The diamond drill. (Crystal Falls, Iron County, Mich.) 1887-1996, 1896-11-21
HURT AT LODGE.
Injuries Received During Initiation
Causes n Mans Death
Rites OF tho Eiks Prove Fatal to Hon. E.
w. Curry. Chairman OF the Demo-
cratic state Central Conn
mlttoo OF Iowa.

mlttoe OF Iowa
Des Moines, Ia, Nov. 19.-E. w. Cur
ry. chairman of the democratic state
COMMITTEES. died "Wednesday at the Saw
cry hotel l.. this city. His death was
caused by blood poisoning. due. II is al
legged to injuries received while being
initiated into the Benevolent and Pro-
tcctvc Order of Elks about four weeks
ago in the lodgeroom in this city. This
fact was kept secret at the urgent re-
quest of MIR. Curry during his illness.
but has now become the general topic OF
conversation.
Mr.. Curry. before his death, urged his
wife and friends 10 hush up the mat
ter and insisted that they make 90 at
tempt to cause the lodge any embar-
rassment. He declared and the elks dc
clare that the injury received by him
was wholly unavoidable on the part Of
the members OF the order and due TO his
own act exclusively. The elks refuse
to tell the real nature Of the injury re-
ceived by Mr.. Curry.
The physicians who attended Mr. Cur
~ were members Of the order and were
supplied b. the lodge. They also insist
that the death was due TO blood poison
ing incidental to the injuries received
and due TO the debilitatcd condition Of
ii. sick man. They assert that Mr.. Cur
~ md the members OF the order did
not know on the night of the initiation
that Mr.. Curry was injured in any way
The injury was not discovered. they de-
clare. until the following day. Then
physicians were summoned and until
six days ago believed yaat the sick man
would recover fully and easily. Instead
blood poisoning set in and for three
days Mr.. Curry was unconscious.
IL is said that the order has test
with torture chair. This chair is said
to be fitted with a metal seat and arms.
An electrical battery supplies various
grades of voltage. II is said that Mr..
Curry was induced TO seat himself in
the torture chair and slight electric
current was turned on. The masked
elks in the dimly-lighted room waited
TO see the candidate jump in terror from
the chair Mr.. Curry disappointed
them, for he did not move muscle.
More current was turned on Still there
was no movement. and moro electricity
was turned on until the battery was at
IFS fun capacity. Curry sat still in the
chair Of torture. 10 is said that some
one noticed that smoke wns issuing
from the seat OF the chair and enve-
oping Mr.. Curry lie was hurriedly
dragged away from the torture seat aud
II was then discovered that by the exer-
else Of viii power and nerve he had re-
NAMED in the chair while his clothing
was burned from his body by the cleo
tricity II is said that he was then
given the attention OF physicians and
taken to his apartments in the Slavery
hotel, where he remained until his
death.
This story was strcnuously denied
by members OF the lodge, who claim
there are no electrical appliances i'm
the lodgeroom. Late Wednesday night,
I'm view of the conflicting stories, sew
eral members Of the lodge consented 10
talk. Their stories agree and psoba-
bly, give correct version OF the episode.
IL Is rs follows; In the course OF initia-
ton Mr.. Curry, being properly robed in
a somewhat light costume and blind
folded, was placed npon a chair having
a metallic bottom. Under this chair an
ordinary Kerosene lamp was placed. II
was expected that when sufficient heat
had developed he would jump from the
chair in alarm and furnish merriment
90 the assembled elks. Mr.. Curry, be-
ing of n stoical disposition and perhaps
unduly excited by the ordeal through
which he had passed, had evidently
made up his mind TO take whatever pun
ishmcnt was meted out TO him in the
course OF events and retained his seat
until his garments took fire and he was
severely burned.
The cllxs refuse TO diyulge the names
OF the degree team which was doing the
work Of the initiation or in fact whether
the entire lodge takes part in limitations
or only certain selected ones. The
members refuse also 20 diyulge who
were present on the night in question.
This MIR. Curry also refused to tell. The
lodge includes IN its membership some
OF the most prominent professional and
business men OF Des Moines. 1t feels
kcenly the embarrassment brought
upon Il by the revelation concerning
MIR. Curry's death. The order paid the
expenses OF the care for the sick man,
amounting 20 about $1,000, and they will
send an escort with the body TO Mr..
Curry's home In Leon.
Found In the Snow.
Chicago, Nov. l0.--Word was received
In this city Wednesday evening confirm