Rensselaer Republican, Volume 26, Number 39, Rensselaer, Jasper County, 24 May 1894 — ODD FELLOWS TRIUMPHANT [ARTICLE+ILLUSTRATION]

ODD FELLOWS TRIUMPHANT

TEN THOUSAND PEACEFUL KNIGHTS VICTORIOUS. Unarmed Legions Capture the Hoosier Capital. Remarkable Gathering of Indiana Oddfellows—Diamond Anniversary Celebration—Meeting of Grand Lodge I. O. O. F.—Daughters of Rebekah. “Useloss lances into scythes shall bend And the broad falchion in-a plowshare April 36th was the seventy-fifth or diamond anniversary of American Odd Fellowship and was appropriately celebrated In many places throughout the country. At Indianapolis, because of the proximity of the semi-annual meeting of the Grand Lodge, it was deemed expedient to defer the celebration in order that both Events might tend to make the occasion a treater triumph. May 16 was accordingly ixod upon as the date for a grand State ialebration of the diamond anniversary,

CI. T. CAMPBELL, SOVEREIGN GRAND SIRE, the Grand Lodge convening on that day. Committees of the city lodges enthusiastically co-operated to make the celebration a success, and the Order throughout the State responded in a way that was most gratifying to those who zealously worked night and day for weeks to have all in readiness for what they hoped to make a grateful and lasting memory to all who inigat participate. Wednesday morning dawned bright and warm and thec!»y presented a holiday appearance. Elaborate decorations cos the principal buildings, the immense crowds 'upon the streets, and the almost entire suspension of business were enough to convince the most indifferent stranger that extraordinary conditions prevailed. Washington street was almost impassable. Illinois street,from the Union Station to Washington, was so crowded and packed with people

that a pedestrian whowas in a hurry would be forced to take the middle of the street if he wished to make any progress. In a dozen different parts of town; from a dozen different directions companies of uniformed men marched through the streets accompanied by other bands. The demonstration’of the day was the parade in the afternoon. This exceeded all expectations, both as to.participants and spectators. At noon advantageous positions had been taken by on-lookers, and by the hour the parade moved the line of march was packed with spectators. The base of the Soldiers’ Monument was a living mass of humanity, and many persons held places far up on the shaft at the feet of "Indiana.” IVlhay not be an overestimate to say that 103,000 people witnessed the magnificently beautiful pageant. At least 8,000 men were in line. The parade was organized in ten divisions, with W. 11. Leedy as general marshal and J. E. Bodine chief of staff. The bands, floats and uniformed mon in each division gave variety and added Interest. As a rule the lines formed in column of platoons, lodges and the members marching six abreast. Although the police, by dint of perseverance and hard work, had Washington street cleared and ready for the parade to move off at 2 o’clock, the appointed hour, it was 2:30 before the first division was ready to move. The delay was caused by the absence of the Chicago delegation. It had been arranged that a member of the Chicago Hussars should ride before

the parade in uniform. Sergeant Lowe, with a company of five men. started down Washington street, from Tennessee, clearing the road. When the road was clear Marshal Leedy gave the word, the band struck up a popular march, and the big parade moved off down the street. A platoon of local police, headed by Captain Campbell, led. Fifty yards behind the police camo the General Marshal, W. H. Leedy, and his staff. The staff comprised fifty mounted mon, most of them on chestnut horses. They moved off fourdeep. Following the General and staff was the first band of the Patriarchs, and.then followed the regiments of Patriarchs Militant. The Second Regiment camo first wRh 20) men in line, commanded by Col. A. 11. I.>owes, of Indianapolis. Then camo the Fourth Regiment of 300 men, commanded by Col. R. W. Van Valzah, of Terre Haute, and the first division ended with the Fifth Regiment of 200 mon, by Colonel Ncuzum, of Elwood. T*ho men In the First division all carried swords and wore cocked hats, with red and white plumes of ostrich feathers. Many divisions throughout the parade were similarly uniformed. Every man in the first division wore the full uniform of his rank, and as the last •et of fours in the first division passed the spectators, looking down the line, could

see a solid mass of purple ostrich plumes waving for three blocks. The men carried their drawn swords supported on their shoulders and the glittering blades caught the rays of the sun and made a sight that dazzled the eyes of those who watched them. I The second divion was led by Edward Farrer, commanding, and staff.withthe Shelbyville Military Band, heading the Shelby county lodges. This band presented a handsome appearance in white coats, trimmed with black and black trousers trimmed with white. Following the Shelby county lodges came lodges from the counties of Cass, Pulaski, Fulton, Kush and Sullivan, with a contingent of visitors from Illinois. Near the center of this division was the float “The Sea of Life.”

The third division was led by S. D. Coates, commanding, and staff, followed by a well-equipped military band, heading the Randolph county lodges. Next in line came the lodges from Delaware county. The marching column was here broken by a float, representing with nearly twenty-five figures the Biblical episode of Jonathan pleading before King Saul for his friend David. Following the float came Philoxenia Lodge, No. 44, of Indianapolis, and lodges from the counties of Montgomery, Decatur and Greene.

