Lodge 341, Vermissa

Chapter three

The next day, McMurdo moved from Jacob Shafter's and went to stay with Mrs MacNamara, who was a widow. Scanlan now also worked in Vermissa and so he stayed at the same house. McMurdo was still allowed to go for meals with the Shafters, so his relationship with Ettie continued to develop.

One Saturday night, McMurdo was made a full brother of the lodge in Vermissa. He was warned that something might happen to him but he did not know what it was. Many men had gathered for the ceremony. McMurdo was tied up and blindfolded. Then they took off his coat and rolled up the sleeve on his right arm.

It was very dark and McMurdo could hear the voices of the men around him. Then he heard Boss McGinty's voice. 'Jack McMurdo, are you a member of the Ancient Order of Freemen?' McMurdo nodded.

'Are you from Lodge No. 29, Chicago?' Again McMurdo nodded.

'Are you ready to be tested?' asked McGinty.

'I am,' replied McMurdo. 'Very well.' McMurdo wanted to cry out because of the terrible pain in his arm. He felt faint but he bit his lip and he did not cry out.

'I can take more than that,' he said. There was loud applause. 'I welcome you to Lodge 341, Vermissa. Let's drink to our new brother!' said McGinty.

McMurdo took off his blindfold and examined his arm. There was a circle with a triangle in it, burnt deep and red onto his arm.

'So, now to business,' said McGinty. 'How is our bank balance?' And so McMurdo learnt of the way this community worked. Small companies gave money to the Order so that they were protected. If they did not give money, machinery went wrong, buildings burnt down and men were murdered. Nothing could be proved against the Order as most of the policemen were paid by the society and the others were too scared to do anything. Nobody wanted to give evidence against the Order.

But towards the end of the meeting, another man spoke. Brother Morris told them of how one large company had forced - all the smaller companies out of the valley and bought their businesses.

'I don't see that it matters to us who has bought the businesses, Brother Morris,' said Boss McGinty. But Brother Morris continued. 'With respect, sir, I think it will matter very much to us in the future. If big companies like the Railroad or General Iron own large parts of this valley, and their bosses are in New York or Philadelphia, they won't care about our threats. The small men can't harm us. They haven't the money or the power. But if these big companies find that we are stopping their profits, they won't stop until they have brought us to justice.' But McGinty took no notice of Brother Morris.

'I expect the big companies will find it easier to pay than to fight, the same as the small companies,' he said. 'And now, let's drink.' There was one last piece of business to be sorted out that night. The editor of the local newspaper, the Herald, had recently printed an article criticizing the lodge. His name was James Stanger. The headline was 'Reign of Terror in the Coal and Iron District'. McGinty read the article to the men, who were by now drunk and restless.

'That's what he says about us. Now what shall we say to him?' he shouted.

'Kill him!' shouted back many voices.

'No, we must be careful. But he must get a severe warning,' ordered McGinty. 'Who will go this evening?' Ted Baldwin volunteered, with five or six other men.

'Take our new brother with you,' added McGinty. Baldwin did not look pleased. 'You can come if you want,' he said to McMurdo. It was a very cold night. The men walked through the town and stopped outside a high building.

'You stay down here, McMurdo. Watch the door,' said Baldwin. 'You others come with me.' The men went in and up some stairs. From the room above came a cry for help, then the sound of crashing chairs. A gray-haired old man rushed out of the room. He was grabbed before he could go any further and his glasses came falling down the stairs to McMurdo's feet. The old man was on his face and the men hit him again and again with sticks. The others stopped, but Baldwin kept attacking the old man, who was now covered in blood.

McMurdo went up and pulled Baldwin away.

'Leave it! You'll kill the man! The boss said that we shouldn't kill him and look what you're doing! We'd better go home.' The others agreed with McMurdo.

Hurry! said one of the men. 'There are lights coming on. All the town will be here in a minute. Run!' They left the beaten body of the editor on the stairs and moved quickly away up the streets and back to their homes.