Omaha daily bee., 1888-02-19
ECHOES FROM THE ANTE-ROOM
Items Of Interest to the Members Of
the Secret Orders.
VERY INTERESTING CASE
Masonic GOssip-DOings of the Odd
FelIows-The A. o. U. W.-SOns
OfSt. George-Pythian News
General Items of Interest.
An Interesting Case.

Garfield Lodge No. 72, X. Of p, of Cal
ifornia, has been suspended for period of
six months by the grand chancellor of that
state.
The cause Of the suspension is an interest
ing subject for discussion in secret society
circles. A man by the name of Kernaghan,
member of Garfield lodge was tried and
convicted for the murder of his sisterin-law
in the fall Of 1886. On September %, 1887,
Kernaghan was hanged at San Francisco.
For several years Kernaghan had been a
member of Garfield lodge. AS soon as he
was convicted of the murder his lodge sus-
pended him for period Of ninety-nine
years in accordance with the laws Of the
order.
Before the day of his exc cution Kernaghan
expressed desire 10 confer with the officers
of Garfield lodge. One of these complied
with the request, and visited the condemned
man in his cell the day previous to the execu-
tion.
Kernaghan, who was a man of lsome abil-
ity, had invented an instantaneous brake for
railroad cars. To the representative of Gar
field lodge he expressed his desire to be-
Queath the letters patent to his device to the
lodge. At the same time he made the re-
quest that the lodge take charge of his re-
mains in order to save them from the dissect-
The same evening Garfield lodge held a
meeting and the matter was laid before the
members. The condemned mans request
was granted by unanimous vote OF the
lodge.
After the execution and inquest commit
tee from Garfield lodge received the remains
and they were conveyed to the Masonic cem-
etery and placed in vault. On the follow
ing day the interment took place in the pres
ence of the committee representing Garfield
lodge.
The action of the lodge in taking charge Of
the remains of the condemned man called
forth considerable comment from the Califor-
mia knights, the grand chancellor of CalifOr-
MIA wrote the g. g. of Garfield lodge for the
particulars and the result was the suspen-
sion of the lodge for period of six months
for violating the rules and principles OF the
order.
During the period of the suspension the
lodge is virtually out of existence, and no
benefit can be derived by the members. Gar
| field lodge has membership of nnety-eight,
| and all the members will lose the sick bene-
| fits of 80 per week, or a donation of 500 in
| case Of death during the period of six months.
! The members are not allowed to join any
| other lodge of the order, and are consequently
| deprived of their benefits.
The members Of the suspended lodge claim
| the action of the grand chancellor was en-
| tirely too severe. They claim that by acced-
| ing to dying mans request they simply full
| filled the principles OF friendship, charity
| and benevoence, while from the fact that
no service of the order was performed at the
| grave, they had not violated any express law
of the association.
| The case is especially interesting in that il
has raised a question which without doubt is
| open to discussion.
| A BEE representative called upon leading
| member of the order in Omaha and requested
| his views upon the matter. "There is nc
| doubt" said he, "that you will find conflict
! ing views upon this subject among the best
| of Pythan lawyers. II Garfield lodge had
accorded a condemned man a burial under
| the forms and ceremonies of the order as
prescribed by ritual, there could be no differ
ence of opinion on the question of their error
| They would undoubtedly merit the most Sc
| we're punishment. But the action Of Garfield
lodge was, as l understand it, TO simply com
! ply with the last request of the condemnoC
| man by appointing a committee TO receive hi.
| remains and inter them. Then, too thei
| lodge accepted the beauest Of an invention
from the proceeds OF which 1t was TO defray