The Washington herald., 1909-04-23
.VOUCHED FOR AT DOOR
Secret Service Guards Forced to
Remain on Outside.
Proposed Visit of President to
Lodge Kept Profound secret, and
His Attendance Proves Genuine
Surprise TO Many - Sits Beside
Wcrshipfu1 Master During Cere-
mOnies-EnjOyed Ii Greatly.

President Taft last night visited Tenn
pie Lodge, Nc. g. F. A A. NJ. at the
Masonic Temple. Casting aside all off,
cal rank. and leaving his secret service
guards al the door, Brother Taft" ac-
companied by William W. Price. pre-
sented himself at the lodge room door
promptly at O'Clock
Even President Of the United States
cannot enter a Masonic lodge unless he
is known % be a Mason." and Tyler
John J. Hi. who guarded the door. could
not have admitted President Taft # the
officers Of the lodge. who knew that the
President was coming. had not made ar
rangements 10 have some one on hand TO
voueh fer him.
Grand Master Henry X. simpson. Of
the District OF Columbia Grand Lodge.
who had witnessed the ceremonies IN
Cincinnati when the President was made
Mason at sight. vouched for him at
the door by declaring to the tyler that he
had sat in lodge with Brother Taft.
and knew him TO be a Mason.
Sits by worShipfuI Master.
I an very glad you are here TO get
me in said tie President. as he greeted
Grand Master Simpson.
worshipful Master Thomas {. Noyes
welcomed the distinguished guest 10 che
lodge in an appropriate speech. 70 which
the President replied. expressing his
pleasure at being able 10 visit his brother
AIasons Of the District. After he had
taken his seat beside the worshipful mas
ter the work Of the evening began
There were two candidates for the third
degree. Benjamin N. Newbol5. passenger
agent of the southeastern district OF tke
Pennsylvania Railroad. and Frank sprigg
Perry. assistant United states attorney
OF tie District. who enjoy the rare dis
tinction Of being admitted into Masonry
/ in the presence Of the Chief Executive
Of the country.
Enjoyed Meeting Greatly.
President Taft remained until the de-
grees were conferred. and left the lodge
room about 1870. He was taken TO the
White House IN one Of MS large auto
mobiles. Upon leaving the lodge he
said he had enjoyed the meeting exceed
ingly, and hoped 10 return soon again.
officers Of the lodge had invited the
President 10 visit them. and the fact
that ne had accepted the invitation was
kept a profound secret. Letters were
/ sent out 10 each member. urging him tC
attend the stated communication OF
Thursday night. as something special wa,
going TO happen You viii be sorry q
you don't come. was the only informa.
/ tion given out 10 the members OF the
lodge. until they assembled behind CLOSED
doors last night Only the officers Of tht
lodge and the Grand Lodge Of the Dis
! trict were permitted to know that tn.
/ President was coming.
/ Last night was the first time the Presi
/ dent has visited a lodge since he wa
made a Mason at sight and it is ais,
the first time since the administration o
/ Garfield that President Of the Unites
!
] President Roosevelt at one time planne,
/ to visit the Blue Lodge. but as Secretsr.
/ Loeb allowed the date Of the proposes
/ visit to he known, the Temple was sur
/ rounded By a large crowd, which wa
much disappointed when Presiden
Roosevelt failed to appear.
His Coming UnheraIded.
/ IN order not 10 enibarrass the Presiden
and that there might be at least stand
ing room left in the lodge, Worshipfu
I Master Thomas c. Noyes. at whose in
viIation President Taft visited the lodge
kept the matter secret Hardly anybod,
/ in or near the Temple noticed the larg
/ White House automobile as il drew up il
] front OF the door. Even the elevator maj
had no warning as the President an,
I Mr.. Price entered the building, an.
asked TO be taken to Temple Lodge.
Are you Mssons?" was the question
asked the Secret Service men as the!
! followed the President 70 the lodge room
door. No" was the reply. and tn
Presidents guard was politely informe,
that they would have TO remain on th,
/ outside For more than an hour the,
waited outside the door. which wa
/ guarded By The sword OF Tyler Hill.
All officers Of the lodge were presen
last night: They are Thomas c. Noyes
/ WOTShipful master; Louis c. Wilson
senior warden; John P Earnest, junio
warden; L. A. Dent, secretary: Franl
/ Sebring. treasurer; Carter Keene, senio
/ deacon: Sterling Kerr, junior deacon; lie
roy Heron. senior steward; II. c. c
/ stiles junior steward; Claud F. King
/ marshal, and John J. Hill. tyler.
+ About three hundred Masons. many o
them prominent officers of the fraternity
Fattended the lodge meeting. Among other
! present were Grand High Priest DR.. F
IL. Woedman. Right Eminent Gran'
1 Commander William II. H Cissel, Pas
1 Grand High Priest z. st. Claire Thcmp
son. c. X Bergman. G c. Rogers. Fran
els Ney. former Representative Irwin. o
/ Kentucky; Irving c. Norwood. Phflande
1 G. johnson, DR.. D. D. Leech. ". II. Rap
I lev, z. Southland Parker. Alexander Nc
4 Kenzie. Percy s Foster. William F. GUIDE
/ William Nelson Page. AIonzo Tweedale
y. E. Young. William II. Henderson, II
/ K. Simpson, J. A Sample, Matthew Trim
bic A. B. Coolidge. R G. Smith, an
Il c. Williamson.
x1z5 to Baltimore and Return
Saturdays and Sundays Via Pennsyivani
IN