The Columbia herald. [volume] (Columbia, Tenn.) 18??-1935, 1901-09-06
A WOMAN Who
LEARNED THE
SECRETS OF
MASONRY AND
KEPT THEM.

The grand conclave of the Knights
Templar in Louisville this week has
brought forth the following interesting
article in the Louisville Courier-Journal
of Tuesday, about a woman who cave
dropped a Masonic lodge room and was
discovered and compelled to take the
first degree, on penalty of death.
Says the Courler-JOurnal
at is generally believed that the Sc
erets of Masonry have been poured only
into male ears, but ii is mistake, as
several women have by accident been
made acquainted with the mysteries
of the order, only to have their lips
sealed as tight as the mems Perhaps
the most notable Of these cases was
that of Elizabeth st. Leger, who re-
ceived about the year 1875, the first
and second degrees in Lodge No. A,
at Doneraile, Ireland Miss st.
Leger was the daughter of the Right
Hon. st. Leger, first Viscount
Doneraile, of Ireland. She was born in
tf18. Her father died in 1921 and
was succeeded W his eldest son, who
was elected Master of the Lodge in
1875, and frequently had the ceremonies
held at his residence instead OF in the
town at the usual meeting place 1t
was during one of these gatherings
at Doneraile House that Miss 81
Leger then twenty one years old. be-
came heroine. An aristocratic
lodge, and consisting principally OF the
gentry and most respectable and
wealthy citizens of the country around
Doneraile, No "A, was attended on this
night by the very best members.
Miss st. Leger, with the other
women of the family, had retired to
apartments far removed from the lodge
room before the assembling began,
but being thoughtless and determined
to crafty her curiosity, she soon
slipped to the room adjoining the
lodge. A stud and brick wall was be-
tween but it took a very short time
for her to remove part Of a brick from
the partition, which gave her full view
of everything occurring in the next
room. SO placed, she witnessed the
first two degrees, which was the extent
of the proceedings for the night.
'Made suddenly aware by what the
Masons said that when they were about
depart she for the first time felt
tremblingly alive to the awkwardness
and danger of her situation. Her
nervousness aud agitation rapidly IN :
creased, and in attempting to With
draw from the place quickly she struck
an ornamental piece OF furniture,
which fell to the floor. The crash was
loud Now thoroughly sterrlhed she
tried once more to extricate herself
from the folly, when the Tiler, who
l,nl hanr1 hn hurst fnn
door, and with light in one hand and
drawn sword in the other appeared
to the Mortified aud fainting lady.
The alarm having been given, the
members OF the lodge present rushed
into the room, luckily for Miss st.
Leger, as it is asserted that but for the
prompt appearance of her brother,
Lord Doneraile, her life would have
fallen sacrifice to what was then es-
teemed her crime. After being re-
suscitated and confessing, she was
placed under guard of two men, while
the members reassembled and de-
liberated on what was to be done.
During a two hours discussion her
death was deliberately proposed and
seconded. At length those in favor of
the severest measures were won over
to the side of the calmer thinking
members, whereupon it was resolved
to give the woman the option of sub
hitting to the Masonic ordeal to the
extent she had witnessed Entered APP
prentice and Fellow Craft. Exhausted
and terrified by the storminess of the
debate, which she could not avoid
partially hearing, she unhesitatlngly
accented the offer and was accordingly
initiated none of the rest of the
family. which was undisturbed, dur
ing the long ceremonies, being the
wiser.
subsequently to her initiation into
the mysteries Of Masonry Miss st. Leger
married Richard Aldworth, Esq. of
Newmarket in the country of Cork,
She lived many years and never for
got the lessons of charity and fraternal
love taught her ON that night, nor the
oath she took to keep secret the things
she saw and heard.