Jasper County Democrat, Volume 4, Number 51, Rensselaer, Jasper County, 29 March 1902 — KNIGHTS IN CHICAGO. [ARTICLE]

KNIGHTS IN CHICAGO.

Twenty Thousand Pythians from Eleven States Hold a Jubilee. Knights of Pythias from eleven States congregated in Chicago recently. More than 20,000 of them came, and these, added to a like number residing in Chicago, made an army of 40,000. It was one of the biggest conclaves ever held in the history of the order, and there was an initiation at the Coliseum which had never been surpassed in impressiveness by this order. Three men, one of them of national reputation, received the degree of knighthood. These were Gov. La Follette of Wisconsin and two of Chicago's Aidermen, Frank T. Fowler and Milton J. Foreman. During the initiatory services, which began at 7 o’clock and did not end until long after midnight, thousands of knights were in attendnnee. Many of them came that could not get in. Charles H. Cushing, the grand chancellor of Illinois, presided. The convention, which was known as a “Pythian jubilee.” was opened by Timoleon Lodge, No. 351, of Chicago. Immediately following was a reception of the supreme lodge officers and of the grand lodge officers of the several grand domains. Addresses were made by Robert L. O. White of Nashville, Tenn., the supreme keeper of the records and seal, and by Maj. Gen. James 11. Carnahan of Indianapolis. Senator Beveridge of Indiana was expected, the intention being to Initiate him into the third degree also. Late in the day, however, a telegram was received from him stating that owing to public duties he would be unable to attend. Gov. La Follette was initiated by the Garfield Lodge of Milwaukee, Aiderman Fowler by the Indianapolis lodge and Aiderman Foreman by the lola men of Dayton, Ohio. The three initiates had already taken the two first degrees, those of page and esquire. More high officials of the Knights of Pythias were in Chicago than were ever together at one time, the grand chancellors of eleven States being present. They represented Illinois, Ohio, Wisconsin, Michigan, lowa, Texas, New Mexico, Indiana, Kentucky, Pennsylvania and Minnesota. A conspicuous figure was that of Henry Clay Berry of Illinois, who is the oldest living past supreme chancellor. The Coliseum was decorated elaborately for the occasion, flags and Pythian emblems hanging from the galleries and girders In profusion. The knights took care of everything in connection with the building while the initiations were going on, the electric lights and the heat being cared for by members of the order. Even the waiters were knights and the policeman who stood inside the door was a knight also. Pythian knights were everywhere In Chicago. They paraded in the streets, dressed in their military looking uniforms, they filled the hotels and the eating rooms and later they surged about ths doors of the Coliseum. The building was crowded shortly after tho doors were thrown open at 4 p. m. and a Hue half a block long stretched northward from the crowded door. The big building was made into a grand lodgeroom and there all the commanderies in attendance made their headquarters during the jubilee. The building will hold about 13,000 persons If well packed and this means not very many, more than one-third of the visiting knights got into the place at one time.