The Washington bee., 1907-07-13

lectively, for mankind to form a more
perfect union, or to explain any course
of conduct which afferts the public
society, church or state, the individual
or body Of men ought not to shrink from
the plain duty.
For two months and half a revolu-
which threatens the perpetuity of the
ton has been going on in the Order
Order, and feeling that the sovereign
people ought to be advised, and have
not been advised, take this opportunity
to advise you of the conduct of those
whom you have trusted with the life
and prosperity of the Order. To wit:
On the I4th instant Grand Master w.
l. Houston and Grand Secretary J. F.
Needham did issue a proclamation, set
ting for tn certain allegations pertaining
to the D. G. L. of Alabama, and recon-
vening the same in annual session in
the city of Montgomery. March I9,
1907.
The same proclamation was published
in the Odd Fellows Journal, the official
organ of the Order, and was issue as the
opinion of the S. c. NJ, rendered at
its annual meeting January 1910, 1907.
Now, therefore, in view of this un-
precedented action of the S. c. NJ, so
revolutionary in character, and consti-
tuting a menace against the perpetuity
of the Order, feel it incumbent upon
me to advise my brethren that l dis
sented, voted and protested against this
action which l felt was not warranted
by the facts and information before the
S c. M. and was an outrage perpetrated
against the rights of the Odd Fellows
of Alabama.
You, who have honored me year IN
and year out by your votes, when those
who sought to take advantage of my
misfortunes to destroy me, deserve to
know what part l played in this outrage
against the honor and integrity of the
Order and the vested rights of the Indi-
yidual Odd Fellow. would feel recre-
ant to the confidence you have imposed
in me by your votes if l did not tell
you the truth and give you the naked
facts in the case at bar.
The FACES.
The proclamation aforesaid averred
that upon sufficient evidence and after
careful and impartial hearing of the
case" the S. C. NJ did determine that
there had been no lawful session of D.
G. l., No. p, in the state of Alobama in
1906.
The facts are these: There was not
one iota of evidence presented to the
| S. c. NJ. in this case; neither was the
D. G. L. of Alabama given hearing
| c. F. Johnson, candidate for D. G. NJ.
in Alabama given a hearing. c. F. John
son, candidate for D. G. NJ. in Alabama,
appeared before the S. c. NJ and pre-
sented a voluminous bundle of papers
not under seal or certified to by any
authority of our Order, and made an
argument.
Upon this ex parte showing, judgment
was entered up against our brethren in
Alabama, without notice to them or
giving them an opportunity to be heard.
No appeal from the decision of D. 6.
L. No. 23 had been filed with the S. C..
NJ. as provided in Section 9, Article
Inv, D. G. L. Constitution; no appeal
had been filed or cost paid; no copy OF
complaint had been or was served upon
the defendant D. G. Lodge.
| Yet, the Grand Master tells you that
after a careful and impartial hearing
the S. c. NJ. determined" etc. A fair
trial. is advertised in the proclamation
and yet no copy of the charges was
served upon the defendants, no appeal
papers on file in the Office Of the ). {.
| NJ. the defendant D. G. L. not cited to
appear, no cost paid, still you are asked
to believe that the s. c. NJ. acted with
due deliberation and with all the facts
before it.
!. | The action of the S. c. M. in this
case was purely one of lynch law. No
mob ever acted with less respect for the
! rights of man than the S. c. M. did on
this occasion. The S. c. M. acted upon
the mere statement of c. F. Johnson
without even reading the mass OF papers
he was burdened with or hearing from the
D. G. L. of Alabama, or serving notice
upon it that it was in court and its case
would be tried. The defendant D. q. l.
had no knowledge that it was in court
and therefore made no answer.
!. The LG9U in the Case.
Sec. g, Art ". D. 6. L. Constitution
| provides that if any member OF the
lD. G. L. is not satisfied with the action
of the D. G. L, he shall have the right
of appeal to the S. c. NJ, as said action
may individually affect him or the lodge
he represents; and in the event OF such
an appeal, a true copy of all proceedings