USA > Indiana > History of the Catholic church in Indiana, Volume I > Part 54
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He was born in Dublin county, Ireland, on April 29, 1831. He came to this country, and settled in Nashville, Tenn., where
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he was naturalized and became an earnest, active and good citizen. After an honorable life, respected and loved for his noble nature and kind heart, with an unsullied name and stainless character as the proud heritage of his children, he died at Columbia, Tenn., on March 20, 1883, a pious and devoted member of the Catholic church. He now sleeps his last sleep in Mount Calvary cemetery at Nashville, with his resting place marked by a neat monument, the feeble tribute of affectionate remembrance from the order he loved and served so well.
The order was now fully launched, with episcopal approval, and its growth was far beyond the most sanguine hope .of its best wishers. The meetings were largely attended and it was but a short time until other branches were organized by the official organ- izer, John McDonald, he having visited Cincinnati, St. Louis, Louis- ville, and other cities for this purpose.
Several branches having applied for a charter, among the num- ber was branch No. 7, of New Albany, Ind. On March 10, 1878, a meeting of Catholics was called in the city of New Albany for the purpose of organizing a branch of the Catholic Knights of America. Louis Vernia was selected temporary chairman, John Byrne temporary secretary, and Mr. Doyle, of Louisville, explained the constitution and laws of the order and aided very materially in the organization of this, the first branch in our state. By unanimous vote of those present, it was decided to leave the charter open for two months for the purpose of securing signers, and at the end of that time, eighteen charter members were obtained as follows: John Byrne, Joseph Byrne, William S. Herley, Henry E. Koetter, Gerhardt H. Koetter, James Shea, Cornelius Tegart, Leo Bark- house, Peter P. Schaefer, Thomas Gleason, John O'Donnell, Will- iam Ryves, Michael Neenan, Sylvester Bir, Thomas Dowd, Michael Welsh, John Maley and Patrick Delahunty.
Of these eighteen charter members, four are dead, two have moved away from New Albany, and twelve still remain and are members of branch No. 7. Shortly after the organization o branch No. 7, branch No. 9 of New Albany was organized.
The order having extended to the several'states under the charter granted, the members deemed it proper to have a meeting
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of the supreme council. An expression was invited and had by the branches, then in existence, and the time and place agreed upon resulted in the selection of July 9, 1878, at Louisville, Ky. The first supreme council session opened at the appointed time and place with a full representation from all branches then in existence -Indiana being represented by Dr. R. A. Davis from branch No. 7, of New Albany, and Joseph Weber of branch No. 9, of the same city-these two branches being the only ones in existence in this state at that time.
The second annual session of the supreme council was held in the supreme court room, Indianapolis, Ind., July 8, 1879, and com- pleted its session on July 10th. At this meeting an amendment was adopted reducing the basis of representation and the meetings changed from annual to biennial, and Cincinnati was selected as the place of meeting of the third supreme council, which was held on July 12, 1881. At this council was reported the charter which had been granted by the legislature of the state of Kentucky.
On April 1, 1880, the general assembly of the state of Ken- tucky granted a charter to the " supreme council, Catholic Knights of America," authorizing them to transact business, which charter was as follows:
WHEREAS, Certain persons, citizens of Kentucky, Tennessee, West Virginia, Pennsylvania, Missouri and Indiana have formed a corporation to promote benevolence, morality, science and indus- try in said states and in the United States; therefore,
Be it enacted by the General Assembly of the Commonwealth of Kentucky:
SEC. I. That R. L. Spalding, W. B. Dalton, J. J. O'Rourke, J. L. Hechmer, G. D. Deuser, L. H. Bell, T. J. Gilligan, D. H. Leonard and W. Neh. Webb, and their associates and successors be, and they are hereby created a body politic, to be known by the name, style and title of the supreme council Catholic Knights of America, and by such name and title shall have perpetual suc- cession, and be capable in law of suing and being sued, pleading and being impleaded, and of purchasing, leasing, holding, granting and receiving in its corporate name such property, real, personal and mixed, as is necessary for the conduct of its business and affairs, and of instituting grand councils and subordinate branches
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as it may see fit, under such laws, rules and regulations as the cor- poration may enact, not in conflict with the laws of this state and of the United States.
