The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1895-12-13
SOMERBY DEFENDS HIMSELF.
Says HIS New Iron Hall Has $72s,0OO
I'm Its Treasury.

Supreme President Somerby, OF the Iron
Hall. of Baltimore, was in Cincinnati last
Tuesday night. II seems that the asso-
citation has been ~reorganized and has, it is
claimed, S72s.000 in It's treasury. Mr.. Som
erby made an address TO the Cincinnati
members. which was reported in the Gin
cinnati Tribune as follows: "I am glad to
meet the men and women of the city who
withstood the storm OF go which struck
the old ship. I have reason to remember
that occasion. That time can never be
enaced from my memory. Believing 1 had
organized sixty-fve thousand men and
women, who had taken the vows OF the
order, and for twelve years had studied
the practical lines upon which the order
was built, 1 felt proud of the order. but
an assassin, by q combination, broke the
tie OF friendship that bound us together.
our adversar.es and struck a blow that
shattered the ship without cause or justi-
tcation. was the target. At my head
was aimed the blows. If the order had but
hesitated and questioned themselves and
stood by the officers, instead of c~ondemning
them. the good old ship would have wealth
cred the storm. But IL was not TO be. Since
that time, for three years. / was living
under a serious charge, that of irregularity
for an investigation, which was so long
coming. / had your sympathy and l thank
you. But 'alrs we'll that ends we'll The
storm Is now over. The sky is brighten
ing. Why is IL the order still lives? Be
cause the principles underlying our system
were OF too much value. When rebuilding
the order we have kept TO the lines of the
old one. and have neither turned TO the
right nor TO the left.
when We rebuilt the order. we found il
justice could be found, and our standard is
now planted In Baltimore. When j look
back. and attempt to review the past. 1t ap-
pears like a dream to me. My adversaries
have failed TO find a charge against me. As
far as l nm concerned, either morally or
financially, l stand clear. Is there anyone
who can point a finger against me or any
am prouder than life? Rather think you OF
a mother destroying her child. We did not
know the cause Of your destruction when
the blow came. but we know 1t now. Leg
islation had been prepared to defeat the
downfall. Think of IL. An order that has
grown from infancy amid nan dangers
and Instructions to a position which was
recognized anywhere. Its credit was unsur-
passed, and its paper was accepted every
where. IL sheltered sixty-ive thousand fam
lilies and It's flag hoated from fourteen
thousand mastheads In every State In the
Union.
ION July .. 1899. on Manhattan Beach.
were c~ongregated thirty thousand people to
celebrate the occasion or our triumph In OBJ
tanning legislation favorable to our cause.
went back 10 Indiana and struck the fatal
blow. Think OF the bitterness l felt, and
the depths or my regret wHen 1 considered
that your interests were not protected.
though mine had fallen.
After the blow had fallen we sent out
Invitations to every branch in the country
TO send representatives to Baltimore TO in
vestigate the charges invented by our adj
versaries, and devise ways and means TO
set aside the receivership at that time ap-
pointed temporarily. At that meeting
pledges were made there. guaranteeing an
onward march to Indiana TO regain our lost
ground. But a counter movement started
from hat point and thousands OF our
Members focked TO the enemy, which re-
suited in our destruction. An embargo was
placed on my travels. / was indicted in
Indiana and Pennsylvania. The charge was
held over me for three years. and not until
the old order had been destroyed. and the
money I'm the funds distributed, was /
called upon TO answer the charge.
I'm Philadelphia. on June q, I appeared
before a court. A jury was impaneled,
and. after the p~reliminaries had been COM
pleted. the district attorney said that, after
a personal Investigation. he could find no
charge. and that the jury be instructed TO
return a verdict OF not guilty During all
the three years / was under this charge
the Baltimore Lodge did it's duty and re-
manned loyal. and on Sept. %. 1892. we rail-
lied our forces with 2.700 members. To-
night the order has 400 member and is
growing. We have gathered together
80. QQQ, with q reserve fund OF SILL. 900. Six