Crawford avalanche. (Grayling, Mich.) 1879-19??, 1897-10-07

The visitors were compelled to carry the
paraphernalia from the Office to the river,
as no drayman would haul them. They
took portion of the books to the steam
er and then decided to send the remainder
by express at q o'clock.
When Lieut.. Gov. Northcott and
General Reece started for the depot
to take train, they were fol-
lowed by a crowd and pelted with to-
matoes. They took refuge in the Wood
men Office. Afterward they attempted to
board the Burlington train going south
at G:10. The crowd was at the depot, and
when Mr.. Reece showed himself it was a
signal for the opening of hostilities. Mr..
Reece was pounded and cuffed, but sue
ceeded in boarding the train, where he
was further assaulted while on the way to
Clinton. Mr.. Northcott was frightened
at the outbreak and succeeded in return
ing to the waiting room, which was sur
rounded by the crowd, which kept grow
ing. He was kept a prisoner there until
8 o'clock, the citizens preventing seriOIs
outbreak.
Sheriff Fuller requested Gov. Tanner
to send militia. Major Anthony of Sterl-
ing, Captain McGrath and forty members
of Company G of Dixon, and fifty deputy
sheriffs from Sterling arrived at 0:17
o'clock. All was quiet when the company
arrived. At 1910 o'clock Mr.. Northcott
boarded north-bound train for Savanna,
after being detained for four hours. The
militia, under Mr.. Northcotts orders,
were sent to the head clerks Office to
guard it and assist with the remainder of
the removal.
History of the Trouble,
The controversy of the Modern Wood
men is an old one. In 1883 the several
camps then in convention at Fulton, ILL.,,
organized what was termed the Head
Camp. A charter was secured and the
perpetual Office of the Head Camp was
located by the charter granted by the Sec
retary Of the State of Illinois at Fulton.
There was a board of eleven directors
or executive committee, charged with the
administration of the order. The order
prospered and the Head Camp at Fulton
became a matter of local Importance. All
Of the money received for death benefits
was sent to the town. The postoflice in
creased in business and classification. The
local banks reaped the benefit Of the de-
posit of the money and large number of
people were given employment.
In 1890 the organization had number
of State camps and an element in the or
der began to chafe over the Head Camp.
1t was claimed that the State organiza-
tions forming n national organization had
an undoubted right to administer the bust
ness of the order, and the result of con-
vention Mt Springfield was the prevalence
OF the opinion that the camp headquarters
should be removed to Rock Island. The
old board OF trustees, by amendment, was
cut down to five and the outsiders. as the
people of Fulton term the members al
large, secured control of the order.
Repeated efforts to remove the head
quarters to Rock Island were foiled by
the rival organization at Fulton, which
asserted that the old board was still in
power by virtue Of the charter, and the
building erected at Rock Island has never
yet been occupied.
The people Of Rock Island began to take
an interest in the controversy. They
wanted the headquarters, and after legal
Instructions were placed in their way they
resorted to force. One night three months
ago train load of Rock Island people
made an attack on Fulton. The sally was
repulsed, number of people being in.
jured in the riot that followed the attempt
to capture the headquarters. Since then