the elaborate efforts to which the gang went with brush and paint in order to let the world know that the Doctor had become a benedict. Some of the "Ornery Gang" appear in the picture, while in the foreground is a striking picture of the famous "Maud.”
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Latrobe Bulletin, September 11, 1907
SMITH GAVE "ORNERY GANG" THE SLIP But Further Developments May Be Expected Derry, Pa. Sept. 11, 1907. There were some remarkable doings on Chestnut street, Derry, last evening. It became noised about during the day that the "Ornery Gang" had selected last evening to give Dr. S. S. Smith his "reception," and as result people began to assemble about Chestnut street, early in the evening. One of the "gang" had been detailed to watch Dr. Smith, so that he would not get away. About seven o'clock members of the gang began to assemble in front of the First National Bank building, when it was discovered that Dr. Smith had given them the slip, and disappeared. Then began still hunt. Some of the gang were informed that he had been seen on the balcony above the post office, and a crowd went to look him up. Several men searched the various rooms in the Cullen block, but without success.
Then it became noised about that he had really escaped. Shortly after this searcher discovered his hat and coat in a room which had been carefully searched but a few minutes before. This stirred the gang up again, but further search did not succeed in locating the doctor.
About eight o'clock a lady attired in a faded white wrapper, red dotted waist, and brown sun bonnet, was seen to leave the Cullen building and go down Chestnut street toward the depot. Someone noticed that her walk was peculiar, and the cry went up "There he goes." Immediately scores of boys and men started after the "lady" who suddenly developed burst of speed and went flying down and around the rear of the depot. From there "she" rushed up the alley and onto First Avenue with scores of yelling men and boys at "her" heels. Up over the bridge went the procession, where "she" was caught by "Bill" Brown, and discovered to be the much-sought Dr. Smith. Amid cheers "she" was taken to the bank and preparations were made to start the fun. Just then it began to rain, and the streets already being muddy from the rain earlier in the day, it was decided to call off the fun until a later date. Announcement of this fact was made and "she," alias Dr. Smith, was released for the time being.
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Latrobe Bulletin, September 13, 1907
DERRY GROOM IS GIVEN RIDE IN AN AUTOMOBILE. Derry, Pa., Sept, 13, 1907.-Special.
Talk about your wedding receptions. Dilate on your big blow-outs. Derry had one last evening which has them all "beat to a frazzle." The reception administered to Dr. S. S. Smith by the "Ornery Gang" aided and skillfully abetted by hundreds of youngsters and many grown-ups, was a magnificent effort of the working out of this particular gang's predilection for welcoming newly married men.
After having started the thing by getting married on the "23rd" of the month, which happened to come on Friday, Dr. Smith returned from his wedding trip some days ago, and slipped off the rear car of Fast Line and up the alley to avoid the gang. But nothing was doing. Last Tuesday evening the gang decided to have the fun, the hour set being 8:00. Dr. Smith endeavored to give them the slip by dressing in a lady's outfit and walking down street. He was captured and everything was ready for the "reception" within five minutes after 8 o'clock, when the rain came up and put a stop to the fun.
Yesterday a few members of the "Ornery Gang" got together and decided to hold the public "reception"| last evening at 6:30. These few, who were of course the "orneriest" members of the "Ornery Gang," kept the thing quiet, but made all arrangements so that the "Mauds" and the, other machinery to be used in the reception could be made ready at a moment's notice. Then arrangements were made to get Dr. Smith. Yesterday he wrote to his wife that he had given the gang the slip Tuesday night and would do the same last night if they came around.
But alas for his hopes. He was standing a at the tennis court last evening about six o'clock, when one of the gang came by. This particular member had a large cowbell under his arm, wrapped in a newspaper. He engaged in casual conversation with Dr. Smith, and inquired if he were going downtown. The doctor said he was and the two started. On the way the doctor accidently bumped the cowbell, and inquiring what the noise meant, was told the package contained a package of shoes which were being taken to the shoemaker for repairs.
The two reached the First National bank building, were two other members of the gang were standing. The doctor, suspecting nothing, started up the stairs to his office. The two outside immediately stepped to the door, to make sure he did not get out that way. As soon as the doctor reached his office two other members of the gang, who had been concealed nearby, jumped out, and followed him into his office. Here they endeavored to adjust his uniform, which consisted of complete suit of "stripes," they being red, white and blue, running diagonally on the suit. The doctor demurred at putting on this hideous outfit, and the fat men of the gang, with another member, were called to help fix the doctor up. By a little gentle persuasion, aided by the four members of the gang, who had to throw the doctor on the floor, where the prize fat man calmly placed his huge avoirdupois on the prostrate man, and he was completely arrayed, with cute little white cap to finish the outfit. His legs were carefully and thoroughly tied together, his arms encircled by handcuffs, and he was then carefully carried down stairs by three members of the gang, and deposited on the sidewalk in front of the bank. An amusing feature of the capture of Dr. Smith was the fact that although he had made no dates for yesterday afternoon, expecting all the time that the "Ornery Gang" would descend on him, he arranged with patient to come for treatment of his molars at 6:15. When this time arrived the doctor was "arrayed" and handcuffed in his office. The patient went up, however, and inquired if the doctor was ready to fix his teeth. Of course the doctor was of necessity forced to decline to begin just then, and the patient said he would wait. When Dr. Smith was placed in the mulemobile, the patient called after him, "Hurry back doctor, I will wait."
