Evening times-Republican. [volume] (Marshalltown, Iowa) 1890-1923, 1902-11-13
Nebraska Grand Master Warns
Lodges Against Imposter
in Masonic Guise
MAKES GLIB SPEECHES AND eEes
Tells Hard Luck Story to Brother
Masons, Gets Assistance and Then
Chilly Thanks Them in Lodge Meet
inss-Goes Under Various Assumed
Names.

Cedar Rapids, Nov. 13.-The MEM
bers of the Masonic fraternity in this
jurisdiction have been warned of a
travelling fraud in this state BY Grand
Master Ayers of Nebraska. The fellow
has been working the charitably in
clined members of the craft in some
of the cities of this state and the adj
jacent states and the dangers of arrest
conviction and imprisonment do not
seem to daunt him. Grand Master Ay-
ers says:
'There has been a fraud travelling
in Nebraska, who has given the name
of Albert B. Engle, A. G. Barrett, John
S. Bitzel, - Schmitzer and l do not
know how many others. He has given
his membership as Harmony No. Ito,
also Leavitt and Crockville NO. 34o,
PENNSYLVANIA, none of which agree with
names and numbers as furnished by
the grand lodge of Pennsylvania. l
have endeavored to head this fraud OFT
in Nebraska, Kansas and Missouri, but
Just learned that few days ago he was
in Des Moines, Iowa. He is a pension
er, but I have not at hand personal
description of him. He is an unmiti-
gated fraud and we'll posted. You Will
no doubt hear of him If you have not
already seen his tracks in your juris-
diction."
This Engle is the same man who
was arrested in Davenport couple OF
years ago on the charge of forgery and
obtaining money under false pretenses.
He blew into that city with two COM
panions, young men, whom he claimed
We're his sons, and he sought one of the
members Of the relief committee of
Trinity lodge, No. EOS, to whom he told
hard luck story with all the candor
of the professional beggar. He was
escorted to the Germania House in that
city and provided with lodgings for
himself and companions, and with
meals the following day. He had told
the proprietor. who was Mason, and
the other members of the relief COM
mittee, that he belonged to the fraterni-
ty, and apparently showed every evil
dence that he did. He attended meet
ing of Trinity lodge the evening or two
after his arrival, and at the close of
the regular business was invited to make
a few remarks. He did 1t with a degree
of seeming pleasure and with the I'M
ruffled manners of man whose dis
honest motives could have been hidden
only by the most consumate gall. He
stated to the members of the lodge
present that he had visited number OF
lodges In Kansas, where he met with
misfortune, and at number of other
places. and complimented the lodge on
its fine lodge room and the interest in
the work manifested. He was q very
glib talker and not for moment dur
ing the ten minutes that he occupied
the floor did he seem to hesitate for
words to express his qualification at the
spirit of fraternity that actuated the
members and his own devotion to the
principles of the order.
The next day members Of the fra
ternity received information that the
man was an imposter and in one OF the
Masonic journals due about that time
was portrait and full description of
him. He was arrested and sent to jail
on one of the charges and was later
held to the grand jury on the other. AT
the next term of the district court he