Los Angeles daily herald., 1886-07-30

Merrill Lodge secedes Prom the
state Organfxation.

| AID announces little Engagement II
| the famous and somewhat unsayorJ
Merrill Lodge, Good Templars. Tn
people who compose this Lodge have fo
several years past brought themselve
before the public in an unfavorable ligh
by reason of their unseemly rows. I'm
fortunately the Lodge became possessed
Of small amount OF real estate, ant
some personal property. The sum tota
Of the property was not large, but wa
enough to arouse the cupidity Of som'
members, and a struggle has been COINS
on as to which party viii get of will
the property.
From the statement below 1t will be
seen that Katzenstein, who is q jovia
looking German and who bears the APP
pearance OF drinking all Of the beer
in the country, has been drawing
a salary which is almost princely. Mer.
rill Lodge, or a majority OF it, objected
to this, and passed the following resolu.
tions:
On Monday evening, July 26th, there
was full attendance at the meeting OF
Merrill iodge of Good Templars. The
roster OF officers that served during the
past quarter were reelected nearly or
quite unanimously in every instance,
after which the appended resolutions
were regularly passed and the Lodge
amended It's constitution and bylaws in
conformity with its corporate powers
and the new state of affairs. A copy OF
the preamble and resolutions were or
dered TO be furnished by the Secretary
to the Censor, California Voice and the
Rescue.
WHEREAS, Merrill Lodge, No. 300,
/. 0. G.. T., for many years has been the
"bannerp Lodge in California, and has
paid more than $1,000 Grand Lodge
tax, and has contributed literally to all
Grand Lodge enterprises, and has ex.
pended much larger amounts for the ad-
vancement of the cause OF temperance
in Los Angeles county, and had, with
great effort, accumulated nearly
SO, 900 toward the establish
ment of temperance headquarters
in Southern California, and had
plar Lodge in America; was the first
Lodge in this portion of the State, and
has always had Prohibition for its watch.
word, and has taken advanced ground
on every phase of the temperance reform
and has organized and maintained the
best Band Of Hope ON this coast; has had
among its membership the most worthy
people in the community; has always
given its influence and granted the use
of its hall aud property to promote every
good and benevolent purpose; and,
WHEREAS, This Lodge has been as
sailed because of its good works. and is
now compelled to change its plans and
the good of the cause of temperance de-
mands that it make public declaration
as follows;
This Lodge condemns the Infamous
proceedings of the last Grand Lodge;
the use of free tickets to bring dele
gates TO the Grand Lodge, pledged to
do what was done; the continuing in
absolute power of ring of ''fraternal"
politicians; the absorbing of the
funds of the Order in exorbitant
salaries; the wasteful management of the
Home for Orphans; the seizure and de-
struction of the Rescue, when it had a
weekly circulation of nearly 5000 cop.
les; the seizure of every means of COM
munication in the Order by the Grand
Secretary; the attempt to put out the
light and silence forever the best and
noblest friends the Order ever had in
this State; the employment of incompe-
tent and i'm moral Grand Lecturers; the
sham organization of the children;
the counting in as officers of the
Grand Lodge, persons who were never
elected; the payment of $4,000 year
salary to Geo. B. Katzenstein for servi
ces which Gf faithfully rendered) are
not worth more than 500 month-be-
sides office rent, office expenses and an
nual leave of absence to 60 East, with
his expenses paid in the sum OF more
than $3.50 per year-all this while CIV
ing large portion of his time to other
fraternal societies and business; the per-
quisites from sale of Lodge seals OF 50
and more, that can be bought in the
open market for 81 so or less; the sale
oil regalia at more than so per cent.
above dealers prices; the payment of
more than $1,000 annually for grand
lodge printing; the casting of more
than 100 illegal votes by officers and
deputies at each grand lodge session. and
the continuing of ling power by reason
of such illegal voting; the arrest OF
charters aud destruction Of lodge:
ror protesting against outrage and
wrong; the decision of appeals by Off
GERS to whom no appeal had been madei
the continuous assault upon faithful
officers and members who refuse to be
parties to these wrongs, and the continu.
ance of policy that has driven out OF
| the order in this State during the past
three years more than twice as many
members as now remain in ii; therefore,
Resolred, That Merrill Lodge, having
donated more than $4,000 worth o.
property to the Woman's Christian TEN.
perance Union of Southern California,
and transferred to them its Band OF
Hope, and having put its house in order,
now refuses to longer loan its good name
or to contribute of its funds to the sup.
port OF an Order whose management in
| this State has fallen so low that it has
become unjust, immoral and an impedi'
ment to the cause OF temperance; there.
| q
dollar to the support of Geo. B. katzen-
stein.
Thus. Merrill Lodge now follows the
example of the other Lodges in this
county at Pomona. Compton, Orange,
| I'll Monte, Alhambra, Newhall, East Los
| Angeles, Westminster and Dowuey, and
nearly all of the Lodges in Southern
| California, and recommends that al
| other lodges do likewise, and organize
for Temperance work in some society
which is not controlled by men allied
with the enemies of our cause and en-
gagged in war with temperance worker
A. N. Ellsworth and several Other
members of the Lodge determined to
stand by the old flag and dissented from
the above resolutions. Ellsworth, it is
charged, proceeded to the lodge room
on last Wednesday evening, took pos
session of the furniture, regalias, seal,
chair of state etc, and lugged them of.
The Lodge yesterday brought suit to re-
cover the property. Ellsworth was also
arrested on a charge of misdemeanor
and arraigned in Justice Ranneys court
yesterday. His case was set for next
Monday. lie makes the following state
ment:
cat the me, ting of Merrill Lodge |.
o. G., T., on Monday evening, Goth inst,
twenty-one members being present, the
resolutions, since published in the Cen.
sor, were adopted, fourteen members
voting for their adoption. The action
of the Lodge being a violation OF the
Constitution and rules OF the Order, ON
the 27th charges were preferred against
the Lodge, and the G. G. I. being in the
city suspended the charter and appointed
me a Special Deputy G C. T. to take
possession of and hold all property of Il e
Lodge until further orders, which have
done. There are enough loyal members
to hold the charter, and the Lodge will
be continued until after the Grand Lodge
has decided upon the matters contained
in the charges. The legal questions will
be decided by the courts