Public ledger. [volume] (Memphis, Tenn.) 1865-1893, 1879-06-03
NINETY
How the Leading MasOns Of Toledo were
Taken In and Done For.

Toledo Bee.l
Wednesday of last week a gentle.
man of pleasing address, polished ex-
terror, aud captivating as a converse.
tionalist, registered at the Boody
House under the name of G. G. Burt
hailing from jackson, Mich. Will
him was associated a gentleman who
passed by the name of Streight. Mr.,
Burt was assigned to room No. 1877.
1t was not long till this gentleman
of pleasing address ingratiated him.
sell in the good graces of quite d
number of leading spirits Of the Ma.
sonic fraternity, and to whom he pro
duced what were deemed good and
honest vouchers that The was empow
cred with due and lawful authority tC
confer the Egyptian Masonic Rite oil
Memphis, or ninety degrees in Ma
sOnry. His Endorsement, as his papers
showed, came from no less a parsonage
than V. l.. Herbert, grand commander
of the United States Knights Tempar
and others. The ninety degrees were
to be impaired for the insignificant
stipend Of $40, and all to be conferred
in thirty minutes by the watch.
Such a rare opportunity of obtain
ing so high a grade in Masonry was
not to be ignored or passed lightly by
and then, too, for the small sum Of
eleven and one-ninth cents a degree.
This was q big consideration in these
times of monetary stringency. The
thing was talked up, and twenty-three
of the faithful brethren Of the mystic
tie-some of them who have been
honored with the highest positions in
the order in the State-agreed to be
initiated in the sublime ninety-degree
rite, and accordingly paid their SO
each in solemn conclaye assembled in
room 137 of the Body, where the
obligation of the degree was most
sOlemEly administered. In appending
their signatures to the paper they
were required to acknowledge him.
the said Z. &. Burt, as grand master
for life.
The money-$230-was all paid and
the obligation taken, and what yet
remained, and still remains, was the
comforting Of the degrees. The suave
gentleman, with the blaadest smile,
fixed Monday os the day for comforting
the degrees and installing the officers,
as he should be compelled to return
to Jackson at once on account Of
sickness in his family. lie left the
city last Saturday, and was to return
on Monday without fail. His family
is probably very sick, for he has not
put in an appearance yet, aud the
select twenty three" are still watch
ing and waiting, with their degrees
Encountered and their officers unin-
stalled.
Since the amiable gentleman's de-
parture, circumstances have developed
some strong suspicious that the
twclty-three have been the victims Of
a %stupendous sell. The name of the
grand commander Of the United
States, X. T., is not V. i. Herbert.
His initials are N. v. This, VIC be-
lieve, was told Mr.. Burt, but he
passed the matter over by saying that
he was known as Vincent Lombard
the name of his wife. Letters have
been received also from several
sources-anOng them from Michigan
Indiana and lllinois-saying that il,
has played a similar game elsewhere
md warning friends against th,
'windle.
A letter has also been received from
grand commander N. V. Herbert, il
which he denies that he has ever in
iorsed Mr.. Burt, or that he has ha,
lnything to do with the gentleman
denouucing him as an impostor
Two for five or nine for n dollar
will not soon be forgotten in the Ma
sonic circles Of The Future Great.