Fort Worth daily gazette. (Fort Worth, Tex.) 1882-1891, 1884-08-06

/ tlttttu TtVbIttir ohh
| w. Branch was elected supreme treas
urer TO succeed Robert j. Breckenridge.
The supreme lodge adjourned on
May q, and on the 29th of May George
VI McCready, member of the order,
filed o petition in the Louisville law
and equity court 10 eDjoin the removal
of these Offices from the state of Ken.
lucky, claiming that the knights oil
Honor were Kentucky corporation,
and under the laws of Kentucky could
not have its principal offices located
outside OF that state The court granted
n temporary injunction restraining the
removal Of the offices.
The supreme treasurer wishing 10
yield obedience to the law, desiring
nothing so much as the protection OF
the best interests Of the order, and
with the determination to do all in his
power TO preserve peace and harmony
within our ranks, concluded, after con-
sultatiou with the supreme dicta-
tor, and other members OF
the supreme lodge, to re-
move to Louisville and transact the
business of his Office at that place, at
least until special meeting of the
supreme lodge could be called. As soon
rs this fact became known. Charles a.
Harding, als- q member of the order.
filed a petition setting up the same
grounds and asking the same relief as
sought by McCready, and further
praying that j. w. Branch be re-
strained from entering upon the duties
of his office, alleging AS grounds there
for, that the laws of Kentucky, under
which the knights of Honor ale
incorporated, provide that corpora
| 1nx af
hold its regular meetings, elect It's
officers and have It's principal offices
! within her borders The petition al
legged that the supreme lodge having
held its Irregular meeting outside the
state of Kentucky in violation Of the
general statutes OF that slate, said
meeting was without authority OF the
law and the election OF its officers ille-
gal and void.
After several preliminary hearings
the court decided that the election Off.
w. Branch rs grand treasurer not hav-
ing been held in The state of Ken
lucky was illegal, and granted the In
junction rs asked for, restraining the
removal of the offices from Kentucky,
and eDjoinipg II j. Breckenridge from
paying over to said j. w. Branch, or
any other person, any moneys in his
hands belonging to the order, which
he had received as grand treasurer.
This Is the sum aud substance Of the
petitions and order of the court
| thereon.
| While these suits were progressing
in court, our supreme officers were not
idle. Our supreme dictator gathered
around him those whose national repu-
ta,ion for learning and legal ability
was such as he felt sure would be rec
ognized by each member of our order,
and whose counsel and advice could
be accepted and acted upon with safe
| ty. After thorough examination of
all laws bearing upon the subject they
conld easily foresee what would be the
final action of the Kentucky court on
Harding's petition. They realized the
fact that under that decision the order
was without any organization what
ever. No session of the supreme lodge
has ever been held in Kentucky.
No officers, Under that decision,
have been legally elected since
1874, and not one of those then
elected are now members of the
supreme lodge. Cognizant of all these
facts; realizing the almost crushing
weight of responsibility which rested
upon their shoulders; knowing that
our faith in the order was stronger
than our dependence on any legal
rights we might have, and feeling
assured of our abiding faith and con-
iidencc in their actions, they pro-
cecded to st. Louis and invoked the
protection of the strong and mighty
arm OF Missouri. Under the general
incorporation laws charter was APP
piled for and the same was granted
one day previous to the final decision
OF the Kentucky court. This charter,
my brothers, has been placed before
you; it is before this grand lodge for
Its immediate consideration.
AS soon rs was officially informed
OF the action of the supreme officers, /
was under the impression that there
existed an urgent necessity for special
meeting of the supreme lodge.
Section Of article of supreme
lodge constitution provides that spe-
cial meetings of the supreme lodge
shall be called by the supreme dicta.
tor upon the request of ten grand
lodges, duly attesIed by their grand
dictators and grand reporters.D Know
ing the utter impossibility OF strict
compliance with the letter of the con.
stltution, and believing that before the
kentucky court, on the equity side of
her docket, we would be granted all
our rights, addressed the following
telegram to our supreme dictator:
Frank ID; sloat, ESQ, supreme Dictator. *. |
OF H., New Haven, Conn: ~
uhutr the present emergency, which
threatens the inuudst on of our oruer. upon
your receipt OF the telegraphic request Of ten
ormore grand diets tors, win YOU ieeI anihnr'
,heu, unuer section OF article OF thesupreme
Indse constitution, TO call II special msetino
OF the supreme lodge In LouisyilIe <entnchvs
as early AZ possible.
r'eaSe answer a,n ey wire immediately
10 which received tns following r.n,v.
"a, NEW HAVEN, CONN. July I. lssi
'nhs; >. Morse, Esq, Grand Dictator * OF n
No, In my opinion the cmerrencv do.
n,s anuius Cali IN such manner is not at hand
oocy instruct ons from supreme LODGE ~
sui"i II special session becomes iniuera,,vs
VIII heartily cooperate.
FRANK ID. SIoAr,
ro,,.a. ,, Suprede Dictator
testct exceedingly the existence of ITHACA
tnai Us yet resi- secure In the knowledge
'net We are members OF an order yvhns..
~ ng anu continued existence has besn Tie |
numiihtion of the world; that IL liz based unn~
- lcunSation az urn as the ada mnnfsn. |
r"eh, ana all the efforts OF the Judas Isr.riot
agatnstit IL. va H"1 PfeNhii
nave IN my possess ON copies OF nj, c,,c,.
ia ss hnu letters that have been Issued In "a
'ss,i n 70 tbis controversy, which will he d.
lser.u 10 tue proper COMMIT lee ANN, nras 10
consider them. "Ppo'h'ea 10
lhere follows the circulars, etc.
issued by the grand dictator, hut for