The Guthrie daily leader. [volume] (Guthrie, Okla.) 1893-1996, 1905-04-04
IS OF HUMAN INTEREST
Letter Written to Modern
Woodmen by A. c.
Hixon.

4 An interesting itilcc prition hy a. c.
Iiixon clerk of rho Gufhric camp az Mod
tin Woodnan appearod in this months
is4ie g lhe Moiefuu Noodman, the
orders nationh orEan This letter is
otnionstfatiVe of what orders Of this na-
ters are capable v doing for their mem-
l.ere The oaee herein mentioned has
rsver been brought to the pubiics att
ttntion and is worthy uf reproducing. lt
is oi extreme human interest The fol-
iowinE Is the letter.
Guthrie okia.--F O. Van Calder Bdi-
tor aio0grp Wopinisn wish to give you
n few facts .n regard to a case OF fater-
iiaiisn shown by our fellow woodmen 70
q strange neighbor in a strange land. on
Apfn 81, 1898. Atnon Aiecks was adopetd
Into orr society by Camp 6Ss7 at Guthrie.
okla, and in about ten days DE lett this
cotin5rs for Seattle, Wash Ie paid one
srsessment ~ forty cents when adopted.
'raen the time came for che next assess
flent 7 could rot End him ] az once
stt out TO locate him, Ia the meantime
Z personally paid his assessments for
-lout six or seven months. when I To-
sated him through the clerk Of sumas.
wash, Camy. who informed me that he
lad been wa-king IN shingle min near
there for some five or six months. then
v1cie this clerk to have Neighbor Meeks
wfite 10 me or TO his father. sod also 20
lct me know what he was going to do
about his back dues which nad paid for
lm. His father came and told me he
had a letter from his son asking him to
Jay me what his son owed. which he dld.
This was the FIRST the father knew to
really BELONGED 10 any His father also
asked me ii it was any good. told him
~ should keep tive assessments M. AS
she boy was away from home and he
rcedcd protection oi the best kind From
that time the father paid the assessments.
on Deceuhes 4s.tI received word from
Ntiehbor ,. II. Booher clerk Of the camp
at Pleasanton. Neb.. that Athon Meeks
who claimed 70 belong TO Camp 6Sg7. had
lcen kicked IN the head by "a horse while
working Tor W. NJ Sheen. five miles from
thcir little en- y One eye hna been knocked
cut and his nose and cheelSbone broken
Iefore we could get word TO Pleasanton
Camp telling them what 70 dc. received
another letter from them stating that
thcy had taken the ease in their hands
sm3 had had am operation performed ia
case was IN fine shape when on January
20 Neighbor Meeks. thinking he was
fcll enough 10 go about. against the
wishes Of the family with whom he was
staying. rode hcfso to the field where
The men were working. lie caught cold
iss his head which caused an abaess In the
wound. and he died the same night.
Pleasanton camp al once notified us boy
cuuid not stand the trip. he asked me to
make il. which I did We Immediately
is.legraphsd the camp TO prepare the body
Ter shipment ! started on Sunday, Jam
'ary q. and arrived at Fleasanton on the
18Th. having to make twenty-five miles
overland In buggy. with the thernone-
'er ten degrees below zero found every
MUIR in first-class shape. just as well a.
u ] hao beer there myself The body was
~ charge OF the pieasanton camp and
was neatly arranged Tor shipment
took the body 20 Crenola <as where the
father and relatives. also the member,
ot Grenola Camp. met me and we laid
tie remains 10 rest by the side Of his
r'oiher Pieasanton Canp was ln direct
communication with thy Nelghbor dur
'ng an Of his illaoss and guaranteed an
liils. both 90 ihe doctor and the man
ihr whom me had been working They
directed them 20 give an the care nocos-
sa5y They also paid an undertaken to
come tweniy-three miles to embalm tho
corpse, bought the caalyet and paid all
other expensfs. and they aid not have the
ieast guarantee of a cent OF h back.
ceiy depending on his father Tor relief.
Neighhor Meeks' father was depending
on the Woodmeu certificate which was
the greatest thing ia the world TO the
father and his fauily Tor they have Moth