Mineral Point tribune. (Mineral Point, Wis.) 1869-1938, 1886-06-17
MARTYRS no nIScIpLINE.l
The sad Fate OF Nineteen Men Who Waited
for the Gayel 10 Fall
Pittsburgh Chronicle-TeIegraph

AittSbutEu NAItuiCtr1 Telegraph
The crowd that gathered at the engine
house the other evening was supplemented
by newcomer, and a late acquisition TO
the Goosetovn population. He sat and
listened TO the stories of the regulars. a"
some of which contained india-rubber
enough to make them almost waterproof
at times apparently pleased with his new
ecquaintances, while again his countenance
wore puzzled expression. The converse
ton turned upon the nailers' strike, and
one of the visitors remarked: THE strik-
ers are under excellent discipline; they
have been out nine months, and not one
has deserted the organization, although
rare inducements have been offered 90 in
diyiduals TO accept situations"
The conversation was carried on in the
same strain for perhaps ten or fifteen min
utes. the new conner having remained
quiet, apparently wondering how the FIRE
men climed the brass pole to the bedcham-
Der above, when he said:
Gentlemen, you felers OF to-day don't
know nothin' bout discipline. | can re-
member little instance that occurred up
in York state when l was boy. It was
long in '33 or "a; there was considerable
OF furry in those parts "egarding the
purposes of secret societies. and it wasn't
always policy for a member TO apprise the
public of his connection with the Freemas-
ons or Odd-FellOws, but the fact didn't
seem TO keep either order from increasing
and lodge of Odd-Fellows had been or
gained SO secretly that the uninitated were
in perfect ignorance its existence They
had secured an unused attic over store
IN ~ n ts,l
hail. Twenty men all heads of families
with one exception. formed the member
ship of the new lodge. The sessions were
generally held after the villagers had re
tired so their slumbers. One August morn
ing the old storekeeper opened the front
door to find the body of a man who was
well known, stretched upon the pavement
A regalia of some kind was laying beside
him. An examination showed that his neck
was broken, but as there was no person in
the place that knew the meaning of the
paraphernalia found with the body ii was
regarded with suspicion. 1t was noticed
that nineteen men of the village did not
appear at the funeral, nor did they ever
return. They were mourned for years by as
many widows, and finally referred to only
by the Oldest residents, who lived IN the
hope of one day seeing the mystery solved.
A quarter of century after the finding of
the body ON the street the old storeroom
was torn down to make room Tor a more
commodious structure. Workmen were
engaged in removing the roof when
they discovered a lot of skeletons. 1t
was at first thought the place had been us
ed as a dissecting at one time, but
investigation showed that every skeleton
was still standing erect. the clothing had
moldered away, and the flesh been devour-
ed by worms, nothing apparently remain
ing TO explain the circumstance until a
book of the proceedings of the lodge was
found lying ON the box. ltwas plain enough
then; the lodge was about to close when
the presiding officer had accidentally fall
en- backward through the open window in
the gable it was he that had been found
on the pavement years before: the nine
teen grinning skeletons represented the
members still waiting for the gavel to fall,
not having noticed the accident. They
were martyrs to discipline, gentlemen
said the newcomer. as he spat out a huge
quid of tobacco and started for home.
The regulars are diliberating as to the
wisdom of allowing the aged liar to be
come one OF their number. with the chanc
es about even In his favor.