Large photo from 1898 with bigwigs

Between the black cat, the eerie reflections from the glass, and the missing feet/legs, methinks the best title for this photo of a photo is "Ghosts of Yalies Past"!

 

I can see some shiny shoes at the bottom just left of the dog, the others are just hidden behind the chairs.

 

I can't see the text in this link well enough to determine if the organization mentioned is relevant or not. The Litchfield club was only in existence for about 10 years, but they spent a ton of money on it. I have a sugar bowl from the club that I inherited from a relative who knew some of the gentlemen in your photo, so I wonder......................I do know that a bunch of Yalies were involved.

http://www.archive.org/stream/litchfieldcount00cartgoog/litchfieldcount00cartgoog_djvu.txt


If it is not relevant, please wait until tomorrow to beat me up - today is one of those hot, humid Chicago days and this body corset is killing me........all sticky and cramped and pinched, and cranky and wondering how the hell Scarlet O'Hara wore one in the wilds of Georgia, all day & every day.................................on the bright side, it takes 8" off my waist...............

 

I'm going to toss in something that is related but not related. That is a very good photograph. Not so much from an artistic standpoint, but just the quality of it. The blacks are stunning. Top notch processing. I really like it.

As I was looking at it, I noticed that "Mr. Julian Curtis" looks a lot like Nick Offerman (Ron Swanson) from "Parks & Recreation"

 

And now looking at it again, The blacks are improved by your (and the cat's) reflection. I still stand by my original thought, and that it is a great photo.

 

Ron!

Well, I have found a Henry A James, Yale Class of 1874, so this may be the same guy. Took a bit of doing, but I finally checked The Social Register.

 

That's him all right!

 

And he was a member of Skull and Bones (or did you know that already?)

 

Then, I'm glad I mentioned it.

 

I keep coming back to boating as the reason for this particular gathering. Searching the words "the Fleeing Squadron" gave me endless links to uses of the phrase in books and articles about naval battles in which the vessels of one side fled those of the opponents. But on several occasions the fleeing squadron was able to turn and fight after gaining a better position against the foe. I just can't find a situation in which all of these men together were involved in something like that - politically, financially or otherwise.

It has to be some kind of "inside joke."

 

I had figured the same thing early on, sorry I didn't say. Especially in that there seemed to be nautical clues.
You are correct in that there were running naval engagements that may have been the source.
Though we didn't find a specific event who knows how far back they could be referencing. Inside joke indeed!
I even searched 'Windward' to see if that may have been an America's Cup entry but no.
I am curious to see if this will be resolved though!

 

"Windward" was the name of William Milo Barnum's estate in Mamaroneck, NY (where this picture was taken.) It was also given as his family address in The Social Register (1914.) Given the "yachting" of the upper classes on The Sound and off Newport, I would venture to guess that he might also have had one.

 

"I have never held any public office, as far as I can remember..."

 

BTW, I was doing a little snooping on "Thatcher" and found his passport application. He actually spelled his surname without the "t" in the middle - just as it also appears in the Skull and Bones list.