Wood County reporter. [volume] (Grand Rapids [i.e. Wisconsin Rapids], Wis.) 1857-1923, 1886-06-17
MARTYRS TO DISCIPLINE.
The Sad Fate of Nineteen Men Who Waited
for the Gavel to Fall.
Pittsburgh Chronicle Telegraph

Pittsburgh Chronicle Telegraph.
The crowd that gathered at the engine
house the other evening was supplemented
by newcomer, and a late acquisition to
the GoosetOwn population. He sat and
listened to the stories of the REGULARS"
some of which contained india-rubber
enough to make them almost waterproof,
at times apparently pleased with his new
acquaintance, 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 to in
dividuals 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 fellers of to-day don't
know nothin' bout discipline. [ can re-
member little instance that occurred up
in York state when [ was a boy. 1t was
long in '33 or "a; there was considerable
of furry in those parts regarding 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-F elbows had been or
ganized so secretly that the uninitated were
in perfect ignorance of its existence. They
had secured an unused attic over store
in an old building and converted it into &
bol ,+v oil Of
with one exception, formed the member
ship of the new lodge. The sessions were
generally held after the villagers had re-
tired to their slumbers. One August morn
ing the old stOre-keeper 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
p8raphernalia found with the body it was
regarded with suspicion. It 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 a century after the finding Of
the body on the street the old stOrerOOm
| was torn down to make room for a more
cOmmOdiOus structure. WOrkmen were
engaged in removing the roof when
they discovered a lot of skeletons. It
was at first thought the place had been US
! ed as dissecting room at one time, but
| investigation showed that every skeleton
was still standing erect, the clothing had
mOIdered 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. It was 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 new conner, as he spat out a huge
! quid of tobacco and started for home.
| The regulars are celebrating 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.