HUMORS OF MASONRY.

Taranaki Daily News, Volume LVI, Issue 199, 20 February 1914, Page 6

HUMORS OF MASONRY.

AN EXCITABLE MEMBER. By Telegraph—Press Association. Auckland, Wednesday. Some of the inside troubles of a .Masonic lodge were revealed in the police Court this morning, when Edward G. Bodcn, aged 50, was charged that, on 'January 28, lie sent a letter to Joseph 1 Spinley, in which he threatened to kill /Arthur Wni. Morris, Thomas William Allen and David H. Sissons. Chief Detective McMahon stated that Bodcn was a member of the United Service ■ Masonii Lodge, No. 10, and the .disappearance from the lodg'e of the key of a locker, some liquor and a , coat resulted in suspicion surrounding Bodcn in the minds of some of the other members, and they called 011 him to resign. He did not send in his resignation, but he remained away from .the lodge meetings, and at the_saine time asked for an apology from the f members who had called 011 him for his resignation. He then wrote letters of /an insulting nature to several of the ' members, and eventually wrote to Mr. Spinley, threatening tliat he would, m the lodge, shoot Morris, Allen and Sissons. Complaint was then made to the police, and the present action followed. Mr. McMahoii drew attention to the fact that accused was a man of education. Joseph Spinley gave evidence as to receiving postcards and finally, on January 28, a letter in which the signatory.' "E. G. Bodcn," stated: "[ will kill on the floor of the lodge, Morrfc, Allen, and that infamous monster, Sissons," and j also, "Make 110 mistake Spinley; murder will be the. final outcome of this paltry case." The letter also stated j that the writer had obtained a six-cluun-(bered revolver. j In the course of the evidence a number of postcards were put in. One received by Spinley stated: "If the clia;'ge ,ior withdrawal is not in my hands before l| next lodge night, beware of trouble." 1 One received by Mr. Allen runs: ''Have l.vou found that key, you cur? And you are the Provincial Grand .Master of Masons, you cur!" Another was to / the effect that, should the "base, infamous charge' or its withdrawal, not reach him before next lodge meeting he would have the lodge's morality exposed in a weekly paper. His Worship decided that as the facts , were admitted the case was not one tor tiie Supreme Court. The accused was undoubtedly an easily excited man. with a highly nervous temperament, and he would be bound over in his own surety ( of £IOO, and iu one other of a like amount, to keep the peace, for a y,.,ir. His Worship also extracted a promise from the accused that lie would refrain tiom indulging in intoxicating liquors.