The Portland daily press. [volume] (Portland, Me.) 1862-1921, 1898-08-24
KNIGHTS OF PYTHIAS.
Supreme Lodge Now In Session at Indi-
annapolis,

Indianapolis, Ind, August 23.-The
supreme lodge. Knights of Pythias, be-
gan its biennial session ct the hall of the
house of Representatives at the state
capitol this morning The supreme off,
GERS were escorted to the state house by
the supreme representatives and a special
guard of honor from the Uniform Rank.
Caleb S. Denny, ex mayor of lndianapo.
lis, who is chairman of the citizens exc
cutive committee, called the meeting to
order Mayor Taggart made brief ad-
dress of welcome. On behalf Of the state
uf Indiana, Gov. Mount welcomed the
lodge and on behalf of the grand lodge
of Indiana Grand Chancellor Hunt made
an address of welcome.
Supreme Chancellor ColgroVe replied for
the supreme lodge.
The supreme lodge is in poor financial
condition, having less than SlO,oOo on
hand, and this fact has caused some cr1ti-
clsm among the officers.
Ihe supreme lodge late this afternoon
appointed an investigating committee to
ascertain who furnished charges OF mis-
conduct recently published 1t Is the In
tention to expel the offending member.
not only from the supreme lodge, but
from the order and there is talk OF suits
charges. "-,-
IL is Inls condition Of affairs that has
caused discrimination on the part of the
supreme lodge to change the manner or
raising revenues. 1t is the intention to
have passed by Congress and state legisla.
lures, bills to raise this money by tax
levied on each member of the order.
There is considerable opposition to this
plan and hot fight is anticipated.
A hard fight is teing made against the
present officers, but it Is thought they
will ha ro- IoCtad hot no ri
Shively of Richmond. Ind, il leading for
the position of vice-chancellor. There are
about 1000 strangers in the city, of
whom about l5,0 00 are In uniform. More
than 5000 members of subordinate lodges
are in attendance. The great Pythiau
parade this afternoon was witnessed by
about $4,000 people. About IL. 900 mem
bers of the Uniform rank and 5000 MEM
bers OF the subordinate lodges partici
patcd. 1t was the largest secret society
parade ever held In this city.
The meeting in point of attendance is
successful beyond expectation. Careful
estimates secured from railroad officials
show that since Saturday 70, 600 people
have been brought to the city.
The most important feature of today's
programme was thu big parade. Careful
estimates place the number of men in
line at $4,000, of which 10, 900 were mem
bers of the Uniform Rank, led by Major
General Carnahan. Gov. Mount rode
hor-e in the parade.
The weather was intensely hot, and
several hundred were forced to leave the
parade at different times.
Next to the parade the most important
event was the converting of the supreme
lodge in the House of Representatives at
8 o'clock. Welcoming addresses were
made by Gov. Mount and Mayor TagRart,
and Supreme Chancellor Colgrove also
crofro haha1f of tho 1odoa Tn the
outive session Supreme Keeper of Record
an Seal H. /. G. White, asked for
hearing on the ground of per sonal priv
ilege. He said that the officers of the su-
preme lodge had been attacked and
charges made against them, which should
be Investigated. II these charges were
true, then the men were not tit for their
position. If the charges were not true,
the man or men who had made them were
not fit to be Pythians or members OF the
supreme lodge. The members appointed
to investigate the charge were: Gale OF
Massachusetts, Bangs of North Dakota.
Watson of Indiana, Daniels of Idaho ana
Richardson of Virginia.
During the business session the renre-
sentatives of the officers were distributed.
5.The Knights of Khorrasan had no ses-
sion today on account of the parade. Ihe
supreme tribunal began its sessions and
will continue throughout the week. No
cases of importance were considered to-
day The Rathbone sisters held their first
business session today with full atten-
dance and the reports of officers were re-
ceiyed.
! This evening reception was givon at
the Hotel English by Supreme Chief Ida
Wheeler.
The Pythian Sistsrhood will not get
down to work till tomorrow The prize
drill begins tomorrow at the Newly Oval
track. Camp Colgrove and the Uniform
Rank will be inspected.