Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1930-12-28
ICOL. C. FRED COOK ELECTED
DISTRICT MASONS' GRAND MASTER
Prominent Blue Lodge Leader
Noted as Journalist
and Soldier.
Served With Distinction in
Spanish War and in France
With A. E. F.

at the st. Johns day communication of
the Grand Lodge, F. A. A. NJ, last night
in Masonic Temple, Thirteenth street
and New York avenue. He succeeds
James A. West, who had been the head
of blue lodge Masonry in the Masonic
Jurisdiction of the District of Columbia
since December 81, 1929.
Appointed to the Grand Lodge official
line as junior grand steward in 1922,
Col. Cook progressed through the sew
eral places and stations in regular order
from year to year until last night, when
he reached the top.
The two vacancies at the foot Of the
Grand Lodge line as senior grand stew
ard and junior grand steward were
filled, respectively, after unusually
spirited contests, by the election of
Eugene z. Thompson, past master of
Cathedral Lodge, No. 40, and Needham
G. Turnage, past master of ST. Johns
Lodge, No. IL. Should they advance
through the chairs in regular order, the
two new grand stewards will become
grand masters of Masons in the District
of Columbia, respectively. December ~,
1910, and December 81, 1941.
The new senior grand steward, Mr..
Thompson, is we'll known in financial
circles in this city. He is senior partner
of Crane, Paris & Co. and former presi-
dent of the Washington Stock Exchange
The new junior grand steward, Mr..
Turnage Is the United States commits
sioner here.
BOgley Is Advanced.
At the election last night Senior
Grand Warden Reuben A. Bogley was
advanced to the ONCE of deputy grand
master, Junior Grand Warden Harry G..
Kimball to the Office of senior grand
warden, and Grand Marshal Vernon G.
owen to the Office Of junior grand
warden.
Owing to the recent death of Senior
Grand Deacon George Roscoe Davis,
who. had he lived, would probably have
been elected grand marshal, the follow
ing Jumped" a station, and last night
were elected, as follows:
Junior Grand Deacon Robert S. Regar,
skipping the Office of senior grand dea-
con, to the Office of grand marshal;
Grand Sword Bearer Clyde j. Nichols,
to the Office of senior grand deacon;
Grand Pursuivant Otto B. Roepke, to
the office of junior grand deacon; Senior
the office of grand sword bearer, and
Junior Grand Steward Leonard P. Steu-
art, to the Office of grand pursuivant.
KEEPER Is Reelected.
The following were reelected: Past
Grand Master j. Claude Keiper, as
grand secretary; Past Grand Master
Charles e. Baldwin, as grand treasurer;
Past Master Frank NJ. Roller Of st.
Johns Lodge, No. IL, as grand lecturer:
Rev. John c. Palmer, past master Of
Benjamin B. French Lodge, No. Is, as
grand chaplain; Rev. Charles E. Fultz,
mn 80 ~ 81
Lodge, No. IL, and pastor of the United
Brethren Church, as assistant grand
chaplain, and Past Master william p.
Herbst of Hiram Lodge, No. 10, as
grand tiler.
The newly elected and installed grand
master Of Masons Is q native-born and
lifelong resident of this city. He Is q
member and past master of Temple
Noyes Lodge. No. 80, and, incidentally,
Is the first member of that lodge ever
to attain to the exalted ONCE to which
he has just been elected.
Treasurer Of Temple NOyeS.
He is also high priest of Mount Pleas
ant Chapter, No. 13, Royal Arch Ma
sons the presiding officer of that Or
ganization, to which station he was
elected by unanimous vote January ~,
1880. He is q member of the Conven-
ton Of Amounted High Priests of the
District of Columbia, which Is open
only to high priests and past high priests
of chapters of Royal Arch Masons. In
addition to being past master, he Is
treasurer Of Temple-Noyes Lodge, and
for many years, until recently, was
chairman Of its Entertainment Com
mittee. He Is a member of Mount
Pleasant Council, No. S, Royal and Sc
lect Masters; is a thirty-second degree
Mason of the Ancient and Accepted
Scottish Rite Of Freemasonry; Is a
prophet Of Kallipolis Grotto, No. Is,
Mystic order Yelled Prophets of the
Enchanted Realm, and Is a noble Of
Almas Temple, Ancient Arabic Order
Mobiles Of the Mystic Shrine.
The new grand master of Masons Is
well known in this city, not only as q
Mason, but as a journalist and soldier.
In all three Of these activities Col.
Cook has served with distinction.
A native of the District Of Columbia,
graduate Of the Washington High
School, he began the study Of medi-
cine at Georgetown University, but de-
Gliding he was not "cut out" to be a
physician and surgeon embarked on
the newspaper sea.
Was AIvord's Secretary.
He served first as private secretary Of
the editor-in-chief of the Evening News,
Thomas G. Alvord, who was later Ii
brarian of the Library Of Congress. His
service on the News was contemporaneous
with that Of Walt Mason. the well
known humorist, and John Callan
OLaughlin, afterward Assistant Secre-
tary of State.
c. Fred Cook joined the stan Of The
~
been continuously in the service of The
Star TO date. AS o reporter he covered
not only general assignments, but, in
turn, the Police Court, Police Head
quarters, District Building and the Su-
preme Court of the District of Column
bia and the Court of Appeals, the latter
two for many years steadily. Promoted
to be assistant city editor, he pro-
crossed steadily Gin the ONCE" filling
in turn the offices Of copy editor, city
editor, news editor and news manager,
and for many years was in charge Of
the makeup of The Star.
Col. Cooks military career began as
side captain" of the Young America
Rifles. In turn he became first leu
tenant of the prize company, High
School Cadets, captain Of Company B,
I'd Battalion - the Morton Cadets
later the champion military company
Of the United States" in interstate and
competitive drill. He served through
the Santiago campaign, War With
Spain, as an oficer of the LIST District
of Columbia Infantry, United States
Volunteers, and was present at the sur
render of the Spanish forces. He re-
tired from the Guard in 1915, with the
advanced rank Of lieutenant colonel for
specially meritorious service"
Served in France.
In the World War he was commits
stoned major of Infantry September Z,
1917, served at Camp Lee, Va; was ele-
waited to the command Of the 305th AM
munition Train, Goth Division; pro-
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