Alexandria gazette. [volume] (Alexandria, D.C.) 1834-1974, 1896-12-03
WITH A HOT IRON.

The Waltham branding" case, in
which the officers of an Orangemen's g
Lodge are charged with an assault upon
a candidate for admittance to the lodge,
was on trial before Judge Harday in
the Middlesex Superior Criminal Court,
at Cambridge, Mass, on Monday.
Frank A. Ptebe is the complain
ant, and John G.. Graham, George E..
Nckerson, Edward O'Neil, Daniel
Tracey and Leander Weatherbee, the
defendants.
The case developed several sensa-
tioual features. Prebe's recital of the
manner of initiation into the lodge was
graphic He and Edward Arch de-
cided to join the Orangemen, he said,
and they were notified to appear for in
itlation one evening in July last. Arch
went 10 first, he said, and afterward he
entered private room OFT the main
hall.
He was accompa MED by Messrs.
Tracey and Mabey. who acted as guides,
aud was told that he must disrobe. He
did SO, and wearing only drawers, white
overalls, shirt and shoes, en.
tered the main hall. AT the door be
was compelled to knee and say the
Lords Prayer, during the recital of
which his shoes were taken off. He
was blindfolded and marched around
the hall in a circle His drawers had
been rolled up to his knees, leaving b
legs and feet bare, and during the walk
around the hall he continually fel5 the
stings of what he thought was whip
on his bare legs.
He testified that bag of stones
weighing 40 pounds was then put on
his shoulders, and that he was pulled
to the floor, while some one sat on him
and 'jabbed him with pins or an ice
pick" He said he was not sure what
1t was, but he thought it was pins. He
was then made to go up steep ladder,
and from this he fell into sheet and
was tossed into the air several times.
He crawled out of the sheet and stood
in front of the altar, and says that MIR.
Graham read something to him, but
that be did not know what it was, as
be was rather dazed by the lively
initiation.
Then two men held him, and red
hot iron was brought up against his
breast. He struggled to get away, but
the two men held him while be was
branded. Then some one said: Hold
up your hands and see if you can tiod
serpent" and the initiation was over.
He said that he was severely burned
and injured.
On cross-examination he admitted
that he had agreed not to tell what WIS
done to him, but that was before he wss
branded or tossed in blanket, and this
was rather more than he had bargained
for. He admitted that he had taken an
oath not TO tell things, but considered
that he was not breaking this oath, al
though he aid not state the exact rea-
son why he believed this. He said that
be belonged to the Red Men, Pilgrim
Fathers and the A. p. A, but that these
organizations did not have such a spor Y
Initiation as did the Orangemen.
Arthur S. Allen was the only Wit
ness for the defense. Preble owed him
some money, he said, aud when he en-
deavored to collect it the latter told
him that he expected to have some
money as the result OF suit he was
going to bring against some Orange
men for abusing him.
Lawyer Brown then made his argu-
ment, stating that IL was more than
probable that oil the defendants were
present and officers in the lodge
Preble had sent in an application for
membership, and it was therefore un-
ders,o that be agreed beforehand not
to complain Of any treatment be might
be subjected to.
strict Attorney Weir stated that
the testimony of PEBBLE showed that
he nd been injured severely and that
he WAS sure the defendants had taken
par. in the Ger, monies.