Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1890-12-25

An Onto Court euseains Claims Of
United States Jurisdicttou.

BucYRus, Ohio, Dec e4.-Withia few
days there has been q judicial decision in
the iorg pending Masonic controversy
uhi-h is = .uhstsu:i.l victory for the Su-
prsme Coupcal Of the Arcient and Accept
cd Scotti.h Rite for the United Ssates Of
America their territories and deps ndencies.
Of wh,ch Sheriff elect John J. German Of
New Work is Nest Puissan, Grand Com
msneer. This case 10 one of many that
have arisen throughout the State of Ohio
under similar circumstances. growing out
of the attempt of the GrArd Mater Of the
SrAte to dirersdir the ores snixs'ion of which
judge German 10 Grand Commander ard
to eypel its mt mbsr. from Off e and men,
ber-hip in State lodges. There has been
endless t"--' u inside he lodges. and many
suits .a4. sill settlement in which
the p in,s are substantially the came as in
this case.
This controversy is peculiar TO Ohio.
Everywhsrs el-e what 10 called sometimes
Cernesu Masonry, or the Ucited States
jurisdiction body. hy which is meant he
body over ~hch Justice German pres;tes,
is recrsnzsd a. legitimate ard beneficial TO
the order of Mas nry ia general. and Is rot
only NO, opposed, but is encouraged. But
in Chic il happens that the Grand Master
beloHgs To srothsr Scottish Rite body known
as the Northern jurisdiction body, ard ia
order to s;re gthen his organization
srd weskea th- other. he used his
offirisl poi ion in many WAYS, until
restrained by the c"ur,s to check the
gro~th of the rival Of United States body
II some cssss attempts were made to dis
franchise Masops in good .,andirg Ore
of the most potahl. Of the Ohio eases wac
,hst Of the m. bsrs Of Gootale Lodge of
Columbus who we've charged with nnma-
soNic conduct for the reason that they bad
b-ccme msmbers OF Judge Go'man's Sect
'i-h Ri e DIV. They got an injunction in
'he courts aeai-st the Grand Mater on the
Vrcupd that be had exercised undue suth,r-
ity and persecution. and thus oppressed and
injnr. Them as Masons.
little over year ago referee wss
occupi d about two weeks in New York
city tski,g 'e,t mony on the mst'ers in
dsrute. Msnv win sses were sx mined
AMI the investigation covered an exhaustive
hi.tory Of the orig,n of Scotch Rite Ma
soory in the United States Judge Cor
msn'- council clsim' d an unbroken decent
fir III 1907 TO the present time. except dur
inv he desertion of the Robinson party in
1866 and all ged conse lidation with other
Masonic bodies. which consolidation, it
was aleged, vas unlawful and void.
All the testimony was forwarded I, Ohio.
and is now on file in the Columbus Court,
and is by stipulston to be used in the case
of Percy B Davis a minister of the Gospt |
and M mber of Mad son, Ohio, Lodge No
22l, who was threatened wi h explosion be-
csu lie he vas member of a Cernesu Scot
tish Rte Body
The decision just rendered by the Bucy-
rus Court is in case g-owing out Of cir
cums'arces precis.lv Ike those at Columbus
which are .,ili in litigation. The Bucyrus
Court srstsiu. al the clsius of the Supreme
Council of the United States of America
their territories and dependencies of which
Judge John J German is Grand Commsnd
er, and overrnles the demurrer Of the North
ern Jur s1iction rite. 1t 10 a decision which
seems litel> to settle the long peuding con-
troversy, and TO bring the Ohio Masons in
to ,be same category with The Mssons of
other Sat Who do not assume to decide
,he vexsioue Scottish Rte coniroversy, but
Permit their membets to join whichever BODY
they please. so long as they perform their
duties as Msfoes in their respe ctive lodges.
The practical eff. C, of the Bucyrus deci
sion will be to stop the quarrels of Masons
in Ohin and thus strengthen the order In
that State. The decision is ore that viii
he interest stng to all members of secret co.
cieiies, because it sus'ains the claim tba.
members of one soriety who are rot mem
bers of another cannot carry their quarrels
into foreign organization and attempt to
disrupt it and deprive members of valuable
rights and privileges by a conspiracy for
no legal cause.