The morning news. [volume] (Savannah, Ga.) 1887-1900, 1896-12-29
MILLIONAIRES AND MASONRY.
ONLY ONE VANDERBILT A MEMBER
OF THE ORDER.

/
to BE MasOn-BOss Tweed Was
One-CleveIand Did Not Get In, But
Was Not BInckbaIIed.
From the New York Press.
Kane Lodge of Masons doesn't object to
| publicity as a rule, but many of its leading
| members did object last week to the re-
| port published in a sensational newspaper
| that Oliver H. p. Belmont was to be in
| itiated by Kane Lodge.
Mr.. Belmont's application was made to
st. Johns Lodge of Newport, r. 1. He
| received the first degree last Tuesday.
Kane Lodge is probably the last one of
| the $50 in this state that Mr.. Belmont
would select if he decided to put in an APP
| plication in this jurisdiction. While Kane
| Lodge is not in any sense a Vanderbilt
| affair the family is well represented by
| men enough to crush, as far as entrance
| to the lodge is concerned, the aspirations
| of any man not acceptable to the Wander
bilt family
Chief and foremost of these, of course,
| is Chauncey M. Depew, who has power
| full following in Kane Lodge. Then comes
| Bishop Potter, who. though he does not
| often attend the meetings of the lodge,
| could be depended upon to come out if an
| Objectionable name were to be voted upon.
Rarely, however, is a name blackballed
| in Kane Lodge. Kane is one of the few
| lodges that sends each week to every men,
| Der a circular giving the names of the men
| about to be proposed for initiation or af-
| hlation If the slightest objection is in
sisted upon aga INST a name it is Withdrawn
| at once, according to common report in
| Masonic circles. Kane Lodge is not the
''aristocratic" lodge in the city. That dis
| tinction belongs to Holland Lodge. Kane
n = 1nGf nnf Cf f4a Nfc hxT
| lodges, however, and that is the chief rea-
/ son why its name has become among the
| best known, not only in New York and its
| vicinity, but in many parts of the country.
One of the most celebrated members of
| Kane is Lieut.. Peary, the Arctic explorer.
| He received the third degree about year
1 ago, soon after his return from his last
| polar expedition.
other well-known members of Kane are
| J. Edward Simmons, president of the
| Fourth National bank; the Rev. DR.. Mac
| Arthur, the noted preacher; Job Hedges,
/ Mayor Strong'S private secretary: George
/ %. w. StiVers, grand high priest of the
| grand chapter of Royal Arch Masons, a
| well-known carriage manufactures, and
Rollin M. Morgan. The master of Kane
/ this year is George Whitfield Brown. Jr.,
one of Mayor Strong's right hand men in
| the marshal's office. Joseph Morris Ward
| Of Newark was the master of Kane preced-
| Ing Mr.. Brown. Mr.. Ward held the office
| for several years.
Kane lodge is the largest lodge in New
York city or Brooklyn. With $50 members
state. While Kane is not so wealthy a
| lodge as aristocratic Holland, it contains
many more wealthy men than Holland
/ lodge. Holland lodge has a membership
| only of about 175. Holland is not partic-
| ulariy active lodge. 1t initiates rarely
| more than half a dozen new members each
| year. 1t aims to be exclusive.
| AS far as is known, there is only one
| member of the Vanderbilt family who is
Mason; He is w. S; Vanderbilt of James
| NJ. Austin lodge of Greenville, N. Y. Mr..
| Vanderbilt is treasurer Of his lodge, and
| has held that position for many years. He
| is .philanthropist, well-known in his own
| section of the state.
Few millionaires belong to any of the Sc
4 cret orders. Masonry has more of them
in this state probably than all other orders
| together, but none of the men in the
| wealthiest families belong to any so-called
| fraternal societies. The reason is not far
! to seek. An Aston or a Vanderbilt as a
/ Mason would be besieged continually for
help, not only from INDECENT brother Ma
| sons in this city but frem unfortunate
| brethren in all parts of the country. A
brother Mason coming as such would have
| peculiar claims on the good fortune of his
| more wealthy brother.
Poverty exists in Masonic circles almost
/ as generally as it does in the world at
| large, and while the worthy poor of the
| order are never neglected-in this state,
1 have squeezed into the order in other
| jurisdictions who have heard undoubtedly
Of the fabulous wealth of the members
| Of the order in New York, make life an
| awful bore for more than one wel-known
| New York Mason.
| 1t is for this reason that many Masons
/ do not care to have their names printed
/ as belonging TO lodges. Once the fact that
/ George Gould had joined a secret order
| got out, he would be deluged. in all prob
\ ability with applications from members
| of his order. that, IL granted. would eat
| up large portion of his reputed millions
While the present John Jacob Aston is
| not Mason, the name of his illustrious
/ ancestor, John Jacob Astor the first Is
inscribed In letters Of gold in the records
grand treasurer This John Jacob was
member of Holland Lodge.
Old Peter Stuyvesant was a Mason, for
| the records OF Albion Lodge show that in
! 1872 Washington Irvings famous wooden
| legged hero was suspended for the nom
| payment of dues.
| Ex-Mayor Gilroy shares the same re-
! nown in Masonic circles that old Peter
| does. lie, too, was uspended-unaffiliate
Is the Masonic term-for the non-payment
| of dues. This happened more than TWEEN
| ty-five years ago.
The attitude OF the Roman Catholic
church toward Masonry may account for
| eX-Mayor Gilroy's record, however The
| attitude of that church is given as the
| explanation OF ex-Superintendent Thomas
Byrnes' standing toward Masonry. Ten
| years ago Byrnes was Mason OF high
| degree. He belonged to the lodge, the
| Commandery and the Scottish Rite He
| was one of the best known members az
the Shrine About six years ago ne cut
| loose from all the Masonic bodies though
| IN an honorable manner--that is, his dues
| were paid up to the time he resigned
! though Masons have another and Longer
| word 10 express that infrcquent action.
| Probably the most famous Mason was
! Boss Tweed. IL Is not necessary to give
the name of his lodge. The members To-
| day, though they stood by him as broth
ers ought TO- are not proud of the con-
Masonry On New York ever has been a
| popular institution with politicians A bic
| book would pc required to print all OF the
names OF politicians, great and small--es-
| pecialiy small-who have gone into Mason
| ~. Grover Cleveland Is probably the best
| known one wfO has failed 20 ret IN. No
! body viii tell just how he comes 20 be
| outside the lodge now. He was not blacl-
| listed, that much 81 known Ills namo
] WAS proposed after De became resident
/ Of New York. In 1859. before saenmore
| Lodge. The name was not acted upon
/ sagamcre Lodge contains more Tammany
! hail men than any other lodge in the city.