The morning call., 1893-09-02
PIDWELL'S PAST,
Managed the Grand Lodge
His Own Way.
NOT PERMITTED TO RESIGN.
How He Is Said to Have Treated the
Orphan of Deceased Brother
Odd Fellow.

1t may or it may not be a fact that Cyril
T. Pidwel's old-time enemies are "perse-
cutting him by preferring the charge of
embezzlemeHt against him, but every thing
points to muchhotter times tor that gentle
man and that in the near future.
Grand Master j. II. Thompson il here
from Eureka and will, together with the
grand trustees, vigorously and thoroughly
overhaul the work not only of Pidwell but
of the grand secretary, w. B. Lyon,
whose assistant Pidwell was. and the latest
sensation in the matter is the announce
ment that Grand Patriarch C. w. Savage
will arrive from Santa Rosa this morning
and will advise an investigation by the
grand officers and trustees of the Grand
Encampment.
Even the members of Tsmplar Lodge, to
which Pidwen belonged, have FASTENED to
array themselves on the side of his ''perse-
cntors." Notwithstanding the fact that
Pidwelrs Son-in-law, George r. Weeks,
is Oble grand of Templar Lodge, an at
tempt to resign his membership to avoid
the disgrace OF expulsion was not bril-
iiantly successful last Monday evening
Pidwelfs ''resienation" was, as in the case
of all communications upon which no ac-
tion is taken, simply received and filed, :"
in other words. Templar Lodge does not
choose to admit at the present time that
Pidwell without the "brother" attached
has any right TO resign.
And this all goes to prove that ST. L.
and T." which stands for friendship, love
and truth, are not allowed to block Justice
when member Of the order is suspected
OF robbing the widow and the orphan a s
well as his own brothers-in- fraternity.
Possibly the fact that Felix Garrone, Of
WhoSa daUphfer Caroline Pi6ual1
appointed guardian, was a member of
TemplaT Lodge at the time of his death,
had something to do with the slight fra
ternal feeling in the treatment of Pid-
wells resignation. Pidwell has not only
squandered thousands Of dollars belonging
10 the Hall Association, and possibly other
thousands belonging to the Grand Lodge,
but he is understood to have spent every
cent of the $3.50 which was realized from
the sale of Felix Garrone's little home
after his death, and which should have
supported in comparative comfort the
incompetent orphan of departed brother
Odd Fellow.
The $50 which Pidwell paid monthly for
the support of unfortunate Caroline Gar
rome was not, it is said, backed by the
S4950 which rightfully belonged to her.
but was paid by PidweIl out of his salary
TO avoid exposure. The saddest feature of
this affair is the assertion that Pidwell
has no property or money to make good
his lapse
The interest taken in Pidwell's affairs by
the Grand Encampment results in the
fact that Lyont and Pidwell are respec-
lively grand secretary and assistant grand
secratary of that body as well as in the
Grand Lodge.
Another thing which the 'persecutors''
OF Pdwell plainly allege is that the prop
erty Of defunct lodges of Odd Fellows has
never been clearly accounted for. Al
nffh I'D how,
existence since Lyon and his assistant en-
tered upon their duties, and although by
the laws of the order all property of de-
funct lodges must be turned over to the
Grand Lodge and an account kept of it,
this does not appear to have been done by
Lyon and his assistant.
1t appears probable shat the present in
VestigatiOn will result in new deal, all
around" up in the big building on Seventh
and Market streets.
1t seems singular and altogether mex
plicable that Pidwell should have deceived
5OOO members OF the order for nearly
twelve years, and still more singular that
lie should have been permitted to despoil
the Hall Association, when year after year
the mortgage on the building grew, and
those lodges which had nearly all their
money in hall stock became poverty
stricken and scarcely able to pay their
current expenses. And this latter fact is
probably responsible fer the bitterness
with which PidwelPs prosecutors" con-
tinue their investigation. For instance,
Templar, Yerba Buena and Mag
nOlia lodges appear to have been almost
ruined by Pidwei's alleged thefts. Out of
total OF 100000 shares 1916 are held by
different lodges of Odd Fellows in this
city, 100 shares by local Rebekah lodges
and 5S48 shares by the five encampments
in San Francisco. There are 11,477 shares
in the hands of other lodges and individ-
uals, and the remaining 81. 659 shares are
held IN reserve. Along with the fact that
about hve-slXths Of the shares in the
''non-paying" hall over which Pdwell pre-
sided in autOcratic sway are held by the
local Odd Fellows it must be remembered
that 5000 San Francisco ODD Fellows are
crying out for investigation and a sweep
out, and when these things are all consid-
cred the future looks gloomy at present for
Pldwell and all his friends who are ION
the inside"