The Shot Glass

The Emperor's Shot Glass

In 1845, Caleb Cushing, who was an American political leader, traveled to the mysterious kingdom of China where he met with the Emperor for diplomatic and trade relations. Caleb Cushing had a close associate who was also an American political leader in West Virginia. The associate was known as Ephriam Bee. When Caleb spoke to the Emperor of China, he mentioned great things about Ephriam Bee. The Emperor was so impressed with the life of Ephriam; he told Caleb he was going to give Ephriam a commission authorizing him to extend the work and influence of the ancient and honorable order of the E Clampus Vitus. The Emperor summoned several servants who arrived with a golden stretcher. The servants lowered the stretcher at the feet of the Emperor and Caleb. On the stretcher laid a small wooden box.

The Emperor leaned down and carefully picked up the box, gently opening it. In the box was a beautifully detailed shot glass. The Emperor held up the shot glass and told Caleb that this glass was passed down in his royal family from generation to generation. Once a man from the royal family is chosen as the Emperor of China, the shot glass was used in a traditional toast acknowledging him as the Emperor. The Emperor went on to tell Caleb the commission he was giving to his friend Ephriam was of extreme importance. Important enough to give the shot glass over to Caleb to pass down to Ephriam. The Emperor then filled the glass with his finest whiskey and drank from it. The Emperor filled the glass once more and handed it to Caleb. In honor, Caleb consumed the fine whiskey from the crystal glass. The Emperor placed the glass carefully back into the box and told Caleb the next person to drink from this glass had to be Ephriam in order to honor the word and commission of the E Clampus Vitus.

On his trip back, Caleb guarded the shot glass with his life. Many people inquired as to what was in the box, but Caleb did not speak a word. When he returned, he explained to Ephriam in detail what had transpired while he was in China. After hearing this, Ephriam stood up proudly and told Caleb he would not dishonor the Emperor of China or his new commission of the ancient and honorable E Clampus Vitus. In honor, Ephriam then drank his finest whiskey from this glass with pride.

As the years passed, the E Clampus Vitus grew larger and larger. Ephriam proudly displayed the shot glass to his Clamper brothers. Several of the brothers with the E Clampus Vitus toasted with this glass for great accomplishments and celebrations. As Ephriam Bee grew older, He became close friends with a brother Clamper known as Joe Zumwalt. Eventually, Joe Zumwalt had plans on bringing the ancient and honorable order of the E Clampus Vitus commission to the State of California. Ephriam Bee gave Joe the symbolic glass to take with him to California. Joe then headed to California with his good friend and brother Clamper W. C. Wright on horseback.

On their journey to California they stopped in many taverns along the way. While they were in the taverns, Joe would proudly display and tell the story of his symbolic shot glass. During the travels, one man gave specific attention to the glass. This thief, now known as Nicholas Thiebalt waited for an opportunity to take the glass away from Joe. One night, while in a tavern, after proudly displaying the glass, Joe placed it on the bar and looked away, losing sight of the glass. Thiebalt seized this opportunity and he took the glass, quietly slipping away into the night. When Joe turned and noticed the glass missing, he searched the tavern and its patrons for the glass, but nothing was found. He then summoned assistance from the local sheriff Henry Plummer. After Joe explained to Plummer the story of the glass, and what it looked like, Plummer organized a search party to find the thief and the shot glass. While Plummer was on the road, he found the lone cowboy, Thiebalt, riding on the outskirts of town. When Plummer inquired of Thiebalt where he was going, Thiebalt attempted to flee. Plummer drew out his gun and shot Thiebalt dead. Plummer found the shot glass on Thiebalt and left his body lying on the side of the road. The following day, Plummer told Joe the thief and the glass were never found. Joe felt the glass was lost forever and determined it would never be found.

A few years later, it was determined that Henry Plummer was a crooked, murderous sheriff and was eventually strung up by his citizens in 1864. Several years later, Henry Plummer’s son, Joseph Bryan Plummer, became an owner of a local tavern. While he was going through his father’s belongings, he found the beautiful shot glass. J. B. Plummer took the shot glass and displayed it in his bar for many years. As the years passed, an elder W. C. Wright came into the tavern to have a drink. As he was enjoying his drink, he looked up and noticed the familiar looking shot glass. Wright inquired to Plummer about the shot glass. Plummer explained to Wright he had found it in his deceased father’s belongings. Wright then put two and two together and realized it was the stolen shot glass. Wright explained to Plummer the true history of the glass. Without hesitation, Plummer gave the shot glass back to Wright and it was now back in the hands of the ancient and honorable E Clampus Vitus.

Since Joe Zumwalt had long since passed away, Wright took the glass and hid it within his ranch home and did not brag about it to any outsiders. The only time the glass was shown was to trustworthy, good-standing brethren of the E Clampus Vitus. Once Wright passed away, the shot glass was passed down to his son, Jacob Wright, who was an avid cowboy and Clamper, living on the ranch where he was raised. During his time as a cowboy, a great invention was made, the motorcycle. Jacob loved this invention and felt the motorcycle was not as temperamental as his horses. Jacob eventually purchased several motorcycles for himself and his ranch hands for errands on the ranch. Jacob called his crew the “Longrider Cowboys.” Eventually, Jacob had a daughter by the name of Gladys Wright. Once Jacob passed away, the glass was handed down to Gladys who proudly displayed it on her cupboard for many years.

When she became old, she happened to be browsing through the internet for Clamper websites. She happened upon a “Longrider Cowboys Motorcycle Club” website. With great interest, she looked it up and learned all about the new “Longrider Cowboys.” With great eagerness, she contacted the Clamper club and told them the story of the shot glass. She explained the glass needed to get back into the hands of the E Clampus Vitus. Gladys proudly gave the glass back to the Longrider Cowboys where it is now being used for traditional toasts to all new members of the Longrider Cowboys Motorcycle club.

AND SO RECORDED!

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