Iron County register. [volume] (Ironton, Iron County, Mo.) 1867-1965, 1897-07-01
NUMBER 1.
Cara from mr.. Masohmeyer.
POPLAR RLnFE. Mo. May 81. 9


Mr. Etitof-In the REGISTER of May
21st. you publish an article concerning
the writer rs an Odd Fellow. The
tenor of the article may be miseon-
strued by the readers of the REGISTER
at large, and you therefore will please
to publish an explanation also.
The trouble of members of the late
Pilot Knob Lodge. No. 156, |. o. o. F.,
with Iron Lodge, No. 107. is known to
the Odd Fellows and some outsiders
only, not to the public at large. The
last regular meeting OF Pilot Knob
Lodge in June, 80, was opened in reg
District Deputy Grand Master in his
official capacity, to make a quorum fot.
opening. This official was, in the
course of business asked, if the Lodge
could make a donation to the Lodge
Treasurer. he knew exactly for what
purpose, and he decided with this, his
own words, 1.-The Lodge has the right,
and it is undoubtedly lawful to make
the donation"
"A motion to this effect was made,
carried and the donation unanimous
6. NJ. is the only ana solely cause of
the trouble; if the motion and the ae-
ton were illegal, he ought to over
ruled it; the Lodge would have sub
mit:ed, and peace preserved.
For the votes and consequent actions
thereupon, the Lodge Treasurer, an
old, honest, faithful Odd Fellow, was
expelled in November 80, and the
writer in January 90, under the charge
of illegal appropriation of Lodge funds.
| never had, nor received any Lodge
funds, except the collections had to
make as Secretary, which | paid over
to the Treasurer every evening, and
my Secretary fee. The report to the
authority by the d. ID. G. NJ. must
have been very incomplete, and he
must not have reported his decisions.
the cause of the trouble. The Grand
Master approved the expulsion. l ap-
pealed to the Grand Lodge. The
charge could not be upheld, and the
case was referred back to Iron Lodge,
or the same jurors. who had voted for
the expulsion in May, 90. The arti-
Gle referred to above, says "a reao
trial sods had and the Brother again
expelled" 1t is untrue, had no new
trial.
Seven months after the Grand Lodge
session, on Sunday, December goth,
90, summon of Iron Lodge, to ap-
pear in Ironton, Saturday evening.
December 18th, before committee
for re-hearing, dated Ironton, Decem-
Der 14th, and directed to Poplar Bluff,
while I was in De Soto, where / have
been all summer, came to hand.
had arrived here from De Soto, Thurs
day evening, December 18th. | noti-
fed Iron Lodge on same day, Sunday,
of this occurrence, letter must have ar
rived before its regular meeting on
Monday evening, but Notwithstanding
this fact. the Lodge charged me with
contempt for not appearing. when
summoned by the Committee, and
summoned again to appear in lronton.
December 2Sth. to answer to this
charge of contempt in open Lodge. Is
there any common sense in sach ac-
tion9 Was there any cause for con-
tempt for not appearing in Ironton on
18th, if the summons for such appear
ance reached me Oh the goth? call
ed it spiteful farce. Not being able
to 90 to Ironton December 2Sth. the
case was postponed to January 18th.
81, with the threat of expulsion, il |
would not be present, letter being dat
ed December 29th. 90, and was the
last | ever heard or received from Iron
Lodge. I was unable to attend to any
summon.
The threat of expulsion | could not
consider as the fact of being expelled
for contempt and not having received
any notice whatsoever OF the latter
fact, could not. see any cause for TAX
ing the prescribed steps for an appeal;
aud waited until should receive fur
ther information.
This, the notice of my published ex-
pulsion | received from members OF
Poplar Bluff Lodge. The Grand Mas
ter, being again informed incorrect,
had approved the expulsion on the
ground, | having had new trial and
being informed of my expulsion, which
is, as said above, untrue, | appealed
to the Judiciary Committee, and it dis
missed my case, for not having taken
an appeal as prescribed by the laws OF
the Order.
There was no action to my knowl-
edge, consequently no cause for an
appeal, as | was informed year ago
by the D. d. G. NJ Baldwin in exactly
the similar case. These are the true
facts. leave the judgment to the COM
munity, how friendship. brotherly love
aud truth is sometimes construed ir
the Lodges.
Well. Iron Lodge received all il
wanted. needed and only cared for
tbs money OF Pilot Knob Lodge, but
not its members.
CHAs MAsCHMEYER.