Evening journal., 1911-11-14
new NEWS OF YESTERDAY
The Masonic Haps That
QueIIed Legislative Disorder
By Holland.

Ihe late General James w. tuSte0, !
who during the seventies. and eighties
Of the last century was for many
terms Speaker Of the New York AS
sembly. was poted far and wide for
his ability to quell, as presiding Of
ficer, almost instantly any legislative
or political convention, no matter how
turbulent or how great the passions
that caused IT,
During the session Of the New York
Legislature Of 1880 General Hustled
presided as Speaker over the lower
House. AS a legislative correspondent,
had desk directly beneath the
Speakers In about two weeks after
the session began disorder suddenly
broke out on the floor Of the Assembly
as a result Of some bitter partisan &C
cusation. There we're great shouting
and much turbulence IN the aisles,
with belligerent groups of men BOOM
ing and approaching each other It
looked as though almost any second a
free-for-all fight might disgrace the
Assembly, when, above the babel of
noise, heard the Speaker rap sharply
several times with his gavel. I looked
to see what effect the raps would have,
and TO my intense surprise | saw by
| far the greater portion Of the members
standing quietly and rigidly like SOL
! dicrs who had received and obeyed the
command to stand at attention. A mo-
ment later, as the Speaker raped
again, these men sank into their seats,
and their colleagues followed suit The
crisis was past.
After the House had adjourned for
the day ] asked General Hustled how
he had been able TO secure calm on
the instant at the height of the disor-
der
The Speaker smiled enigmatically.
wait until the next time the Assem-
bly, kicks up a rumpus,' was all he
would say.
Perhaps a week later another storm
swept over the House. II was even
more violent than the first one had
been. When it was at its height tho
Speaker leaned over his desk and said
to me: Come up and take a seat be-
side me. and keep your eyes open"
As ] took the seat he offered me it
seemed as though nothing short OF
strong police force could disperse the
mob raging on tho floor and produce
calm atmosphere But, suddenly. the
Speaker stood up and struck three re-
sounding blows with his gavel. AS the
! last blow resouuded through the
chamber a majority Of the members
instantly stood STILL ceased their
shouting and gesticulating and fasten-
ed their gaze intently upon the Speak
er A moment later General Hustled
struck the gavel once, and these meme
bers took their seats and the quiet
of a Quaker meeting prevailed in the
Assembly chamber.
Hooked wonderingly at the Speaker
andnthen he explained ~
you know" he said. Il have beer
grand master of the grand lodge oi
Masons Of New York state and | have
been master OF our home blue lodge
Now. competent grand master ol
mas ster knows how 10 use the gave
so that Il speaks. Did you obseuie thai
when struck the gavel three times 4
majority OF the members stood still
watching me. and that when I strucl
the gavel once they took their seats
Well. I'm most legislative bodies, ant
in a majority OF political conventions
7 have found that majority of thos'
present are apt 10 belong to the Ma
sonic fraternity They are, therefore
able to recognize the meaning that il
in the stroke Of the gavel as delivered
by tho master Of a Masonic lodge, anS
Il has been through the utilization o
the gavel that I WELD as Speaker al
The master of Masonic lodg'
uses il that Just now quelled the dis
order on the floor Of the Assembly
Whatever reputation I have acquired
las a queller of disorder here or al
presiding officer of political conven
tions has come through my ability L
speak TO my fellow Masons through
medium Of the gavel. And ] have ye
10 have my first gavel-imparted com
munication to my brother Masons L
pass unheeded"
Copyright. 1911, by F. J. Edwards, AL
rights reserved.)
Tomorrow Mr.. Edwards will tell o
"The Tie That Bound a Great Lawye
aud Great Judge"
---------------------------