The Worcester spy. [volume] (Worcester, Mass.) 1898-1904, 1899-09-22

The police were calico TO take a ndnG
in the troubles of Court Thomas E.
Cunningham F. of A., last evening, and
before they could quell the disturbances
caused by the McNally and the anti
McNany factions they were obliged to
take the books and the ritual of the
court to the police station.
Several members got into games of
fsticuffs, and Chief Ranger James A.
several members of the court. He re-
fused to make any complaints, how
ever.
Shortly after the meeting was called
which was presided over by Sub-Chief
Ranger j. William Swallow, the chief
ranger, James A. Quinn, came in and
insisted upon taking his seat. With two
presiding officers the lodge room was
soon in an uproar. Chief Ranger Quinn
read the ritual of the order, and after
going through the usual formalities of
the meeting he declared it closed.
At that juncture, it is claimed by the
chief ranger that one of the opposition
recording secretarys books. He made
haste to intercept the offending mem
Der and was quickly the leading figure
in a row. He claims that he was as
saulted by several members. The depu-
" of the court, Philip B. Ronayne,
rushed out of the lodge room. Later
police officers under Acting Sergt.
George P. Delaney charged the COM
batants and cleared the room of the bell
ligerents.
officer Thomas Hurley, who was in
the squad was recognized as being a
good man to hold the court property,
and both sides were satisfied in the
turning over of the books and ritual to
his care They are now at the station,
and will only be delivered up to the
proper authority.
The first meeting which was called
to order by SubChief Ranger j. Will
liam Swallow. was opened at 1857, some
little time before the chief ranger reach
ed the hall. The meeting was well under
way when Chief Ranger James A.
Quinn arrived at the lodge rooms. He
at once called upon the members who
had been suspended by the grand chief
ranger, Daniel F. Fitzgerald, to leave
the hall. This the 28 suspended mem
bers, which included the presiding Off
Ger. refused to do. Thereupon, Chief
Ranger Quinn mounted the pedestal of
the presiding officer, and the meeting
3 proceeded most inharmoniously with
two presiding officers.
When the fight was precipitated by
the action of the unknown member OF
the court trying to get the books of the
recording secretary and the chief ranger
taking issues with him, the police Off.
GERS We're called upon to prevent riot
Chief Ranger James A. Quinn wher
seen by The Spy reporter in regard
to the affair. said: when l arrived al
the hall, I found that the place was
in possession of the 2S suspended mem.
bers Of the court with the sub-chiei
ranger. ]. William Swallow also {
suspended member, in the chair. Thi.
was about three minutes before the reg.
ular time for the meeting. l went t.
the centre of the hall and spoke to the
members, and said that those of the
suspended members who We're present
at the meeting must obey the orders
of the grant chief ranger, d. F. Fitz-
gerald, and leave the hall.
'At the very instant that I ceased
talking, the gang began to shout and hol.
Ter, and I could not make myself heard
then mounted the platform and
and took my seat in front of the sub
chief. shutting him off. After read
ing the ritual, the senior woodward no.
tilted me that manV of the suspended
members of the court were present al
the meeting. l then repeated my for
mer request that they should leave the
hall, and appealed to them as Forest.
ers and brothers to leave, but the only
answer that | received was yelling
from the floor.
II then called upon the deputy of the
court Philip B. Ronayne, to read the
general laws of the court in relation to
suspended members. Then | requested
that they should leave the hall they
still refused, and | thereupon ordered
the meeting closed. Then a member
whom / do not know rushed for the
hooks. which were under the care OF
the recording secretary, pro tenn, Pat
rick e. Kneeland. Seeing the move. /
rushed from the platform TO the desk
Of the recording secretary to help Knee
land out. When / reached the desk,
Thomas r. Dean, past chief ranger of
the court, struck me twice. Another
member by the name of Kelliher caught
me under the armpits and squeezed me
and prevented me from pulling out my
billy" Then quite a crowd gathered
about me and rushed me toward the
window
| then took out my club and tried in
effectually to use it, but couldn't, there
being from eight to ten men on me
at the time. They took the books away
. from me and put them on the desk of
the sub-chief The row then ceased for
the time being, until went TO The sub
chief rangers desk to get the books.
Then the row started all over again. |
was damned under the seats and the
book taken away from me. At that
time some one put his hand in my
pocket. and yelled that man bad his