Sec. 2. The object of the corporation shall be to unite fra- ternally all acceptable Catholics, of every profession, business and occupation; to give all possible moral and material aid in its power to members of the organization, by holding instructive and scien- tific lectures, by encouraging each other in business, and by assist- ing each other to obtain employment; to establish and maintain a benefit fund from which a sum not to exceed two thousand dol- lars shall be paid at the death of each member to his family, or be disposed of as he may direct; but the death benefit shall be limited to the assessment per capita until such assessment reaches two thousand dollars or more; to establish a fund for the relief of sick and distressed. members, and to establish and maintain a circulating library of useful and instructive books for the use of the members of the association.
Sec. 3. That the supreme council shall have a common seal for the making and delivering of all legal acts and proceedings, the same to break or alter at pleasure.
Sec. 4. The said supreme council may provide for holding its annual meetings at such time and place as a majority of its vot- ing members may select.
Sec. 5. The private property of members of the corporation shall be exempt from the corporate debts.
Sec. 6. The supreme council may provide for the election of such officers as it may deem necessary to transact the business of the corporation and to further its objects, who shall hold office until their successors are duly elected, qualified and installed into office.
Sec. 7. The said supreme council shall have power to create, hold and disburse the funds named in the objects of the corpora- tion for promoting benevolence and relieving the sick and dis- tressed, under such regulations as it may deem necessary to adopt, and said fund shall be exempt from execution, and shall under no circumstances be liable to seizure or appropriation by any legal or equitable process for any debt or debts of any of its living or deceased members; and said funds shall be exempt from the laws, rules and regulations governing the Insurance Bureau of this state.
Sec. 8. The general assembly reserves the right to amend and alter this charter.
Sec. 9. This act shall take effect from and after its passage. Approved April 1, 1880.
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In 1888, on April 30th, the legislature of the same generous state, on application, allowed the charter to be amended as follows:
AN ACT to amend the charter of the supreme council, Catholic Knights of America, approved April 1, 1880, and to repeal the act amendatory thereof, approved March 26, 1888. (Chapter 709.)
Be it enacted by the General Assembly of the Commonwealth of Kentucky:
SEC. I. That the charter of the supreme council, Catholic Knights of America, approved April 1, 1880, be amended by strik- ing out section 2 of said act, and inserting in lieu thereof the fol- lowing as section 2, viz:
Sec. 2. The object of this corporation shall be to unite fraternally all acceptable Catholics of every profession, business and occupation; to give all possible moral and material aid in its power to members of the organization by holding instructive and scientific lectures, by encouraging each other in business, and by assisting each other to obtain employment; to establish and main- tain a benefit fund, from which a sum not to exceed five thousand dollars shall be paid at the death of each member to his family, or be disposed of as he may direct, but the death benefit shall be limited to the assessment per capita, until such assessment reaches five thousand dollars, or more; to establish and maintain a sinking fund and a fund for the relief of sick and distressed members, and to establish and maintain a circulating library of useful and instructive books for the use of the members of the association.
Sec. 3. That the act to amend the charter of the supreme council, Catholic Knights of America, approved March 26, 1888, be, and the same is, hereby repealed.
Sec. 4. This act shall take effect from and after its passage. Approved April 30, 1888.
Later on other branches received charters, and in 1880 branch No. 103 was organized at the cathedral, Fort Wayne, by Hon. P. S. O'Rourke, now deceased. After the organization of this branch Mr. O'Rourke, with his characteristic energy, took hold of the matter, and by correspondence and addresses succeeded in having numerous branches organized throughout the state of Indiana and western Ohio, and to him, more than any man in the state, is due the credit for the large number of knights we now
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have. His time and means were freely given to the support of this very worthy order, and he was prominent in its affairs up to the time of his death. In 1881 his branch sent him as a delegate to the supreme council, which was held in Cincinnati, but Mr. O'Rourke did not attend that council meeting, as he was very sick at the time and supposed to be beyond recovery. This supreme council meeting, that was held in Cincinnati, did away with branch representation and provided for the branches in the different states organizing state councils, and for these state councils to elect representatives to the supreme council.
