The Oskaloosa herald., 1910-09-08
IOWA PYTH|ANS
DEMAND TRIAL
Eight Past Grand ChanceIIors OIL
Domain Face Charges.
ACCUSED OF DOING POLITICS
Ben !. SaIlinger Faction in Supreme
ControI-ottumwa and Dubuque
in Race for Next Years
Convention.


developments in the Pythian troubles
are as follows: There was a secret
plan OF anti-Sallinger delegates to put
up G. F. Ball, of Cedar Rapids, for
vice chancellor to oppose l.. A. Wi
wehe, candidate of the Sallinger
crowd. This was defeated by the over
whelming popularity of Wiwehe. The
Sallinger forces were supreme in
nominating meeting. With one ex-
ception candidates were nominated
unanimously. This assured the cleo
ton and the continuation of the Sallin-
ger regime for another term. The
Grand tribunal postponed decision in
the Kuehnle-Sallinger troubles. The
opposition declares that it is a state
political move to aid l.. H. Sallinger
and E. l.. Crow, of Mapleton, who is
Keuhnle's opponent for state senator
in Crawford county.
Ward Ferguson, of Rolfe, grand
chancellor of the Iowa domain,
Knights of Pythias, opened the trial
of eight past chancellors, charged
with SANDER, this morning. Last ev-
ening he overruled a motion to dis
miss the charges. The eight men de-
ny that they signed or circulated the
document of which Chancellor Fergu-
| son complains.
Yesterday afternoon the judiciary
body listened to arguments on the mo-
ton filed by the defense to dismiss
the cases on the ground that the grand
chancellor had not ordered an inquiry.
The argument against the motion was
made by Ben |. Sallinger, of Carroll,
and the argument for it was made by
] Arthur Springer, of Wapello. Mr..
Sallinger was assisted by his son and
Mr.. Springer by Judge Flock, OF Day-
export.
| When the argument was completed
all the knights, excepting five, who
made up the grand tribunal, were ask
ed to retire from the room. 1t took
| but a brief time for the tribunal to
decide that it would not dismiss the
cases, but when an effort was made to
summon the litigants, none of the rep
resentatives of the defendants could
be reached. To enforce attendance a
motion was made that unless the de-
Tense appeared within an hours time
the case would go to the prosecution
by default. The defense appeared,
however, and it was then that it -Tas
decided the time of the trial should
be fixed this morning.
| All Will Attend.
All of the eight men whom Fergu-
son has accused of slandering him
will be in attendance tomorrow. They
were all here yesterday with the sin
gle exception of F. NJ. Molsberry, of
Columbus Junction. The other accus-
ed men are f. ]. Blake, of Marshall
town, w. NJ. Narvis, of Muscatine, R.
B. Huff, of Muscatine, John Cameron,
of Davenport, o. NJ. Gillette, of indie
pendence, Carl F. Kuehnle, of Denison
and DR.. T. S. Wadd, of Germania.
The FIVE men who make up the
grand tribunal and will determine
whether the eight men who have held
the highest chair in the gift of the
grand lodge should be suspended or
expelled are Judge Rice Bell, of Keo.
kuk, e. Taggart, of Spencer, H. j.
Pfiffner of Emmettsburg, B. H. Miller,
of Anamosa, and H. H. Larmar. of
Charlton.
| The charges of SANDER are based
on the distribution of circular which
said that Ferguson, who was then
chancellor commander, had appro-
priated some of the lodge funds to
hire rooms in Sioux City hotels, which
we're used as campaign headquarters
for the Sallinger forces. Ferguson
claims that the hotel rooms were do
mated, and that the charge that he
looted the lodge treasury is absolute
" unfounded. He said: "The men
who accused me will have a chance
to prove what they said is true" The
names of the men against whom the
cases have been brought appeared on
the circular as signatures of the state
ment., They deny they signed 1t.
| Expect Suspension.
Because NJ. ]. Tobin, of yinton, was
suspended a year ago on the charge
of working politics. having circulated
Literature supporting his candidacy,
many members of the order rather ex
pect there will be suspensions follow
the current action. They say that the
circulation of the paper against Fer
guson in Sioux City was a political
move. Others declare the trial Is
nothing more than a political fight
between the Sallinger and the anti
Sallinger forces. Yesterdays lodge
meeting resembled state political
gathering. There are 270oO Knights
of Pythias In Iowa and the trial Is at
ltracting more than statewide atten
Z tion 9 ioq "a