The daily Republican., 1902-11-01
STATUS OF THE
| COLORED MASON.
|Eennessee Court by Decision
Shows York Masons Only
III Legitimate Body.

An officer of one of the Whining
ION lodges of colored Masons, re-
qucsts the publication of the follow
4 Ing:
Captain w. D. Matthews, of
Il Leavenworth, Kansas, has returned
( from Chattanooga, Tenn, where he
was interested in lawsuit involv-
y ing a question of much Importance
A TO colored Masons throughout the
\ United States
While in that city Captain Mat
thews had the pleasure of meeting
b and shaking hands with President
Roosevelt at the Reeds hotel.
Regarding the matter which took
Captain Matthews to Chattanooga
the Chattanooga Times has the fol-
lowing to say:
'sThe court house was a scene
u Tuesday, the 9th instant, OF far
reaching controversy between Free
ana Accepted Ancient York Masons
/ national compacD under the ma
tional grand mastership of Capt.
w. D. Matthews, of worth,
Kansas, and the so.called Free and
Accepted or State Rite Masons I'M
der the grandmastership of j. A.
Henry, of Chattanooga, Tenn.
The cause Of the indictment and
arrangement for trial of p. Z. A. Van.
Y noy, a member of one Of the subordl-
nate lodges working under NJ. w.
Y Prince Hall, grand lodge of Tennessee,
a regularly warranted grand lodge
under the national grand lodge, upon
Il the charge of grand larceny. The
+ suit was instituted by J. A, Henry,
grand master Of the so.caled Free
and Accepted Masons (co!ored) Of
Tennessee against 2. E. Vannoy be-
cause the defendant seized a dlsDen-
sation and warrant issued by M. w.
Prince Hall grand lodge Free and
Accepted Ancient York MaSons ina.
tional compacD Of Tennessee, found
in the unlawful possession or said
Grand Master ]. A. Henry and re-
3 turned the said dispensation and war;
rant to Grand Master j. NJ. Cornell,
Of NJ. W. Prince Hail grand lodge.
r he witnesses for the state We're:
Grand Master j. A. Henry aud
three youths. The witnesses for de-
PENDANT were Messers. F. j. Kidd
ii of Knoxville, Tenn; R. CIV. sec
rotary of M. w, Prince Hall grand
lodge; Capt. w. D. sMatthews, OF
Leavenworth, Kan, M. w. national
G.. NJ: Revs J R. l.. Williams, OF
Chattanooga, Tenn, M. W. grand
master of NJ. w. Merriam grand
lodge of Florida: N. S Brown, OF
Opelika, Ala, NJ w. grand master
of NJ. w. Olive branch grand lodge
of Alabama; j. NJ. Cornell, Of Chat,
tanooga, Tenn. grand master otM. W.
PrinceHall,grand lodge of Tennessee
Allen, of Macon, Ga, NJ, W. grand
A.B.master of NJ. w Smooth Ashlar
grand lodge of Georgia, and c.
Harolde Uggans, of Charleston 5.
c. NJ. w. national corresponding
secretary besides documentary evid.
snces from other states and terrltor'
les, all working under Free and Ac
repted Ancient Masons, nation com
pact, showing that that is the leg
innate body Of colore1 Masons in
the United States of n. A. Tho
great question virtually involved il
The important case was which ono
Of these Masonic bodies is the or
iginal and legitimate body Of coloret
MasOns.
By the iury's verdict of acquitta]
Of P. T. A VannOy it was showl
ronclusively that the Free and Ac
copied Ancient York MasOns is the
legitimate body Of colored MaSon
and has a right to establish CRANE
and subordinate lodges in the Unit
sd States of North America.
NOTICE
Notice Is hereby given that Capt
W. D. Matthews. NJ. W, natiOna
grand master Of all Legitimate col
pred MasOns in the /. 5. OF n. A
Of grand lodges on bahama Island
and South Africa all Of Prince Hal
origin. upon all grand masters 0
other Masons Of sO-raIlel FREQ an
Accepted Masons lcolored that 10
any interference, SEIZURE or holding
of its property, reflective speech
slanderUus remarks with the right
of its grand or subordinate lodge
there will be prompt prosecution
both civilIy and criminalIy to til,
fullest extent Of tie law.
CAPT, W. ID, MATTHEWS
a. &, - y