The Irish standard. [volume] (Minneapolis, Minn. ;) 1886-1920, 1914-12-26


rounding country to hear the case
tried. A jury was finally selected, and
1T is of more than passing Importance
and a matter of qualification to the
Order, as it is a compliment to him,
that the Rev. Thomas Billing, the resi-
dent Methodist minister of the town,
was chosen on the jury and was not
challenged by the complainant, and as
the result showed, voted with the 9TH
er eleven men to convict the two de-
PENDANTS.
The jury in this case were:
William Callies, Emil He'll, John w.
Gish, Thomas McGovern, Vince Roess-
Ter, Rev. Thomas Billing, Joseph Mill
err, Jr., H. J. Luther, v. R. Wood, Chris.
Ruedy, Steve Hoban, Ed. Zinbrich.
The proceedings were taken down in
shorthand by c. G. Bowdish, Court
Reporter of the judicial district.
After each juror had been question
ed in turn, the defendants waived any
challenge.
The following witnesses were called
by the state:
P. j. CUTLER, Rev. H. E. Chapman,
pastor of the Congregational Church,
l. N. Griffith, Deputy Postmaster of
Mankato, E. NJ. Lawless, DIR. E. w.
Buckley, Supreme Physician of the
Knights of Columbus, VIM. ]. McGin-
ley, Supreme Secretary of knights of
Columbus.
Supreme Officers Present.
The surprise of the trial to the
knights of Columbus themselves and
to all those whose curiosity had whet-
ted their appetite to learn some of the
secrets of that great order, was the
calling of two of the Supreme Officers
as witnesses. The first was the SUI
preme Physician, DIR. E. w. Buckley, of
st. Paul, who testified in effect that
Mr.. Lawless had received initiation in
the Fourth Degree under his direction
as Master. Upon cross-examination
DR.. Buckley was asked as to the ma
ture of the "oath" administered in the
Fourth Degree, and most emphatically
denied then, as he did in answering
subsequent questions of the defen-
dants' counsel, that the Order had any
oath in any part of its ceremonial or
degree work. He freely admitted that
the Order had a pledge or obligation
which is administered to candidates.
To the great surprise of all present,
however, when Intercepted as to the
nature of this obligation, DIR. Buckley
very fully answered the question and
gave the substance of the obligation
as administered to candidates on being
initiated in the Fourth Degree of the
Knights of Columbus.
William ]. Mckinley of New Haven,
Conn.,, Supreme Secretary of the
Knights of Columbus, also testified as
to the nature of the obligation, as the
official custodian of the original man.
uscripts and of all matters pertaining
to the ceremonial of the Society. He
placed copy of the obligation in evil
dence, and it was made part of the
records of the trial. He emphasized
the fact that the knights of Colum-
bus was not an oath-bound society,
and that no member was asked to take
more than an obligation which any
gentleman might take. Both DR.. Buck
ley and Mr.. Mckinley testified in no
uncertain words that the bogus oath,
which was the subject matter of the
prosecution, was, neither in letter nor
in spirit, part of any of the ceremo-
NAL of the knights of Columbus in
any of its degrees.
The following is portion of the
Direct and Characterization of DR..
Buckley and Mr.. Mckinley:
Direct Examination by County At,
torney Hanzel.
Cross Examination by Attorney Nor.
ris.
@. Your name is Edward w. Buck.
ley? A. Yes, sir.
@. You are practicing physician
and surgeon in St. Paul, are you not ?
A. Yes, sir.
@. Now, you are also knight of
Columbus? A., Yes, sir.
@. Member of the Knights of Co,
lumbus, and a member of the Fourth
Degree? A. Yes, sir.
@. On January 81, 1907, did you
hold any position in the Order? A.
was Master of the Fourth Degree for
Minnesota and North Dakota.
@. AS such master did you have
charge of the giving of that Degree:
A. l did.
@. Did you have charge of the Civ
ing of that Degree on January 49,
1907? A. What date?
@. January q, 1907? A. did.
@. That was the time that Mr.
Lawless said he took that Degree; dc
you remember of his taking it? A
Well, he says he took it, and think
l remember his taking it, but l had
100 candidates in that class from Min
nesota and North Dakota; feel pretty
certain Mr.. Lawless took it at that
time.
@. Did you hear me read, and have