New-York tribune., 1896-11-22
CONDEMNED BY THE ELKS
THE TRICK WHICH COST MR.. CURRYS
LIFE AROUSES WIDESPREAD IN
DIGNATION.
PAST GRAND SECRETARY MoRELAND SAYS TE
WILL. BE SURPRISED IF THE CHARTER or
TIE DIES MONIES LODGE Is NOT M
MEDIATELY REvOKED-NoT
PART or THE RITUAL.

MEDlAl ELI NENOhf-i'-NOI
PART or THE RITUAL
The news OF the death at Des Moines. Iowa, Of
+. w. Curry. the chairman OF the Democratic State
Central Committee from the effect OF injuries re-
ceivcd several weeks ago while being initiated into
a lodge of tho Benevolent and Protective order Of
Elks has caused great and widespread excitement
in the various lodges Of the Elks all the coun-
try. The general sentiment is one OF cxtreme con-
demnation for the who permitted such a
feature found its way into initiation whether
the death Of Mr. Curry due wholly to tho In
jurics he received only in part.
According TO the men best qualified TO speak on
the subject appears that tho feature of the nia
tion by which Mr. Curry injured not n
regular part OF the initiation ritual employed by the
Elks II is even asserted that the introduction Of
this feature OF the programme. or any other OF tho
same nature. is expressly forbidden by the laws OF
the order But. n spite OF that. Mr.. Curry IS dead
II remains TO be- whether the public prose-
cutor will take any action In the case and whether
the Des Moincs lodge will be subjected to discipline
by the Grand Lodge OF the Elks Nobody acquaint-
ed with the details Of the case they now appear.
can deny that any body OF mon who would permit
the preparation OF such reckless brutal and alto
pethcr reprehensblc trick that pracised upon
Mr. Curry are n disgrace to any order TO which
they may hap2nn to belong. The Elks OF the coun-
try themselves are likely coincide in this opinion
Arthur c. Moreand. Past Grand Secretary Of tho
Elks and Editor OF The Antler." tho organ OF
that fratery said 10 n Trib reporter the other
day III the newspaper stories are true the feature
Of the Initiation that proved fatal to Mr.. Curry
was nothing more or less than n dastarGly outrage.
There IS such thing IN tho ritual OF tho Elks
ought 70 know for I wrote II myself Not only IL
there such thing in the ritual but the laws OF tho
order expressly forbid lodges 70 Introduce into the
initiation features that nro not laid down in tho
official ritual II the Dcs Moincs Elks made use OF
that 'monkeyshnc chair that IS told OF in tho news
paper dispatches. they violated tho rules OF the
order 10 which they belong.
The Elk. have made every Effort - exclude all
things from their Initiation tha. possibly injure
the health. limbs properly feelings % the initiate
The Initiation IS conducted wlih dignity ard i'm
pressivcncss. Such occurrence that AT Dss
Mones would be utterly impossible IN ~. New York
lodge. The commission of the on'ragc-:or {, can
be called nothing cse-,ha, resulted fatally
not. therefore, be laid 20 the Orier O, Elks. Moth
Ing ls further from Tho principles .rcuca'ci hy the
order II must be laid Il n" door ~ the ndi-
viduals who grossly violated 'he rules o, the
fraternity 20 which they bo,ong. On them alone ,he
blame mus. e
Il canno, speak with authority. ~ course. bu, I
shall be vastly surprised II the Des Molucs lodge
does no. cease 20 exist soon the Grand Lodge
has tine 20 oct"
Thomas j. Brogan. the presiding oriccr OF the
New-York oiTe o. Fiks. spoke IN a similar fashion
NO fuch ih'rg coii happen bN any poselblll'y IN
The New-York lodge" said he. "or for the matter
Of that, In any weil-regua'ed lodge o. Elks in the
country. The sad affair Will bc greater shock 20
E.ks all the land than 70 anybody else but
nobody is responsible save IN" individuals who per-
mittcd the outrage"
The death OF Mr. Curry under such Circumstances
has given rise TO a deal OF comment the different
forms OF Initiation said 10 be- coun,enanc"d by
OF the secret fra,ernlos. Nobody wonders at foo.-
ish pranks played by college boys in their fra,er-
nifty initiations but II is matter Of surprise 20
many people that grown men, who do not NANTES;
any symptoms OF .mmaturl,y IN other ways should
siill md pleasure In perpctraiing upon a helpless
victim pranks. many OF wh!cA are childish and some
OF which crim!nally foolish. The bare posi-
bi.ity OF a;a termination 20 any form Of in!ta-
ton. I; might BE- thought. would be sufficient
deter reasonable beings from either submitting to It
perpetrating H.