The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1921-08-19
knights of Pythias Parade Best
Ever Witnessed Here.
Eight Thousand Delegates in
Military Spectacle.
CONVENTION ENDS SATURDAY
Uplift of Negro Race Is Con.
slant Aim and Ambition.
Boxing and Vaudeville at Fair
Grounds Tonight.

without an exception the most gor-
geous military-order parade ever held
on Kansas avenue in Topeka was the
exhibition of the 5000 delegates to
the world conference of the Knights
of Pythias this morning. Marching
with music furnished by exceptional
ly well balanced bands and in uni
forms and in military marching or
der, the colored delegates from thirty
two states and many foreign coun-
tries presented a real spectacle.
The perfect order with which the
large divisions of men and women
marched bore unimpeachable witness
to the excellent training which they
had received. There was not a break
anywhere in the long line of march,
ing columns. Line after line of hand
somely uniformed men swept past like
a vast ocean of multicolored waves.
The parade was made up of ten dt-
visions, each division having 500 men,
dressed in full dress uniforms and
carrying swords and battle axes. At
the head of the parade was a platoon
of policemen followed by the chief
marshal. Maj. Gen. r. R. Jackson
and his staff, mounted on horses, fol-
lowed the marshal.
Motion pictures were taken of the
big Knights of Pythias parade this
morning by a field representative of
the Pathe Film company. The pic
| in Topeka.
Following the general and his aides
| came the 365th Regiment band and
| the flag corps carrying beautiful silk
American flags. The flag corps was
escorted by Palestine Company 3 from
| Ohio.
| The first division was led by Gen.
F. B. Cranshaw and was composed of
| companies from Illinois, New York,
Florida. West Virginia, Oklahoma and
Arkansas.
The second division, with Gen. w.
H. Butler in command, was made up
of the First Regiment band of Mis-
| souri, and the Seeonda Regiment band
of Missouri and companies from Mis-
souri, and Texas.
The third division was commanded
! by Gen. w. J. I. Reed and was headed
| by the Topeka K. of P. band, COM
| paries from Indiana, Ohio, Pennsy1-
vania. Georgia, North Carolina. South
| Carolina and the District of Columbia.
A bugle and drum corps led the
fourth division which was commanded
| by Gen. Preston Taylor. The Tennes-
see, Massa chusetts and Delaware regi-
| ments marched in this division.
| The fifth division was commanded
| by General Thomas Kennedy and was
composed entirely of Kansas dele
| gates. The 23rd Regiment band led
the fifth division.
Gen. William Tibbs, and was headed
1 by the Women's drill corps of the
court of Calanthe. Following the drill
/ teams were companies from Illinois,
Ohio, Arkansas, Missouri, Indiana,
| Tennessee. Maryland, Pennsylvania.
| Georgia, New York and a company of
Kansas cadets.
The seventh division commanded by
Colonel A. j. Lewis was composed of
the subordinate lodges of Topeka and
| Kansas.
The eighth, ninth and tenth divisions
| were commanded. by Col. Thomas
| Curd Col. Edward Butler and Gen.
| w H. T. Ransom, respectively and
were made up of automobiles and car
riages containing the Supreme Chan
cellor S. w. Green and the supreme
lodge officers.
1 AT Reviewing Stand.
The parade was delayed by the late
| arrival of several members of the
party who were invited to review it
from the official reviewing stand on
the south side of the Memorial build
ing. At 11:O5 the distinguished guests
arrived and took their places on the
reviewing stand. The reviewing party
| consisted of Mrs. Henry ]. Allen,
Mayor Herbert ]. Corwine. Col. Chas.
L. Mitchell. Col. A. NJ. Fuller. Emmett
George. secretary to Governor Allen,
and Supreme Chancellor S. w. Green
and officers of the supreme lodge and
| the supreme court of the colored
knights of Pythias.
The members of the visiting delega-
! tions to the Pythian convention are to
be complimented on the wonderful
showing they made in today's spec
tacle and for the order and quietness
with which all of their celebrations in
this city have been conducted.
4 Today's Program.
| The "a mn rroCray,, fa,
at 6 o'clock with reveille, at O'Clock
the different divisions began taking
the formation in which they were
to march in the parade. At 10 O'Clock
the parade started.
AT o'clock this afternoon the First
regimental band of Illinois gave
a musical drill. A dress parade will
be held at o'clock. and at O'Clock
the prize drills for class A and class
B will be held-following the drills
there will be band concert
Boxing Match Tonight.
At $3.50 o'clock tonight the ath-
letic vaudeville show will start. The
program for the show consists OF
wrestling, and a ten-round boxing
match between Sam Langford the wei
known heavyweight fighter and ITO
peka jack johnson, local heavy
weight with a good reputation. There
will be several preliminary bouts. The
prize drills and the band concert viii
be held in the city auditorium. The
athletic show will be staged at tht
Free FAR ground.
There was a short session of tn,
supreme lodge of Knights of Pythias
North and South America, Europe
Asia, Africa and Australia. and the su
preme court of Calanthe this morn
ing, during which Supreme Chancei
lor s. w. Green, of New Orleans, and
Supreme Worthy Counsellor Ernest G
Harrington, offered some practical sug
: gestions to the members of their rac'
: as well as to the immediate member
? OF the order
! THE man who sits down and wait
l for some one to carry him will neve
tContinuej on page SKI