The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1902-11-30
FEW INITIATION TRICKS.
secret Societies Discourage Violence ~ .
Huie Now adays.


A man died 81 frigh, several years ago
in the West a. the result OF an initiation
into a secret society. Since then violence
as a feature of limitations has gone out Of
fashion.
One or two Western benefit orders lost
Ia a week the prestige 1t had taken years
to build up because Of tricks played on
candidates, and as a result orders were
sent GU, 10 lodges by the supreme bodies
to cut monkey shines out Of Invitations
and to make initiation proceedings At
dignified as possible.
Lately some lodges In the East and South
have shown a DISPOSE, ion TO return to the
old custom Of subjecting candidates To
violence. In South Carolina suit for
s25 900 damages is now pending against a
camp Of tho Woodmen Of the World.
While the candidate was blindfolded a
vicious goat WAS sent at him and as "A IT,
suit Of the goats attack the mat was seri-
ously injured. II was great fun for the
members Of the camp, but 1t may cos, them
many thousands Of dollars.
Brooklyn Is hotbed Of secret and bene-
At orders and although most Of them are
conducted in digniied and orderly way
there are several lodges which still employ
violence IN their initiation exercises.
One chapter of n secret lenciit order has
a man III the uniform OF policeman who
breaks into the lodge room III the lnio.st of
the initiation ceremony and arrests the
car didate. The thing il done in very
realistic fashion, and rarely fails To scare
the candidate.
The programme If for the policeman 10
insist on taking the candidate to III. station
house az once, ard for the members TO de-
clare that they will not permit a brother to
be arrested There it. a warm dispute and
then one member strikes the policeman.
The latter pulls out stuffed club and
bats the candidate on the head with il
Pretending 10 assist the candidate the mem
bers ali pull stuffed clubs from hiding places
and there Is a general miA-up.
Somehow or other the ca. ditiate II always
kept in the miCst of the broil. ard althol g.
the policeman ard the members keep ul
pretrnce Of striking at each other, all
Of the blows land on the heao of the can.
didate This rather Violent FUN II kept
up until the members get tired, or The
| candidate gets angry and begins To fight
back.
In several other Brooklyn lodges the
regular joke on candidates il to give then
an electric shock In ore lodge crownt
Of light metal are placed on the altar, an6
| in the presence Of the candidate each mem
her picks one up and places II on Ills head
When The candidat" goes to pick his up he
finds that il is heavily charged with cleo
tricity.
In still another lodge the candidate il
| in ited to take the secret symbol II th'
| order from it's hiding place When he goe'
| to pick it up he gets shock that lays hin
| fat on his back.
Tricks of this kind are discouraged b,
! the conservative members 81 secret orders
| They say that such practices deter men from
| joining the lodges, ard there II no doub
| that they do to a certain extent.
| Fortunately for the vitality of the order
| few If the lodges or chapters indulge in thin
kind of htlfroonerv row. Those that q,
| are we'll known, especially in Brooklyn
| and il is noticed that their membership
does not increase very much.