Proceedings of the Grand Lodge of Illinois - University Library

Tuesday } GRAND LODGE OF ILLINOIS, I. O. O. F. 2QI
Xov. 18, 1913. f
they could use the regalia room until the new Lodge got their para-
phernalia and then we would want it and they could have the use of
the hall for the use by the other Lodges using their furniture," etc.
Again Brother Flagg said if the "friendship, love and truth" plan
did not work "that if they wanted to force me into a law suit they
could have one."
Here was the cool proposition to take from this Lodge without its
knowledge and consent its place of meeting after three years of
occupancy satisfactory to the owner. The agent of the Lodge while
he was yet a Trustee, his successor not having been selected, secures
a lease of the Lodge room in his own right. He will dictate terms and
will soon deprive the Lodge of its regalia room. He generously offers
to allow America Lodge to use its own furniture and rent its use to
other bodies.
What was the duty of an Odd Fellow, acting on the principles of
"friendship, love and truth?" It was to defend the Lodge and protect
its interests. Here was a man in a village of 108 people conspiring
to organize a rival Lodge and by underhand methods take from the
Lodge of which he was a member, agent and Trustee, its place of
meeting, the only one in the village. To avoid action by the Lodge he
sought and obtained a withdrawal card, overlooking the law that dur-
ing the life of the card he was amenable to his Lodge. He did not
resign as Trustee or agent in managing the business of the Lodge,
collecting rents from other lodges and paying the Lodge's rent to
the owner of the building. While acting in that capacity he sought to
injure the Lodge by supplanting it as a tenant. Afterward the record
shows that he rendered an account to America Lodge of moneys col-
lected and paid out and tendered the balance he showed to be due.
The Lodge refused to accept it. In the record it appears that the
accused went to an attorney employed by the Lodge in this case and
secured his services in a civil suit in the Sangamon County Circuit
Court involving precisely the same state of facts as are in this case in
the Lodge.
There is no need to refer to the ethics of an attorney who would
thus accept employment. He is not a party to this case. It could
hardly escape notice, however, that for the accused to employ the
Lodge's attorney so that he could not further care for its interests is
not an act in accordance with the principles of the Order or its obli-
gations.
Your Committee for the reasons given and upon undisputed evidence
are unanimously of the opinion that Brother K. A. Flagg is guilty
under the charge made of conduct unbecoming an Odd Fellow.