Omaha daily bee., 1891-12-13
ECHOES FROM THE ANTE ROOM
Movements of the Secret Societies of Omaha
for a Week.
ORIGIN OF THE MYSTIC SHRlNERS.
The Late VIM. }. Florence, the Actor.
Was the Leader in Forming
This Offshoot OF Masonic
Good Fellowship.
ORIGIN OF THE MYSTIC SHRlNERs.

Next year Omaha will be the Mecca to
which the mobiles OF the Mystic Shrine from
every state in the union will make a pilgrim
age. Mem bers Of Tangiers Temple are
already planning for the proper entertain
ment of the pilgrims.
The Order of the Mystic Shrine, which is
a near neighbor to Free Masonry, comprises
many thousands of members in the United
States, and "a very small percentage of those
members are aware that branch was started
as a joke many years ago, the perpetrator
of the joke being the late William
j. Florence. The Joke did not orig
mate with Florence, but rather
with DR.. Walter Flemmlng of New York, Il
well known prince of good fellows, and a
high degree Mason, but IL was Florence VINO
engineered the affair TIC a successful conclu-
sion. An idea of tho success of the hoax can
be had from the fact that the Lulu Temple
of New York is one of the branches of The
parent organization. There are temples
nearly as great as the Lulu in nearly every
large city, not only in this country, but in
Great Britain, and all owe their existence to
the love of a joke had by Billy Florence, DR..
Fiemming and the rest of that pioneer band
in the organization OF the Mystic Shrine.
One night early in 1870 u small party OF
Mnsons were gathered at the house of DR..
Flemming, in New York. The conversation
turned upon the organization OF Indifferent Sc
cret societies and DR.. tlemming proposed that
those present form an adjunct of some KIND
or other TO the Masonic order. All hands
took a hearty interest in the matter from the
start, but it was not long before the matter
had assumed a practical shape. just about
that time the khedive of Egypt was creating
a great furOre in Paris. He was the guest OF
Emperor Napoleon and the splendor OF their
entertainments was the talk Of the civilized
world. Actor Florence was in Paris at that
time and in a long letter to his friend, Lr.
Flemming, described an imaginary meeting,
at which Napoleon, tho khedlve and Actor
Florence took part. In winding up his
letter Mr.. Florence declared that tho
khedive was almost good enough TO belong to
the Masons,
Immediately il occurred to DR., Flemmiug
and his friends that it would be Il good idea
10 spread the report broadcast that tho
khedIve had met Billy Florence, the well
known actor. II. Paris, ana had become so
favorablv impressed with the witty American
that he had conferred upon him the degree
of tho Mystic Shrine, to which only
members OF the uaiiorm rank could
aspire. He had also, according TO report
empowered Mr.. Florence 10 come back T.
America, establish lodges of the Mysit
Shrine and confer the degree. This report
surprised Actor Florence very much when he
returned to his own country, put he readily
fell into the scheme, ana in TINS manner
the Mystic Shrine was organized. About
five years later DR., Daniel IL. Hughes now,
resident physician In charge OF the Phlladei-
phia hospital, went on a visit TO his friend,
DIR. Flemming, IN New York, While there
DR. Hughes was induced to join the order OF
the Mystic Shrine and return TO Phlladel-
phia with a firm determination TO organize a
lodge in Philadelphia. There was no delay,
aud in less than a month the Lulu temple
was seen well under way. Until about i've
years ago DIR. Hughes was the important
factor In the lodge, and during the time OF
his active membership Lulu temple grew 10
wonderful proportions, and its fame Is now
as wide as tho domain OF Uncle Sam.
Regular Army ami Navy Union.
Abraham Lincoln garrison No, 10, Fort
Omaha, now numDer snty-hye members