The daily morning journal and courier., 1898-02-26
THE KNIGHTS TEMPLAR


 March 14-La Rue Thomas Guest of Honor-Grand Reception and Festiv- ities to be Rendered in Hartford-No- table Features of the Event-Annual Conclave of the Grand Commandery. Hartford Feb. 25.-The annual con- clave of the Connecticut Commandery, Knights Templar, which will be held here March 15, will be made the occa- sion for one of the grandest Knights Templar demonstrations that has taken place in this city. Mir. s. M Bronson, who is the grand commander this year, is a distinguished represen- tative of Washington commandery
 The grand master of the grand en- campment of the United States, La Rue Thomas of Baltimore, is to be the guest of the grand commandery, and will be here with noted members of his staff. The Hon. H. Wales Lines of Meriden, who is. the grand treasurer of the grand encampment and grand representatives of the grand com mandery of Connecticut in the states of Massachusetts, New York and New Hampshire, will also be present. Tn view of these facts Washington con-
 
 tion to the grand commandery, and the distinguished Knights Templar, who are to be here.
 The reception will take place at Foot Guard armory Monday evening, March IA. It will inaugurate with unusual felicities and honors the administra- tion of the new eminent commander, Philo w. Newton, who has recently entered upon the duties of the com membership for the year. The gentral committee of arrangements, which has been appointed for the event, consists of Eminent Commander Philo w. New ton, Past Grand Commander Charles E. Billings, Past Eminent Commanders J. H. Jarman, Edward Mahl, A. D. Newton. H. B. Philbrick, Rial S. Peck and Normand F. Allen, Milo w. Graves, Samuel Bassett of New Brit ain, l.. l.. Ellsworth, George N. Delap, Frederick w. Payne, William G. Sim mons, R. N. Fitz Gerald and R. P. | Martin.
 | The reception committee will consist of Past Eminent Commander of Wash ington Commandery, Ex-Mayor John G. Root of this city is the ranking past
 
 | chairman of this committee. He is also one of the past grand commanders or the state. His associates on the re- ception committee will be Charles b. Billings, S. M. Bronson, Watson H. | Bliss, Stephen Ball, w. w. Goodell Isaiah Baker, Jr., Rial S. Peck, Charles 5. Davidson, H. B. Philbrick, H. Le Roy Woodland, James H. Jarman, Ed 1 ward Mahl, Arthur D. Newton and Norman F. Allen. The reception at the Foot Guard armory will begin at D. m.
 | At five o'clock Monday afternoon the grand master, La Rue Thomas will be entertained at dinner with the mem- bers of his staff by the officers of the grand commandery. The grand mas ter of the order in this country is the representative of the Travellers Life Insurance company in Baltimore and is not a stranger in this city Martin A. Smith of Suffield, treasurer of the Suffield Savings bank, had the honor of knighting the distinguished templar Mr. Smith, who was years ago princi- pal of the Connecticut Lietrary In stitute is part grand commander of tiic oldle OL helluChy. I1o IS dlSO d past commander of the celebrated S-16-22 Maysville commandery of Maysville, Kentucky.
 l The general committee held an im- portant meeting Tuesday night, at the Masonic Temple, and laid out the gene ral plans for the great Masonic event | that is now so near at hand. The su- | bordinate committees were selected as far as practicable. A press committee was selected, consisting of Normand | r. Allen, R. P. Martin and Philo w.. Newton. The next meeting of the commandery will be held Tuesday night of next week, when the arrange ments will be completed for the recep- | tion.
 The annual conclave of the grand commandery will be held on Tuesday, March 15. The sessions will take place in Masonic Temple.
 l General Thomas is a man of fine per- sonal appearance, well over six feet in height, and about fifty years of age. He has filled all the positions in the grand bodies of Kentucky. He was elected grand junior warden of the grand encampment at Chicago, and was elected to his present position at the Boston conclave in 1895.
 The next triennial conclave will be | held at Pittsburg, Pa., this year, and | Washington commandery has voted to attend as an organization. |