Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1910-05-02
The Telegram today says:

Tic IeIeSTd1l lOudy says.
On complaint of four members of the
Portland Nest of Owls, H. r. Caulfield,
the organizer of the Nest, was placed
under arrest yesterday afternoon, by
Deputy connected with the sheriff S
office, on four separate complaints, all
elleging the same offence. The arrest
took place at the club rooms of anoth-
er lodge of which Mr. Caulfield is a
member. and bail was at once fur
nighed to the amount of 500 on each
complaint. Friends at once came to his
assistance without solicitation. The
Writs are returnable May 10.
During the past week since the an
nouncen1ent in the Boston papers and
in the local papers of alleged misdoings
OF officers of the order in Massachu-
Sets. there has been great deal of
unrest among the members. They
have felt that here was something
that was not just as it should be. The
fact that the charter had not been re-
ceived by the officers was one of the
charges that the members preferred in
their complaints. A reporter of the
Telegram called OH Mr. Caulfeld at
His apartments in the Wadsworth last
evening. and Mr.. Caulfield said: In re-
eard to the charter not being turned
over to the local lodge 1 will say that
it has not been possible to do so as
the permanent officers were not elected
until meeting after the temporary
officers We're elected. 1t is necessary to
make up list Of names of the men,
bers, send them to South Bend, Ind,
where they have to be engraved upon
the charter and then it is sent to Port
land. That takes a great deal of time.
- far as the list of names is con-
corned if any one Of the local officers
want the names they may have them
by calling at my office here.
The Telegram man volunteered the
information that the officers believed
that there was a supreme lodge that
met each year, to which each nest sent
delegates. but that they had since
learned that there was no supreme
meeting convention to which the sub
ordinate lodges sent delegates.
MIR. Caulfeld replied that there was
no reason for such an understanding.
All kinds of literature had been cir
culated and in none of it was anything
said relative to the subordinate lodges
sending delegates. The officers of the
supreme lodge are elected by the
Fourth degree members of the supreme
lodge, these members being selected
by the officers from the several lodges
in the whole number of nests. They
are first chosen to become First degree
members and are advanced to the diff
ferent degrees to which they are men,
hers
Again the Telegram man informed
nm that many of the members were
considerably vexed because they be-
heved that he was handing them
gold brick in asking the S. fee which
went to him instead of to the nest as
they supposed. Mr.. Caulfield replied
that all organizers received the initia-
tion Zee when a lodge is organized be
it the Owls or any other order He
said also that he had given the nest
Il present of $3.50 though he was under
no obligation to and that he had the
receirt signed by the treasurer of the
loca! nest, though he had heard re.
ports to the effect that he had not
presented the nest thing.
Relative to the subordinate lodges
of Owls. MIR. Caulfield said that each
lCa. was Ill Il way IIluepeIiucIlt, t1OuSn
all nests used the same bylaws. They
were at liberty to do as they pleased.
in many respects, without interference
from the supreme officers. His position
here in Portland was that of organ
izer and the money he received from
the fees was pay for his services in
getting the nest started.
He felt sure that the members Of the
nest here would fully understand.
In hundreds of cities the Owls are
well organized, doing flourishing bus
mess and in g. healthy condition. Let
tiers were shown the reporter of the
Telegram, dated within the last few
days, from many parts of the United
States in which the writer's speak of
the good work being done by the or
der and of the constantly increasing
membership. SD.
Mr.. Caulfield says he stands ready to
explain anything that is required Of
him. The Massachusetts affair says lie
in no way affects the local or other
nests and had 1t not been for the un-