Although the affair had been kept quiet, and but few knew of the "reception" until the doctor had been placed on the sidewalk, within minute hundred persons had assembled, anxious to view the "prisoner" and his outfit, During this time word had been sent around to hurry the necessary machinery for the reception. Within fifteen minutes the long member of the gang, disguised as an Irishman, with a ridiculous outfit, wig, etc., and supplied with that selfsame cowbell, which he inkled repeatedly during the parade, a tin horn, a revolver and a large megaphone, hove in sight around the corner of Chestnut street.
Closely following him came the "mulemobile," which was a marvelous conception of the gang. It consisted of part of a former spring icewagon, with newly built sides from drygoods and soap boxes, and a beautifully upholstered (with coffee sacks) seat for the guest of honor, This seat was in the front of the machine. Back of it was the seat of the chauffeur, with a large steering wheel, and a big lever conspicuously labeled "sparker." The front of the mulemobile was made of peach baskets, in imitation of an auto.
On the right side of the machine was the inscription "He auto no better. Tell doc." On the rear was inscribed, "What the hello Doc." On the left side, "Mulemobile, designed by the 'Ornery Gang.' Winner of the Glidden tour." The front contained two mottoes, "air cooler" and "to be used after this to carry the blank space being blotted out by practical Joker. On the front, lower down, was the inscription, "damfino," and the license plate, which read, "Derry, 1907, Matrimonial license 23." In the rear of the machine was pair of shafts, with another "Maud" hitched therein. The "clown" in high hat sat astride this Maud. Following this came the auxiliary engine wagon, which was a wagon containing a large cookstove, fired to its fullest capacity, the fire being kept going by a beautiful ebony colored "lady," who was another member of the gang. The motive power of the muleolobile was electricity, generated by a continual application, by a clown, of a stick to the exposed portion of Maud's anatomy. The auxiliary engine wagon was run close behind so that if the electric generator proved recreant to its trust that steam power could at once be applied. A third "Maud" was hitched to the rear of the auxiliary engine for emergency use also.
When the muleolobile stopped in front of the National bank building, Dr. Smith was assisted to the seat of honor. A member of the gang informed the doctor, in response to his repeated inquiry, that he (the member) would sit beside Dr. Smith during the ride. Just as he said this the doctor's "wife," who had arranged her toilet in the rear room of the National bank building, stepped from its door, and to the utter amazement of the doctor, who had supposed "her" miles away, took her place beside the doctor, and at once embraced him fervently, to the great amusement of the crowd.
On schedule time the clown applied the power, the chauffeur, who was the "stiff" member of the Ornery Gang, tooted his real automuleo born, and the procession moved. Hundreds of people almost blocked Chestnut street and most of them followed the procession around the square, and up Chestnut to Third avenue, out that and down over Second avenue to the gang's headquarters at the bank, where a stop was made, After a short wait at the door of B. I. Gontz & Co.'s store it suddenly opened, and he callithumpian band, consisting of bass drums and snare drums, played by celebrated "reception" musicians, stepped forth and took its place in front of the muleolobile.
After the first trip had been made around the square, the fat member of the gang and the conductor member decided that there was not sufficient noise. Therefore they made round of the stores and bought up the available supply of tin horns. These were distributed indiscriminately to the youngsters, who began at once to make the air hideous with noise, keeping it up as long as the parade lasted.
Again the procession moved, this time over the bridge and the principal North Side streets. As it was then about dark, red fire was lighted and the two colonels, who are members of the gang, each waved a stick, other members also having tubes of the fire.
If there's any place under the sun that gets more fun out of a wedding celebration than does the town of Derry, It hasn't been heard of as yet. Preachers and editors may dilate all they're a mind to upon the sacriligiousness and extreme nonsense of wedding celebrations, but they don't phase, the "Ornery Gang” of Derry, one whit. And apparently they don't bring about any change of mind among the residents of the neighboring town, regarding the doings of the gang. Everyone, apparently, turns out for the celebrations, and everyone appears to enjoy them, even the victims. Some of the old sober-sides will lift their hands in holy horror when they read about what was done to Dr. Smith, of Derry, last night, and hundreds will give expression to feelings of sympathy in his behalf. But their sympathy will be misplaced. "Sammy" Smith doesn't need it. The various celebrations attendant upon his wedding have been just like finding money so far as he's concerned. For he's a young dentist and the advertisement given him will more than compensate for that entire he's had to go through. This little bit of free advertising is being given him as additional balm for the bumps and bruises which he got during that automobile ride, last night.
