Evening journal., 1894-12-06
MASON OR lMPOSTOR?
Manager Williamson Wears
His Badge in His Pocket.
PAPERS ON FILE IN THE TEMPLE

The opera House Man sported Hand
some knight Tempiar's Badge for
while, But New York Commandery
Disowned Him ms Aember-He Does
Not show the Insignia Now.
The masonic pretensions Of Manager
William r. Williamson, of the Grand
Opera House, are away below par Just
now, and he is regarded by Wilmington
members OF the craft as an impostor
When he came here from Lancaster,
Pa, to assume control of the Opera
House, one of the most conspicuous
features OF his personal sdornment
was handsome Masonic charm Il
represented that he had passed through
the blue lodge chapter, and had found
lodgment In a commandery Of Knights
Templsr.
He was not Mason when he lived here
before getting names for q directory,
and doing the sporting odds and ends on
the reportorial staff of the Morning
News, and this brave display Of Masonic
jeaelry took the craft by surprise.
A Knight Templar who had known
Williamson before he left the employ
of the Morning News, met him casually
handsome badge pendent from his watch
guard he shook Williamson by the hand,
glanced suggestively at the badge
and said
why, hello is that so. How long
have you been in the commandery7"
"Oh, I've been there for a long time, "
replied Williamson carelessly
ITO what eommandery do you belong" !"
asked the Templar.
Morton. No. 4, Of New York, said
| Williamson
The Templar gave him sn opportunity
to show that he was what he represented
himself to be, but williamson did not
know enough about Free Masonry to reeog
nize what WAS going on.
| This convinced the Templgr that every
thing WAS not exactly right The mat
| ter was reported to st. 1ohn's Com
man1ery, No I and the proper Office
wrote to Morton CommRndery, No. 4. Of
| New York, and asked IL William r
| Williamson was a member Of that body
In course Of time an answer was re
csived. Il stated emphatically that they
knew no such man, that he had never
been made Mason or Knight Templar
there and they did not know him to be a
Mason.
This was a dead give away. Tyler
Yates, Of the Temple sent Mason
after Mason to Williamson in order to
test his knowledg ge of the secrets OF the
order, but he only displayed his dense
ignorance.
Then he was invited to visit ths
commendery, chapter and blue lodge
and to participate in some Of their enjoy
able bsnquets, but he was always very
busy man about the time that hll
presence was requested
This attention became so marked tina
Williamson began to hedge g little, Il
said that the ARsonic badge had beei
presented to him by certain people o
Lancaster as a mark of their esteem an
that they did Lot know its mysti
significance This did not 60 down yer
well with the Wilmington Aasons. The
said that II his admirers did not kno'
, any better than to present it he certRinl
knew better thsn to wear 1t and endeavo
I | to pass himself off as Mason.
4 Later on some Lancaster Mason
| visited here, and the Wilmington Mason
; made close inquiry into the matter q
! the presentation. 1t is understood, OF
. good authority, that the reply OF th
Lancaster men was that the Masoni
q badge was presented to him because b
3 expressed q preference for it.
4 An EVENING JOURNAL reporter calle
o upon Tyler Yates yesterday siternool
: and asked him If Williamson wers
Mason. he said that he was not, an
that as for him heing a member {
Morton Commandery, No. A. Of Ne
York, there were documents on file /
II the Masonic Temple to prove that he di
not belong to it and was unknown
IF the craft there as Mason.
IF Osher prominent Masons Of this cit.
le when questioned concerning the matte
] said that Williamson attempted to pose
r; Mason, but that the Masons here 3
r; convinced that, ia this respect at isas
, he Is an impostor.
J, Williamson no longer wears his badg
% He Is said to carry it in his pocket al
IS slips II on his watch guard when he &c
ont OF the city, but, If he does, he alwa
y takes good care to put it in his pock
Of again before he gets back home.