New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1892-01-25
W4S Plus " 4 FEE NASONf

A BET OF $4,000 OFFERED IN REGARD TO THAT
oUE;TIoN-FALsE DOCUMENTS CIRCULATED.
The memory Is still fresh OF the uprOar recently
raj Sed I'm the French Chamtcr by the declaration
OF the speaker. VI. Floquct. that Plus TX also
Free Mason. This extra parliamentary exclamation
On the part OF the speaker intended Ia calm the
Clerical Deputies, who caimed funOusly that If laws
were to forbid religious associations. the same law,
should be applied Free MasOns' societies, Since
that time a fierce has ragged in European, and
especially in French and Italian, papers, I'm respect
to the truth cr the fal-chood of NJ Floqucts state
ment The latest and apparently most decisive
document about the question published In La
Pltre.7 a Conservative organ, OF psrf-. on January
H. 1892. II il a letter addressed 10 VI. EugcIc
GuyOn director II that paper, ly VI. Leo TaAil now
fcrvent Catholic but formerly an ardent revolution
i,t. "A feethinker. and well known by the many
book, has published both in favor Of and against
religion Here are some extracts from his letter 10
" La Patrie7:
several papers continue maintaining that signor
Adriano Lenlmi, Grand Master Of the supreme Free
Mason Council Of Rome, has In his possession docu
mcns establishing the fact that the predecessor OF
Leo XIII had AFFILIATED himself with Free Masonry
during the month OF August, l5j3. y Masonic
organ Paris carried the impudcrce 20 far n to
reproduced fac smile Of the alleged Masonic diploma
II Plus IN, and that audacious fslsehoOd was cert
fled to u conforming to the original by three
pojnt., brother who signs: Henri vaudemont.
second Waterman Of the Lodge Jerusalem Of the Egyp
tian Valleys, at the Great Orient " France
have made careful investigation and discovered who Is
the manufacturer OF the diploma. lie Is Brother
Leon Marie Louis BigOt, cX-editorn-chief Of the
.Phare Bretagne,' at Lorien and II member Of the
Morbihane.e Lodge Nature and Philosophy ON
hi, return from IL voyage in Bavaria he conceived inc
idea Of circulating In the lJdges Of the Great orient
Of France the copy which he affirmed to be authentic
Of the diploma of Jean Marie Mastai Ferrei i1u' IN
the diploma bearing the date OF the first fortnight
in August 1883, and delivered by lodge at Palermo
The document said T. have been copied from
the arclhve, Of IA lodge at Nuremberg.
"such Is the origin Of the whole story. The Greaa
Orient Of France was not long in discovering the
mysticutlOn and fails hood for the secretary General
Hrdher - Thcvcnot. whom | have known Intimately
investigated the matter and asked information from the
,reat orr mt Of bavaria. But the ROs CrOiA ana The
Knights kadOscb Of Cadet street thought II good 10
permit the legend 10 become accredited. .
A, 10 the Great Orient Of Italy, II never had bul
Il copy oi tnat other alleged copy saw It, III Sc -,
In Inc hands Of Count i'anciah. the Lieutenant 90
Great Master Lemm, ana he assured me that ne
considered the document apocryphical.
:" consequently, II siSnor Adriano Lemni mas oe
the poor Of MiIan It is because NE understood ina,
could easily demonstrate the absolute ana Im,'cll
falsehoOd Of the ridiculous document. While WlS
trying 10 find out who was the first counicIi;l ,,
Me- Luigi TesOrei Bishop Of lmola, consulted tie
archives Of his Gocese Let II" , NOT SGse , s at
inola End that The alleged diploma Is dated Ia ,ns
s fortnight Of August s3" that Ths Ms irG% ean IN" Mari
Nosta did not leave the town Of Imola during th''
ps0d S St pTssds er a sRs fsG @
notably on July %. and on August = D. D. w. ID
ana After the publication OF NJ. Taxirs Letter, the
sccoo" of Milan, published at last deca al ,t,,, :"
s sinpry stating that There always rnmjI
hat Plus TX belonged TO Free Masonry or 10 we
Cbona Order sn, %s proypr that he had been
Inflated in the vendite or In the italian lodges