Rarely, if ever, in the history of Cincinnati, was the heat more oppressive than during this session of the council. Sunstroke fatalities were numerous and frequent. This condition of affairs made it necessary to change the meeting place from Melodeon hall to the Highland house, a more congenial and less afflicted site. Important amendments were before the council for consider- ation, and the discussions were long, forcible and animated. Up to this time branch representation was the ground work of the supreme council, and the rapid growth of the order made it apparent to all of her thoughtful well-wishers, that some means must be devised to remedy this cumbersome, inharmonious and extravagant system of government. An increased mortality, beyond every expectation, induced the conclusion that the rapid increase of membership was not surrounded with safeguards, in the medical tests of the applicants, as conducive to the order's security and permanency. The absurd fallacy, and inequitable exaction of valuable and laborious service, imposing heavy bond exactions, without any compensation whatever, to the executive head, and with shamelessly inadequate pay to the other seriously important trusts, inspired an awakening sense of justice in those who demanded faithful service, and who scouted the insane theory that the honor was a fair requital. Just complaint was made that the assessment rate, as then in vogue, was both unwise and faulty, and an increased age-limit from fifty to fifty-five years found ardent supporters.
At this meeting was created the office of supreme medical examiner, and the assessment rate, which had heretofore been one
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dollar an assessment, was changed to the following, which is still in force:
Between ages of 18 and 25 years $ .70
25 and 30 =
30 and 35 .80 " 35 and 40 .90 44 45 and 46 1.05 .75
Between ages of 46 and 47 years $1.10 47 and 48 1.15
46
48 and 49 1.20
49 and 50 1.25
16
.4 40 " 40 and 45
1.00 64
" 50 and 55 3.00
On May 5, 1882, the first state council for Indiana was held at the city of Indianapolis, and at this meeting Rt. Rev. Francis P. Chatard and Rt. Rev. Joseph Dwenger were elected spiritual directors; Dr. E. J. Brennan, of Indianapolis, state president; Peter Moll, vice-president; Thomas J. Gilligan, secretary; Hon. C. J. Murphy, treasurer. Hon. P. S. O'Rourke, of Fort Wayne, and Dr. E. J. Brennan, of Indianapolis, were elected representatives to the supreme council.
The fourth supreme council was held May 8, 1883, in St. Louis, Mo. The delegates from this state took an active and prominent part at this meeting, and both were untiring in their zeal for the welfare of the order. Dr. Brennan is still taking an active part and is now the supreme medical examiner of the order. At this meeting of the supreme council, Hon. P. S. O'Rourke was elected a supreme trustee and served in that capacity for two years.
The second state council of the state of Indiana was held on February 13, 1883, at the city of Indianapolis, at which both of our right reverend bishops were again elected spiritual directors; Hon. Henry S. Cauthorn, state president; Nicholas Horuff, vice- president; Thomas J. Gilligan, secretary; Hon. C. J. Murphy, treasurer; and Dr. E. J. Brennan and Hon. C. J. Murphy, supreme representatives, but they did not serve, as there was no supreme council for them to attend. But at the meeting of the third state council, held February 12, 1884, at Fort Wayne, Ind., they were elected and attended the fifth session of the supreme council, held in New York city on May 12, 1885-this council being known as the "sinking fund " council. The third state council, above referred to, elected Hon. P. S. O'Rourke, state president; A. S. Chapman, vice-president; J. A. Bedel, secretary; J. H. Schmidt,
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treasurer; and Messrs. Brennan and Murphy supreme representa- tives. The council which they attended is a memorable one in the history of the order. Hon. P. S. O'Rourke, of Fort Wayne, was a supreme trustee, and at this council meeting made a success- ful effort providing for a sinking fund. His theory was that no assessment organization could exist if means were not provided for a fund which could be called upon in times of urgent necessity. He contended that if either an epidemic, or the death rate should be overly large, that many members would drop out, and the excessive assessments would prevent the acquisition of new mem- bers, and, to guard against this, he proposed that ten per cent. of each assessment be set aside to be called a "sinking fund," to be used only in case of emergency. The committee on laws of the New York supreme council reported adversely to this proposition. Immediately on reading this adverse report, Mr. O'Rourke moved that a special committee of five be appointed to report on his prop- osition, which was done. After a short