The Salt Lake tribune. [volume] (Salt Lake City, Utah) 1890-current, 1911-10-08
K. Of c. TO OBSERVE
DISCOVERY DAY
Initiation Ceremonies and
Banquet Will Be Held
on Oct. IS.
HOW ORDER STARTED
Member Tells of Original So
ciety That Resulted in
Great Organization.
By A Knight

recent census Of tho great Catholic
orsanization known as the knights OF
Columbus shows n membership OF 2s3 800
IN the United states and Canada AZ
the present moment every council Of that
body In every city. town, village ana
hamlet. has one live topic that interests
all OF It's members. tho forthcoming an
niversary OF the discovery OF America by
Christopher Columbus In thirty-four
states October IL is now legal holiday.
To the Knights Of Columbus In a great
measure is due the credit Of obtaining
for tho real father Of our country the
hchtIng recognition that has been so long
deferred In every state they have used
their best efforts towards this end. Here
In Utah knights have not been slow to
Join their outside brothers in this cam
paign.
They regret that Utah does not yet
shine In the list of those paying Que
honor 10 the great discoverer, but they
view the future with brighter hopes.
Local Knights are making elaborate
preparations TO celebrate the event ny
initiation ceremonies and banquet on Oc.
tnbcr II. Delegates from all parts Of
this and Deighboring states arc expected
Daniel rolven. historian Of tho order.
tells the story Of the beginning Of the
knights
In order. tT SAYS 10 explain lnt
semi military. character Of the organize
ton Il VIII be necessary 10 harkon back
10 the year Of 1856 10 an unfortunate po-
Iitiral transaction. the result OF which
Was The election IN that year Of a gov
cruer Of the state of Connecticut by what
was termed the Know Nothing party.
Governor Minor. tho official referred
." remembered principally for his IN
tolerant act, ON rFsuniing office as gov
ernor and comma nder- In chief Of the state
militia. In obedience 10 tho demands o.
bis party. issued an order dlsbandirS all
military companies IN tho scrvicc OF the
state which were composed % freshmen.
ar the sons ~ frishmcn. an order issued
on the ridiculous grounds that the Irish
soldiers were not lOyal To The state or
country His mandates were carried out
ap1 for = period of nine years following
there was not a militia company OF the
Irish race in the service OF the state.
Governors Charges.
Tho memory OF that action was deep
seated and bittcV-thr allegation that q
brave, generous. patriotic people were not
loyBl 10 cur flag Was so maliclously false,
20 bIaSenly stated tina, it staggered the
leading men Of our faith. However the
outrage was somewhat SOttencd by the
sturdy manhood Of the Honorable John G..
floiste-. the adjutant general OF The
state. who vaiiantly refused 10 obey the
governor IN executing his wrctchcd or
dcrs and resigned his position rather than
attach his signature 10 the injustice. Mr..
l!ollister passed All his long and honor
pcoplc and beloved beyond all others by
his Catholic fellow citizens
In view or tho startling events in our
country Ia the spring OF 1861 and whlcp
ended in 1855. and the prominent pa q
that the Catholic men in Connecticut and
IN every otler state took In that greatest
of modern struggles, the action OF Gov
crnnr Minor stands out AS cold -blooded
insult 10 a brave and patriotic people and
IS regarded as one OF the blackest pages
~ the state history. II Is inconceivabic
that such an action could have take.
place in that intelligent little common
wealth which has since given 10 the
world one Of the most successful social
ana patriotic organizations In existence.
Asked to form Company.
AZ the close Of the war OF 1851 65
q war IN which nearly every Catholic
fo,niiy of the northern states made
heroic sacrifices. thousands OF young
CATHOLIC men returned from the army
ann navy. after years Of faithful service.
seasoned, experienced soldiers, OF which
any nation might bc proud They quickly
resumed the various occupations aban-
"tnei 10 take up srms in their countrys
cause. Ihcir return revived the old mill
ialy spirit that had been so rudcly as
sailed In 1856. Buckingham was AT this
umc governor Of the state. a man who
knew The value OF the Catholic soldier,
ana, desiring TO make. as far as he
could, amends for The mistake OF 1886.
AMI a. an acknowledgment OF the splcn-
AID services OF has Catholic Fellow citizens
scui an invitation 10 the returned sol
dicrs 10 form "A company TO be attached
20 the national guard Of Connecticut. 4
meeting was called and the invitation OF
INC governor was accepted.
Conspicuous among the men who at
tended this meeting was the late James
4 Mullen, the most popular young man
hrst grand knight. as we'll as the FIRST
supreme knight OF the knights OF ColuW-
bus. Recruiting began az once and II
vas Ou, short time when the ful COM
Tlcmcnt OF men WAS secured aud on Au.
sust Il. 1855. The company so formed was
named the Sarsncld guard, and mus
g. Second regiment. Connecticut national
guard Within tHo years OF rs forma-
uou II wz5 conceded 10 be ono OF the
ncsj drilled companies In the United
states.
Knights OF Malta.
During the summer of 1872 the ears-
neld guard entertained at New Haven Il
company 90 the famous sixty ninth rcgi-
meni OF New York y joint parade was
held IN the city. followed by q very en-
ioyabe picnic. and in The evening
grand banquet Was rendered the visitors
At the conclusion Of the banquet the
hors OF the Sarsficld. acting an escort.
led their guests TO the wharf. and with
parting songs and words OF farewell they
the steamboat pull out on it's nay
@" New York. On returning 10 the ar
morv u was proposed that smoker he
held: a collection WIS taken up. and Ser
geant r J. Duffy was detailed 10 procure
the supplies. As soon as Sergeant DUFFY
lad left the room Il was suggested by
Lieutenant Mullen thst a Knight uf NAL
"a lodge he formed and that the sergeant
be initiated on his return.
The suggestion was al once agreed to-
aud then came the problem OF how 10
proceed. The knapsscks. TO which we're
strapped Tho rcd blankets of tho men
wsre awaited of. ga ch man seized orc and
wrapping 4, about him. waited caEerly
fer tho return 81 Duffy.
When tho sergeant entered the room
lic was roughly seized. hustled before a
mock tribunal and soicmuly charged with
nearly every possible lnfraciion OF mill
tarv la~ and rule
Tie was Immediately convicted and the
Seutsncr thst he run the gAnii~t
Accordingly t~o lines pcre formed and
an acceleratlng committee detailed 20 sec
inst the prisoner got All that VAS conf
ing to him tanf ne did,. = very merry
time uas had snd al IT. close the srnokcr
proper began. With James r Mullen Va
the chair. We discussed only tho sub
sect of DuHy's initiation. and tho ioi'y
ti1i" " Afforded. 80 thoroughly was n