Barton County democrat. [volume] (Great Bend, Kan.) 1885-1915, 1912-05-17
KNIGHTS OF COLUMBUS.
State Convention of the Order a De-
elded Success. y


ton Of the Knights OF Columbus,
which event has been booked forward
to with great pleasure by the local
representatives Of the order, and the
Catholics generally, was held in this
city ON Tuesday OF this week, and
was all that could be desired by those
in attendance and those having the ar
duous duties of preparing for and
handling the affair In charge.
Many Of the visitors began ar
irving on the morning trains Monday,
although the convention did not open
until Tuesday. They came to attend
the degree work preceding the con-
convention. On Monday afternoon
the first degree was conferred on a
class Of about thirty, and in the even.
ing, in the presence of a large num-
Der Of members, the second and third
degrees were conferred, the latter
being given by the Wichita team.
On Tuesday morning the knights
assembled at the Commercial club
rooms and marched In a body to the
church where Solemn High Mass was
celebrated by Fathers 0'Sullivan of
Hoisington, assisted by Fathers De-
vern, of Chase, and Makelwane, Of
Claflin. Father Hildebrand of Hor-
ton, the State Chaplain, delivered an
excellent sermon, pointing out the
duties of the Knights Of Columbus.
0ver 200 Knights were in line.
Following the mass, an open meet
,rg wsS held at the library hall at
which Mayor Dawson, on behalf Of
the city, and N. ]. Berscheidt, the
Grand Knight Of the local council, on
behalf of the council, extended tle
welcome of the city and all residents
10 the visitors. State Deputy w. ].
NIOriarity of St. Mary's responded,
after which the executive sessions
began.
The reports of the officers show
ed the order in the state to be in an
excellent condition. Although it is
only about eleven years since the
first council was organized in this
state, the order now has So councils,
with an aggregate membership of
5O31. The membership of the order
in the United States and provinces
was, ON May 1, 271,S9O. The roll Of
the convention showed every council
and every state officer present, there
being. all told, about 300 visitors in
the city.
The election Of officers resulted in
the following selections:
State Deputy, W. ]. Moriarity, st..
Mary's.
State Secretary, F. ]. Steffans, Ne
odesha.
Stare Treasurer, T. ]. Sweeney, Law
renee.
State Advocate, John McKenna, King
man.
State Warden, ]. D. Hurley, Deaven-
worth.
Delegates to the Supreme Council, N.
]. Berscheidt. Great Bend, and
W. D. Jochems, Wichita.
Delegates to the exercises incident
to the unveihng Of the Columbus
monument in Washington, erected
by the United States government,
Father Farrell OF Hutchinson,
Father Hildebrand Of Horton, L. J..
DeGarmo, of EllinwoOd.
At the close Of the business ses-
sion the visitons were shown the city
ry auto and then treated to an ex-
,elbent banquet by the local knights,
followed by a ball which wound up
the affair.
All visitors in the city, representing
fifty-five different cities, were loud
in their praise Of the treatment by
the Knights of Columbus and the cit
liens Of Great Bend, and spoke in
the highest terms Of our beautiful
little city. Grand Knight Berscheidt
and the Knights who had the meeting
and all arrangements in charge, de
serve the greatest credit for the man
ner in which the affair was conduct
. ed.