rominently to the attention of
people of all nationalities in the United States. In that year it held a
national convention in Chicago. At this time its membership was at its
height. Tens of thousands of men of Irish blood had become affiliated
with it for motives of the purest patriotism, many others on account of
the secret political influence which it was enabled to wield; and not a
few because they thought they saw in it a source of livelihood and
profit to themselves. Its treasury had swollen to large proportions, as
a natural result of that section of the constitution which required
every local camp to remit ten per cent. of its gross receipts to the
Executive Board, and to faithfully keep the balance, save and except so
much as might be required for running expenses, in its treasury for an
emergency. It was from this convention that the troubles which afterward
overwhelmed the order first dated. One of its actions was to so change
the system of government as to confide the supreme control to an
Executive Board of five men, of which number three formed a quorum.
Alexander Sullivan of Chicago, Michael Boland of Louisville, and D. C.
Feeley of Rochester, New York, were elected members of this Executive
Board, and, working together, became both the majority and necessary
quorum. This was the trio which was destined to become famous in after
years as the "Triangle."

Almost from the day and hour that the convention adjourned, the
"Triangle" commenced to rule the order with a rod of iron. Despite the
fact that when it came into power there was in the treasury funds,
according to the best data that has been obtainable, aggregating a
quarter million of dollars, a new rule was promulgated which required
nearly the entire receipts of each Camp, instead of the former ten per
cent., to be forwarded to the National Executive Committee. In
justification of this remarkable step, it was quietly given out that
matters connected with the objects of the organization indicated that
an imperative demand was very shortly expected, which would allow of no
delay, and in which much money would be required. As the funds had been
raised for the sole purpose of assisting in revolutionary efforts,
which, from their very nature had necessarily to be conducted with the
utmost secrecy, no great objection came from any quarter to the transfer
of the funds. The amount thus placed in the control of Alexander
Sullivan, as chief of the Executive Com