The Wichita daily eagle. [volume] (Wichita, Kan.) 1890-1906, 1894-10-10
WON THEIR POINT
SUSPENDED ODDFELLOWS LODGES
HAD INNING LAST NIGHT.
After an All Day Struggle the Grand
Lodge Admits Them by a Vote of
JIG to 129-Appeal Taken to Soy
ereigu Grand LOdgc-History
the Trouble.


the Trouble.
The thirty-seventh annual meeting OF
the Grand Lodge of Odd Fellows of the
state of Kansas met at the Garfield hau In
this city yesterday morning with Grand
Master Campbell presiding. 1t was prob
ably the hottest meeting of the order ever
held in the state OF Kansas. The De
Boissiere home matter was the bone OF
contention.
Prior to May II, 1892. Z. V. De Bossiere
was the owner of 3, l56 acres of land in
Franklin county. Kansas, fifty-four head
of horses, Az head of cattle, 500 head OF
hogs. farming implements, household
furniture, notes, accounts, bank stock and
cash on hand. all of the estimated value of
100000, together with a library OF ZOO
volumes. Mr.. Boiss:ere was well advanced
in years, and having no near relatives de-
sired to transfer all his property, both
real aud personal. to some benevolent in
stitution 10 be used for charitable pur-
poses.
After having become well advised in the
premises, he determined to transfer all his
property to the independent Order of Odd
Fellows to create home for the orphans
of deceased Odd Fellows OF Kansas. With
this purpose iii view and Willingness on
his part to make the transfer, the details
and conditions ouly remaining to be agreed
upon. Several methods were suggested
by the parties representing the order, but
none of them seemed TO be entirely Suits
factorn to him. 1t was finally agreed that
a corporation should be created, known as
The D. Boissiere Odd Fellows Orphans
, Home and Industrial School association,
TO carry out his purpose aud should all be
transferred to this corporation ia trust for
the Independent Order of Odd Fellows, to
be Used home for the orphans of
deceased members. 1t WAS furT her agreed,
that five persons, 10 be named by the
donor should act as trustees in he admin
istration of this trust With the details
agreed upon and the corporation formed,
Mr. De Boissiere, on May II, 1892, trans
ferred his entire estate 10 this corporation,
in trust for the Independent Order of
Odd Fellows to be used as home for the
orphans of deceased members.
Five trustees were appointed and a per
Capita lax If 81 so or each member in the
state was ordered for the maintenance of
the home Several lodges refused to pay
this per capita tax aud the case went into
the civil courts, well also 10 the
against the lodges that would not pay.
Several of them were suspended. Their
representatives appeared at the grand
lo1ge and would not be admitted They
lad friends on the inside who made a
fight for their admission, aud the result
yesterday was deadlock till the question
was settled. a committee was appointed
and il made report last night not quite
satisfactory. Ii was slightly amended and
M"Jor Levi Ferguson, II d powerful and
able speech, amended the report and
Carried it through about 10 O'Clock by
vote OF 176 to l29
The report as amended, is as follows:
REPORT OF COMMITTEE
I'VE. your special committee appointed
to consider he subj-ct of the lodges dein-
quenr for payment of the Tax levied for
The De Boissiere Odd Fellows Orphans
Home and the lodges suspended by order
If the Grand Master for characterization
and resort to the civil courts having in
vesiigated the subject referred To them
respectfully report as follows:
As to those lodges delinquent for
Orphans Home tax, some of them appear
10 have been in arrears simply from in
ability 10 meet the payment; some have
pnid portion and have orders drawn to
pay the balance. but have withheld the
same until they had learned the decision
of the courts. Nearly all of these
lodges, we believe, intend 10
paw the balance due according
TO the statements made by rrpresen tdtives.
Had not the decision of the supreme court
been 50 late in announcement, IL is proba-
bic that he balance due would have bt en-
paid by all thai We're able to 30 80 and those
who not able TO paw at present will do SO
as soon rs they can get the money.
'.We therefore recommend that all the
following delinquent lodges be admitted
10 representation IN this body at this time,
upon the understanding that they will
raw The balance due rs soon as may be,
md she presentation of proper credentials
W: is. 81. 81, ~. 90 100. 10. 1l4. 49, 172,
rs 100. 2i7 242, 253. 254. go 2S6 3C3, 800.
B14. $40. 81 $40. $50 800, ), 342, 3G3, 361.
BIS, 81 ga 800. 396, 40S 43l. AL. "a, AS -.
li6 323. AIS, 236 I25. 249. 100. 237, a, 49,,
40 III, Isl, IS 100. POO. 2ll, PIP. 2&2. 259,
3D. 344. 352. $50 500 42l. 297, 3O5, 3l3 322.
B45, 40 ), II. %. -. los. 100. 332. $50, LAG,
425, 81, IS. 1863, 206. 253. 23j, 243, 245.
''As TO the lodges suspended FOR insubor
dinaiion We find that some of them are
satisfied that the decision of the courts
and the sovereign grand lodge settles the
matter. and are willing to make payment
Of be balance due at once. Others say
they accept the decisions and Will pay
on demanded by the grand lodge.
Others say that hey do not think the de
cislon bas been finally made by the courts,
that they are still In courts and laIend to
remain there. Others say that they are
willing 20 obey the decisions of the higher
courts and of the grand lodge now in ses-
sio. : ill o. hers say they do not know
what their lodges are willing To do. There
are possibly oi her variations of statements
but the general tenor of the greater num-
Der of the statements seem to Indicate that
the lodges intend to still further OPP
pose the payment of the orphans home
TAX in civil courts, notwithS audlng the
decision OF the sovereign grand lodge. As
we understand II the position before this
committee seems 10 he on what terms, If
mt all, the suspended lodges shall have
their charters restored. And uDon this
point we Recommend that the charters of
the suspended be restored, and the repre-
sen aiives and past grands thereof be adj
mitted 10 mem bership in this grand lodge
upon piedginS themselves that they VIII
use their influence with their lodges 10
have them pay Their delirquencrs In ninety
DAYS. and the presentation of credentials
showing they were legally elected at
time prior to the Suppression o! the lodges,
the said lodges as follows, viz: -. 80, "A,
- 90. 129. l3l. l4S. l6l, los, l16. l59 1879.
LIS 2l5, :20 rs :a41, 25S, Boz, S19 3os. 4ou
tU2. al 42+
Respectfully submitted.
j. 5. CODDING.
'W. A I oI,MANY,
"A p RIDDLE,
-. T. MCMHIEN,
IF Ii. BETToN."
While the contest Was going on inside
the representatives of the suspended
lodges remained outside in the hail and
l.. h.. II