consultation by the com- mittee, Mr. O'Rourke was called before them, and it was suggested to him, that, if he would be satisfied with five per cent. of each assessment, the committee would report unanimously in favor of the sinking fund. Well knowing that a half a loaf was better than no bread, Mr. O'Rourke immediately gave his approval. The committee reported and unanimously supported Mr. O'Rourke on the floor of the convention, which finally adopted his proposition as the law of the order. At each succeeding council, up to the present time, attacks have been made on the sinking fund, but at all of these councils, with the exception of one, Mr. O'Rourke was present to defend the order, and the widows and orphans of deceased members, in what he considered the sheet anchor of the order, and he never failed in his emphatic way to impress upon the members of the supreme council the necessity of maintaining this, one of the grandest features of the supreme council, Catholic Knights of America, and, just previous to his death, he remarked that no fraternal order could exist successfully without a reserve fund. He said his energies were not put forward for what his beneficiaries would be liable to get, because he had spent, in the many years in which he was a member, far more than the $2,000
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that would be paid when he was no more, but he contended that the bulk of the members were of that class of our citizens who would not or could not go into the old-line companies for protec- tion for their families, and that it would be an outrage, without reparation, should the order continue to take the money from many hundreds, yea, thousands, of its members, without a positive assurance to them that, when they die, their loved ones would be saved from want. The sinking fund at this time amounts to a trifle over $350,000, the bulk of which is invested in United States bonds, the interest on which ranges from four to six per cent. per annum, which is used in assisting to pay death claims. At this New York meeting of the supreme council, Hon. P. S. O'Rourke was elected supreme vice-president.
The Knights of Indiana held their fourth state council in the city of Evansville, on September 7, 1886, and elected Hon. P. S. O'Rourke, state president; John Schu, vice-president; A. S. Chap- man, secretary; T. M. Howard, treasurer; H. C. Berghoff and J. Henry Schmidt were elected supreme representatives to attend the council, which held its sixth session at the Palmer house, Chicago, on May 10, 1887. At this council meeting was reported the amendment to the charter previously referred to. At this council Mr. O'Rourke was again elected supreme vice-president, he having declined the importunities of a vast majority of the delegates to allow his name to be presented for supreme president, but, owing to his business engagements, and knowing very well that he could not give the office of supreme president the attention which he knew it required, he declined.
The fifth Indiana state council was held on September 5, 1888, at the city of Madison, which council again elected Hon. P. S. O'Rourke, state president; John Schu, vice-president; A. S. Chap- man, secretary; T. M. Howard, treasurer; William S. O'Rourke and Hon. C. J. Murphy were elected supreme representatives to represent the council, which met in Chattanooga, Tenn., in May, 1889, which was the seventh supreme council.
After the adjournment of the sixth session of the supreme council, Supreme Medical Examiner E. Miles Willet died, on Feb- ruary 7, 1888, and Dr. E. J. Brennan, of Indianapolis, Ind., was (638)
IN THE STATE OF INDIANA.
chosen to fill the vacancy. At this meeting of the supreme coun- cil, Dr. Brennan was again elected supreme medical examiner.
The sixth state council was held September 2, 1890, at South Bend, at which time Very Rev. M. E. Campion was elected state president; John Schu, vice-president; Hon. Gerard Reiter, secre- tary; D. P. Downs, treasurer; and Hon. P. S. O'Rourke and J. P. Clemens supreme representatives to attend the council which was held in the city of Philadelphia in May, 1891. The old officers were re-elected with the exception of one trustee, who was a new man. At this same council meeting a committee on laws reported, having been appointed by the previous council, of which William S. O'Rourke was a member, he having been very active in the Chattanooga council in his efforts to enact more stringent laws for the welfare of the order.
The seventh state council of Indiana was held September 6, 1892, at Logansport, where Very Rev. M. E. Campion was re-elected state president; Hon. C. J. Murphy, vice-president; George Fahl- bush, secretary; D. P. Downs, treasurer; Hon. Gerard Reiter and Hon. P. S. O'Rourke were elected at this state council as Indiana's representatives to the supreme council, which was held in the city of Chicago, commencing May 9, 1893.
