The Detroit times. [volume] (Detroit, Mich.) 1903-1920, 1910-05-06
IN THIS
STATE TORN BY
D|SSENS|ON
Internal Squabbles in High Court of
Southern Michigan Finally Result
In the Repeal of It's
Charter.
Former Vice Chief Ranger Harry w.
Mozier Is Suspended for Non
Payment of Dues.

Internal dissensions, warning ambp
lions which caused factional disputes,
and disagreements similar TO those
which caused the recent upheaval in
the Modern Maccabees. have resulted
in the extinction Of the High Court
OF Southern Michigan, OF the Indepen-
dent Order OF Foresters, and the
shifting OF the jurisdiction of its 40
subordinate courts. to the High Court
OF Michigan, formerly a companion
branch OF the order.
The officers OF the Southern Michi-
gan High Court are out, and the Off
GERS OF the High Court OF Michigan,
now have charge over the whole juris-
diction.
The Southern Michigan High Court
consisted, up TO March s, OF the As
courts In Washtenaw, Lenawee, Mon
roe and Wayne counties, including
Detroit The High Court OF Michigan
had Jurisdiction over Lapeer, ST.
Clair. Oakland, Sanilac, Huron, Tus.
cola, Genessee, Shiawassee, Living
stone, and Macomb counties. 1t had
about lO5 subordinate courts, but the
NliiD was libl as Sifhh do NAe !
/ of the As courts of the Southern Mich
igan jurisdiction.
Woodward Court, OF Detroit, was
the storm center of the fight which
finally resulted in the sweeping
changes, 1t Is said though there was
some disaffection in other courts.
]. j. Robertson was high chief
ranger Of the Southern Michigan juris-
diction; Harry w. Mozier, high vice
chief ranger; William II. Sparkling,
chief high secretary, and David +.
Gardiner high treasurer. All OF them
are now out of their jobs. and Mosier
I is out of the order altogether. under
suspension for non-payment of dues.
Mosier was said to be ambitious for
Robertsons job, w. P. Corbett was
after the high secretaryship. Mosier,
besides being vice-chief ranger of the
Southern Michigan jurisdiction. was
also deputy of the supreme body in
Toronto. -
The crossed ambitions OF the De
troit Foresters led to dissatisfaction
with plans OF those in power, and
petty jealousies arose The real trou-
BILE started in a quarrel over the ar
rangements for an outing, held some
time ago.
Finally the factions divided on the
question OF holding a convention In
Adrian, next June, To elect officers.
One faction charged that the affairs
OF the order were not being properly
cared for by the officers, that new
members were taken in, the commits
sions paid for them, and that the
members then dropped out That fac
ton insisted on holding the conven
ton. made up of two delegates from
each subordinate court, in Adrian, In
June The other faction wanted the
convention held in Detroit explain
inc that it would save money for the
order. which had about $1,000 in the
treasury. 1t pointed out that tht
Adrian convention would use up all
of that $1,000.
Finally Chief Ranger Robertson and
Secretary Sparkling petitioned the
Supreme High Court, in Toronto, to
cancel the charter OF the Southern
Michigan jurisdiction entirely; and
make an election or convention UNI
necessary. They agreed TO forego
their salaries, and have their offices
discontinued, out of spirit OF
economy, for the benefit of the order,
says the present high chief ranger
of the Michigan High Court, Nj. y.
Mugan, of Sanilac.
lie explained that the jealousies
and factional quarrels in the South
ern Michigan jurisdiction had become
of hopeless settlement, within the
jurisdiction itself, and so the Supreme
High Court had been called in.
Elliott c. stevenson, the Supreme
High Chief Ranger, revoked the
Southern Michigan charter, and put
all of the camps under the jurisdic-
ton of the High Court OF Michigan.
Chief Ranger Mugan moved TO De-
troit. to get into touch with the stu
alton. and an effort is being made to
heal the breaches in the Detroit subor.
dinate courts, for which purpose the
money. turned over with the charter,
and amounting to about $1,000, viii
he used only on courts In the former
Southern Michigan High Court juris-
diction.
Chief Ranger Mugan explained that
the troubles in the Detroit courts
we're mostly OF local nature. aud
that the supreme high court had
stepped in. on petition OF the Off
GERS, in order 10 safeguard the inter
est of the order itself.