War Paint And Feathers Donned By Lady Maccabees

On the decision of Judge Kinne will rest the continuance or end the belligerence of the fair contestants

 The suit in chancery recently filed by the Great Hive of the L. O. T. M. of Michigan against the Supreme Hive L. O. T. M. and which has been on trial before the Hon. Judge Kinne for the past two weeks, will probably be decided during the coming week. The result of Judge Kinne's decision is looked forward to with a great deal of interest, not only by the lady Maccabees in Ann Arbor, of which there are more than five hundred, but throughout the entire state, as on it will depend the right of the Great Hive to do business outside of the state of Michigan.

 The object of the suit is to restrain the Supreme Hive from interfering with the operations of the Great Hive in other states outside of Michigan, and at the same time to decide the ownership of the ritual of the order and the right of name. According to Judge Kinne it is one of the most exceptional cases ever brought into court in the United States and its outcome will be a matter of considerable interest not only to the Maccabees but to other beneficiary organizations which may at any time find themselves involved in a similar difficulty.

 To have a lucid understanding of the point at issue in the controversy it is necessary to know something of the history of the two organizations, the Great Hive L. O. T. M. of Michigan and the Supreme Hive. The former organization, which has exclusively confined its operation to this state, and which in reality is the parent organization of the L. O. T. M., was organized n 1886 as the ladies' auxiliary to the K. O. T. M, the men's branch of the order. At first the organization was conducted along purely social lines but as it began to grow in strength the beneficial feature was inaugurated and finally developed to that point where in 1890 a reorganization took place place and it became an endowment society. On this basis the organization went along for two years flourishing in membership and making its influence felt among women throughout the entire state. It had a number of executive heads, the majority of whom drew salaries from its treasury. In 1892 the first annual convention of the organization took place and right here may be said to have been sown the seed which has lately grown up as a thistle in the sides of both the Great Hive of Michigan and its off-spring the Supreme Hive.

 WHERE THE TROUBLE AROSE.

It was at the instance of the Great Hive, according to one of the executive officers of the latter, that Supreme Hive was given life. The purpose of creating the latter, according to the same officer, was to provide additional offices for those already in the service of the Great Hive and whom it seems were anxious to have services increased by holding offices in both organizations.

 For a While, in fact up until a short time ago, when the present suit was brought, things went along swimmingly and the utmost harmony prevailed between the two organizations. The Supreme Hive was extending its operations all over the country. It was operating in thirty-three different states and was doing a hustling business wherever it began operations. The fever of its success is credited for bringing about the present trouble, so also, perhaps the ambition of the Great Hive to compete with what now had developed into a rival, by extending its work into other fields outside of Michigan.

 The Supreme Hive said "No." Now the Great Hive is determined that it will not be thwarted in its efforts to extend its territory hence its appeal to the courts to pass upon its right to do business anywhere it chooses.

 MISS BOWBER'S VIEWS.

 The object of the Great Hive in extending its work over states other than Michigan is explained by Miss Emma C. Bower, the Great Record Keeper, of the order, of this city:

 "The membership of the order in Michigan," said Miss Bower this morning, "is 63,421. We have pretty fully covered the state. If our organization is to exist we must seek other fields of endeavor. For this reason and also for the purpose of deciding the ownership of the ritual of organization, we have brought the present suit and we believe that our case will be successful. The Supreme Hive have sought to put every obstacle in our way in doing business in other states. They have had women working against us all over this and other states, but we are sure the merits of our cause will end in a favorable decision for us from the court."

 When the present suit was filed the defendants presented a demurrer. Judge Kinne overruled it and his decision was sustained by the Supreme Court. What the final decision will be means much to the Michigan Great Hive as if they are prevented from carrying on their work in other sections of the country it may, according to Miss Bower, result quite seriously for them. If on the other hand the Great Hive is the successful party in the litigation, there will probably be a lively tussle by the ladies in both organizations for supremacy throughout the country.