St. Paul daily globe. [volume] (Saint Paul, Minn.) 1884-1896, 1889-12-01
Some Truthful Statements
Relative to the Local
Branches.
The Real Source Of the Tup-
moil Among Individual
Members.
The Order Proper Is Without
a B-emish and Stands
Well,
Having Met Every o litigation
Ever Contracted For in an
Upright Manner.


readers facts relative to the Order of
the Iron Hall, we dispatched our repre-
sentative to interview Thomas Scorah,
deputy supreme justice, an officer of
the order, and gentleman thoroughly
familiar with its affairs. He said:
"Yes, Ross had the position of account
ant of Branch 1872 for over year, and
made good accountant, but wanted to
run everything his own way. The
first trouble we had with him was
he wanted to organize a ladies'
branch, and he wrote to headquarters
for permission to do so, and they sent
me his letter. as was the proper official
to organize branch. told him would
institute the new branch, as l had sew
eral names. Then he began his petty
spite. He eXertea himself to discOur-
age every one he heard of that was
likely to join, and circulated such
reports. But, IN spite of his efforts.
l organized a good branch Oct.
9. 1887, and he has done every
thing in his power to lnJure
that branch since its inception. Several
members demonstrated with him for his
conduct. but with poor success lie
sent in his name to the ladies' branch 10
become social member, but he was
unanimously blackballed- Then he gave
vent to his feelings of spite for all ne
was worth. He kept his own branch in
constant turmoil until it's best and
ablest members become disguised and
would not attend the meetings. Ross
had his own followers, and they
supported him in everything he endeav-
Ored to plish-even so far as TO
elect suspended members to office anu
install them. when they knew that my
self or Past G. J. was the only one ell
bowed with such power. His object was
to obtain possession of the reserve fund,
but l attended the next meeting. and,
at the proper time, deposed the newly
elected officers, of whom StockhOWe was
one. They began to Kick and Ross was
deposed from Office, July 18th, 1SSS. Pre-
viOus to the vote of Ross removal, he adj
dressed the Branch, stating that the
Orcer of the l. H., was the best lnstitu-
ton in the country, and every member
should 90 to work and bring In recruits,
as they never need be ashamed OF the
Order, for it was able to fill every prom
Use. But the members were disguised,
and he was requested to resign. He
would not, saying he had sufficient
friends to keep him in office as long as
he wanted to remain. Then motion
was made to depose him, and was car
ried. Note his sudden Grange OF opln-
ion. A few days after he went and
swOre that the order was doing an IN
surance business. and only meet
ing for 'blind." Yes, that
was the time he got Stockhowe
and several of the suspended members
TO sue for their money that they had
paid in assessments and got out an III
junction on our reserve fund, but one
of his own friends gave away what he
was going to do, so the trustees drew
all the reserve we had and sent it away.
As soon as he discovered that he was
foiled he became quite angry. lie issued
a circular calling the Order a
gigantic swindle and casting grave
reflections upon its officers. For
this he was expelled from the
order. He states that If he was ex-
PEELED he did not know it. That IS
false, for he came to our meeting. and
was put out of the room; and. as he was
going out of the door, the dust was
Knocked off the seat of his pants
by a shoe with a foot In 1t. On
Aug. 9, 'SS. 1 was served with
warrant to appear in the district court,
September term, but they applied to
amend, and kept the case under one
pretext or another until October. 1889.
when it was heard before Hon. Judge
Kerr, and after three days and half it
was dismissed by the court. The de-
Tense was not called upon for any evil
dence, the prosecution cOnvicting them
selves by their own testimony. Ross,
hearing that f. d. Somerby, the SUI
preme justice of the order, was coming
to this state, and was invited to
he present at the meetlng-for
social as we'll as the lnstruc-
ton of its members-he applied to the
supreme court for permission to take
out a QUO warrantO to show cause why
we should do business in this state. A
demurrer was made by our attorneys, j.
d. O'Brien and Hon. E. II. MOrphy, the
briefs being placed in the supreme
court, and on Nov. 20 the court decided
in our favor and dismissed the case.
Oh, yes, he has questioned the honesty
of our supreme justice. although he
admits he has no proofs to cor
robOrate his statements. l have
personally known the supreme justice
for years, and have yet to hear the
first lntimation of anything OF dishon-
est nature about him. His word Is his
bond. and every promise he has made
the Order has been religlously held.
Yes, it is true that his salary is now
W.
nal members as much as when he
worked for the Order for 5000 per year.
Our per capita tax is just the same. but
to-day we have $4,000 members. so
MANY that it is easier to pay $4,000
now than it was $500 in I'VE Olden
DAYS." The Order has paid near $1,000
600 and has a reserve fund of some
$500. 900 with no Indebtedness at all;
every claim having been paid that was
properly presented according to the
laws"
sHave You ever had any other trouble
with members"
"Yes. we have another case. that of
Bomash: another of Ross friends, who
allowed himself to be suspended in
June, 'SS. and died December. 'SS. not
having paid an assessment during that |
time. Then Ross persuaded the widow |
to sue for the amount of $500. Yes, we
have four branches in this city, all of
them steadily growing. We have nearly
1000 branches throughout the country,
and the Order is steadily increasing.
The Order is purely benevolent and
fraternal institution. No, SIT, this
Order does not wish TO violate any laws
of any state, but ks only. the same
privilege as any other order. The
trouble throughout the whole order is
caused by depoSed officers and expelled
members, who have taken every con-
ceivable means to injure the Order, but
failed. and the Order stands, socially.
morally and financially, better to-day
than ever"