The Irish standard. [volume] (Minneapolis, Minn. ;) 1886-1920, 1896-08-29
RIDING THE GOAT.
The Terrible Way in Which the Orauge-
!; .,.~.... men are Initiated.

The Terrible Way in Which the Orange
!. ..,.~..,. .,e-. men are Initiated. @
! "A Waltaam, Mass, dispatch Of last week
said:
'"The most unique case ever tried in the
district court came UP this week before
Judge Luce, when an alleged EXPOSE" was
made under oath Of the rites and ordeais
through which candidate must pass to-
become full fedged Orangeman. Frank
A. Preble was one OF the candidates for ad-
mission. He thought the initiatory cere-
nlony was cruel. and he sought legal salts
faction for his experience. 1t was on the
evening OF July Is, 1896, he said on the wit;
ness stand. that he received his iniatory
degree in the Orange lodge OF Watham.
He swore that he was compelled to discard
all raiment except his underwear. lie was
then blindfolded and led into the larger
lodge room by Brothers Daniel Tracy and
William Mable, who acted as conductors.
There he was struck severely with whips,
and finally posed upon what seemed to him
a step ladder An obligation was imposed,
after which the ladder was suddenly pulled
from under him, and he was pitched into
canvas blanket, in which he was bounced
around for while
Finally Mable told him to raise his hand
and try to "fiud the serpent Brother
Graham then cried: "You did not find it,
but it has found YOU and then, Preble
said, branding iron was applied twice 70
his breast After that he was seated, and
the rest was easy The witness breast was
badly burned, he said, and the wounds were
raw for 10 days. His legs we're discolored
from the blows he received from the
whips.
Edward Arch was another sufferer. He
said on the stand that he had witnessed
Preble's ordeal in getting his degree.
brothers Tracey and Mable guarded the
candidate he said; Brother O'Neil heat
ed the branding iron, and Brother Graham
applied it, Brother Nickerson had object
Z ed that the iron was too hot, but O'Neil
heated it further and said they would give
the candidate a s'good roast" Arch had
not interfered to protect Preble, he said,
because he knew it would do no good. His
own legs had been whipped harder than
had Preble's. but his own breast had es-
caped more lightly. lie only had one
brand applied. and that was about the size
Of half a dollar. 81
No evidence was put in for the de-
fense, but counsel argued that no proof
had been given that any departure had
been made from the regular form Of in.tia-
tioa sufficient to constitute an assault.
Preble, having applied for initiation and
having been wiling to abide by the con-
sequences, no crime had been comnitted,.
ard counsel asked that the members of the
lodge be discharged as mot guilty
Judge Luce, however, fined six officers
Of the lodge s35 each. They were John G.
Graham, G. O. Nickerson, Edward O'Neil,
DAME, Tracey, Leander Weatherbee and
Wilfred Mable All appealed and were
held in $500 bonds each. M
Caledonia, Minn.-PatriekC Carroll, wild
over, aged 20 years, residing with his SOM
sin-law, Daniel Flynn, three miles west of
town, committed suicide. by drowning on
Monday last He left the house, taking
with him tin pail, telling his daughter
Mrs d. Flynn, that he would go to the
woods and pick some berries. IS He did note
come home to dinner or supper, and his
daughter became alarmed and instituted a:
search, and found his body face down
ward. in about ten inches, Of water. ssssSH
Immediately after the cage dropped the
hosting engine also flew to pieces. Being:
relieved OF the weight of the cage, its mo-
mentum became SO great that It got be;
yond the coli troi off the engineer There
were Ia number of men Oh the sulfacs, but
miraculo ously al escaped injury. although
the buil ld:ng over her heads was .literaslss
torn pieces tns llytDg AZ s q