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HISTORY OF ERIE COUNTY 471
so complete that none ever detected the hoax till the blindfold was
removed. In order to drown the laughter of the members, chains were
dragged and various sound stifling devices used. The head of the lodge
was supposed to lie a man of deep and impressive voice'for the purpose
oi' the ritual. Early in the initiation the candidate was asked if he could
write his name-in the dark and on his doing so he would discover three
or four days later when a bill was presented to him that he had signed
an order for various solid and liquid refreshments.
The routine of the initiation proceeded as follows, for example,
the commander would inquire of the candidate if he would be willing
in order to procure information from the enemy, to lie on his stomach
and steal into his camp by night. The candidate would of course answer,
"yes." The lodge would repeat, in unison, "The candidate Avill lie
and steal." The commander in his'ponderous voice would say, "Let
it be recorded that the candidate will lie and steal."
At another place in the initiation a gigantic sponge was provided
and as Hie blindfolded candidate stood before the commander and the
rest of the lodge, at intervals during the ritual, the commander would
ask in his majestic way, '"'How many feet of water in the grand tank,"
the member having the sponge in charge would lift it from the tub
and allow the water to run out of the sponge and reply, "One foot,"
then "Two feet," and so on until ten feet was announced. Later the
command would be given, "Let the candidate be emersed in the grand
tank," and the blindfolded candidate would be taken up to the top of
a platform and guided down the incline plane until he .landed in a
sitting position on top of the sponge, where he would strike out to swim.
much to the delight of the assembled members.
At another place in the ritual-the candidate was asked if he had any
precious stones concealed about his person, the candidate would answer
"No," the lodge would repeat in unison, "The candidate has no stones."
The commander would announce, "Let it be recorded that the candidate
has no stones."
A strong endeavor was made to impress on the candidate's mind the
presence of one or more clergymen or prominent citizens for whom the
candidate was supposed to have great respect.
Whenever a man of unusual physical strength was initiated a stool
pigeon was initiated at the same time. On one such occasion the stool
pigeon stood at the head of a file of candidates next to a man of great
reputation for courage. All were blindfolded. After being conducted
to the hall the candidates were told to count ten. The stool pigeon in
a loud voice called "One," he was gently reprimanded by the commander
and again asked to count. Again in" a louder tone he cried"
"One," more severely be was reprimanded again by the commander
and again asked to count, and again in a loud voice he cried "One." He
was now solemnly warned that another repetition of the offense would
cause him to be brought before the grand council of ten. He again
cried in a loud tone "One," and immediately with great force be was
torn away from the side of the courageous candidate crying at the top