The next state council meeting was held in Vincennes, in August, 1894, at which Right Rev. Chatard and Right Rev. Rademacher were elected spiritual directors; Peter Wallrath, state president; P. R. McCarthy, vice-president; George Fahlbush, secretary; D. P. Downs, treasurer, and Hon. P. S. O'Rourke and Louis J. Herman were elected representatives to the supreme council.
Mr. Herman, at the time the supreme council met, was very ill and could not attend, and his alternate, Hon. Gerard Reiter, appeared in his place. This supreme council meeting was held in May, 1895, in Omaha, Nebr., and, as usual, Indiana's representa- tives were second to none in their endeavors for the promotion of good to the order. This council unanimously re-elected William S. O'Rourke supreme secretary, and complimented him very highly on the successful manner in which he had conducted the affairs of
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his office and the expedition with which he dispatched all of his official functions.
At the close of this council meeting the membership in Indi- ana increased very rapidly. New branches were organized in many parishes throughout the state and accessions to old branches occurred in many places at almost every meeting, so that when the next state council was held at Columbus in August, 1896, a vastly increased membership was reported. This state council re-elected the two bishops as spiritual directors; P. R. McCarthy, president; I. Freiburger, vice-president; A. J. Lauck, secretary; D. P. Downs, treasurer; and Hon. Gerard Reiter and Peter Wallrath were elected supreme representatives and attended the supreme council meeting, which was held in Mobile, Ala., in May, 1897. Besides the officers and representatives from this state who attended this supreme council, many of the members from throughout the state were present, all enthusiastic in their endeav- ors to promote the welfare of the order. This council meeting, however, was perhaps as unsatisfactory to the members at large as any that was ever held. There was such a diversity of opinion that it was impossible for any of the various plans suggested to meet the approval of a sufficient number of representatives pres- ent to insure their adoption. Indiana had been represented for many years on the board of supreme officers, and this meeting completed the tenure of office of William S. O'Rourke, supreme secretary, and Hon. Gerard Reiter, of Vincennes, was elected supreme treasurer, he taking his office in July, 1897. At the meeting of the supreme officers, at the same time, Dr. E. J. Bren- nan, of Indianapolis, was re-elected supreme examiner, his experi- ence and his ability being recognized by a unanimous vote of the supreme officers.
Not only are the finances and the medical department looked after by members in this state, but the uniform rank department is ably conducted by John W. Nordhaus, who for years has been de- voted in his attention to the uniform rank, Catholic Knights of America. This branch of the order was started in 1881, by Hon. P. S. O'Rourke in branch 103, that having been the first uniform branch in the order. In 1889 there was a sufficient number of (640)
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uniform companies in the state to perfect a state organization. Other states saw the necessity and the beauties of this rank, and . soon followed suit, so that the supreme council, which met in Omaha in May, 1895, made provision for a uniform rank. In 1897, this branch of the order received substantial recognition by causing suitable laws to be adopted for the establishment of the uniform rank officers, and John W. Nordhaus, of Vincennes, hav- ing been recognized as one of the leading military men of the order, was unanimously chosen commander-in-chief of that department throughout the country.
The order's record in the state of Indiana, from the organ- ization of branch No. 7, in New Albany, down to the present time, is indeed a proud and a flattering one. The management of her affairs by the several state officers, who have served so devotedly and so well, has shown honesty, devotion and self-sacrifice, and at no time during this period have the Catholic Knights of America deviated one jot in their duty to the order they love so well. Though affliction has befallen the order, during its long existence, the Knights in Indiana only worked the harder, and, if such a thing were possible, became more devoted in their efforts. Many millions of dollars have been paid by the order to the widows and orphans of deceased members, Indiana, owing to her large mem- bership, having received her proportionate share, and many homes, grief-stricken by the loss of a kind husband and father, have been alleviated by the bounteousness and liberality of the order of Catholic Knights of America.
AMERICAN SONS OF COLUMBUS.
It is erroneously supposed that the Roman Catholic church is unalterably opposed to secret societies and that all societies that are secret are condemned by the church. This idea, which is very extended, is not in consonance with the doctrines of the church.
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