Springfield globe-republic. (Springfield, Ohio) 1884-1887, 1886-06-21
THE SONS OF MALTA.
A Gigantic Sell of the Most Ludicrous
Type-Outward SoIemnity.

Gigantic Sell of the Most Ludicrou,
Type-Outw SoIemnity.
When at its height the Sons of Malta
had lodges in every city of prominence
throughout the country, and numbered its
initiates by the thousands Its secrets
were exposed in 1864 by Frank Lesie's
Journal, and the order several years later
met an untimely death 1t was nothing
more nor less than gigantic sell, of the
most ludicruus and original type. Who
founded II is not known and the name OF
he.wag will probably remain forever un-
heralded while the work which he left be
hind will pass down into history a. the
most marvellous hoax of the nineteenth h
century. The ritual was from the pen of
George ID. Prentice. Its birth place is con
ceded to New Orleans Some ascribe its
origin to the tilibustering army of Gen.
Walker which in 1855 or thereabouts was
preparing raid upon the island Of Cuba
with a view to annexation. Others ascribe
its rise To the idea of some humanitarian
whose intention WAS to divert the mind
during the terrible RACES OF yellow fever III
the south and at the same time to raise
funds for the benefit of the epidemic suf-
ferers. Certain il is that large sums Of
money, enormously large sums, were eX
pended by the order each year for charity
and the amount of good the strange order
accomplished each year on that account
can not be Overestimated.
Charity and diversion We're undoubtedly
both the objects of the organization and
both were certainly accomplished. Il was
little fellow weighing only 40 pounds y
said a prominent citizen TO the writer not
many years ago, but laughed 50 much
during my membership, that | actually
grew fat and asCribe my good health, to
some degree at least, to the famous Sons
of Malta To the outsider there was
nothing in the order which verged upon
levity. All its public demonstrations
were of the most solemn sort. The mem
bers appeared in long black and white
gowns which the older citizens of Mans
field well remember On the front of the
white gowns was "A large cross in black
The crosses were Of the peculiar style
which every one knows as the Maltese
cross.
Over the head hood extended witt
nothing To make known the identity c.
the wearer save two holes for the eyts
around which were fringes of black on the
white gowns and white on the black ones
The public parades which were often
given always took place at night. The
procession marched slowly TO the solemn
music of the dead march. while eEierd
torches lighted the way. and the members
hummed to the music. The impression of
unusual sOlemnity was thus given out.
and not a single glimpse of the interior
workings was ever allowed to come to the
public notice The fun which the mem
bers got out of the order was i'll the iuitia-
tiOuS.
In fact the initiation was all there was
in the order and its workings. Ii was the
single and sole business OF the members.
The ceremony was complete with a series
of SELLS which must have taxed the
genius Of the inventor to the utmost The
outward sOlemnity was Kept up as far as
the candidate WAS able To judge from the
beginning to the end of the whole Ccre
mOny, but the candidate was met at every
turn with some iueNpliCable burlesque,
which half maddened and half frightened
him. Where he expected the most solemn
and impressive scenes he found only
farce. At last, when he had
reason to expect that finally he had come
% the stage in the proceedings where the
real ceremony of initiation was TO begin,
the scales were lifted from his eyes and
he was made to see himself as others saw
him-a very badly sold Mansfield
(O) News.