The third division had a woman cornetist in the band. She marched as stoutly as the men. The other divisions were made up of delegations from Indiana, with occasional bodies from outside the State, of floats, innumerable bands of music, and uniformed patriarchs. The fourth division was commanded by O. H. Bogue. It was headed by a band and included delegations from Wabash, Miami, Grant, Tipton, Johnson and Howard counties, and the float “The Good Samaritan.” A band headed the fifth division, commanded by G. W. Scarce. It included the float “The Cause of All the Trouble,” the Hendricks, Clay, Putand Madison county lodges. The sixth division followed, in charge of C. C. Binkley. Wayne, Bartholomew, Morgan, Knox, Greene, Hamilton, White and. Lake counties were represented. Four bands were in the division, and the float bearing the oldest, largest and smallest Odd Fellows in the State. W. W. Lane commanded the seventh division. It contained the float “Charity,” and lodges from Boone, Tippecanoe and Franklin counties, Mapleton, Traders’ Point, Broad Ripple, Brightwood, New Augusta, Southport, Irvington and Glenwood. M. 11. Chappell commanded the eighth division. Hancock, Fayette, Vermillion, Henry, Vigo, Clinton Fountain and Park counties had lodges in the line, as did Haughville and West Indianapolis. O. W. Tomlinson headed the ninth division. Then followed

the float “The Gavel,” the noble grands, “The Hour Glass,” the vice grands, “The Pen Float,” the secretaries, the float “The Key,” and the treasurers. A feature of the tenth division was the plowshare float. It preceded the marshal, 11. L. Gaines, and his staff, and those in turn preceded the members of the Grand Lodge of Indiana. All these formed an escort, as it were, to Grand Sire Campbell. THE GRAND LODGE. The semi-annual meeting of the Grand Lodge I. O. O. F. of Indiana met in Grand Lodge Hall at 9 a. m. Wednesday. G. M. Will H. Talbott in the chair and all the other grand officers at their respective stations. Reports of grand officers were received. Grand Master Talbott’s report showed that since the last report five subordinate lodges and twenty-three lodges had been instituted in the State. The substance of a number of decisions made by the Grand Master was also given. Ho also reported that Boston Lodge, No. 617, had surrendered its charter. There was no hope of resuscitating the lodge and the sale of its property was recommended.

Concerning the orphans of Odd Fellows the Grand Master in his report says, “I hf ve granted permission to the Odd Fellows’ home for orphans, located at South Bend, to solicit aid in this jurisdiction. I trust this act will meet your approval, and that you will give the institution every proper aid and encouragement.” The Grand Secretary’s report showed that there are now 607 lodges in the State andi a total membership of 41,181. The total expenses of the subordinate lodges, including relief, was 3170,065.81. The condition Of the treasury is as follows: Receipts from various sources. 17,596; balance from last report, 198.50; borrowed by Grand Treasurer James A. Wildman, 16,000; total receipts, 113,695.35; total expense of Grand Lodge, 113,214.70; balance now in treasury, 0480.65. The Rebekah lodges now have an active membership of 19,134. Their total expenses during the time since the last meeting of the Grand Lodge was 115,554.92, and they have a balance on hand of 116,897.02. The Grand Lodge closed its semi-annu-al meeting, Thursday. The committee on state of the order reported: That we commend the action of tho Grand Master In conceiving and setting on foot tho celebration by this grand jurisdiction of the diamond anniversary of the Order. For his arduous labor and tho untiring work and industry of W. 11. Leedy. G. R.; J. E. Bodine, G. J. W. : C. E. Rubush, P. G., and all others whom they have enlisted in bringing our fraternal demonstration to the point it has reached, this grand bodv returns its sincere thanks. The following nominations were made; For Grand Master—M. A. Chipman, Anderson, of Lodge No. 131. For Deputy Grand Master—C. F. Northern, Greensburg, of Lodge No. 108.

For Grand Warden—R. J. Loveland, Peru, of lodge No. 539, George L. Reinhard, Indianapolis, of lodge No. 140; Phillip Schuller, Evansville, of lodge No. 7; Samuel C. Humes, Muncie, of lodge No. 74; Marcus R. Sulzer, Madison, of lodge No. 2; John T. Leach, Ft. Wayne, of lodge No. 14: M. H. Campbell, Knightstown, of, lodge No. 99; C. E. Rubush, Indianapolis, of lodge No. 18; Ulrich H. Howe, Paoli, of lodge No. 130; I. E. Edmundson, Bloomington, of lodge No. 166; H. G. Thayer, Plymouth, of lodge No. 91. Grand Secretary—B. F. Foster. Indianapolis, of lodge No. 11. Grand Treasurer—James A. Wildman, Indianapolis, of lodge No. 44. Grand Representative to Sovereign

Grand Lodge—Will H. Talbott, Orleans, of lodge No. 296. Grand Trustee—John A. Furgason, Indianapolis, of lodge No. 44. DAUGHTERS OF REBEKAH. The Daughters of Rebekah convened in semi-annual session at Indianapolis, Monday. Routine business was transacted. At Tuesday’s session the following officers were elected for the ensuing year: President—Mrs. R. S. Hathaway, of Aurora. Vice-President-Mrs. Mary Streepy, of New Albany. Secretary—Mrs. Mary A. Poths, of Terre Haute. Treasurer—Mrs. D. W. LaFollctte, of Portland. Chaplain—Mrs. Julia Grandy, of Indianapolis. Warden—Mrs, W. H, Leedy, of Ir.diana pol is.

WILL H. TALBOTT, MASTER OF THE GRAND LODGE OF INDIANA.

W. H. LEEDY, GENERAL MARSHAL.

JOHN B. COCKRUM, CHAIRMAN OF COMMITTEE ON GRIEVANCES AND APPEALS.