Editing Loyal Order of Moose (section)

=== Gustin–Kenny incident ===
On July 24, 1913, two candidates for LOOM membership, Donald A. Kenny and Christopher Gustin, died during<ref name="SouthernRFeporter">''[[Southern Reporter]]'' vol. 80, p. 86</ref> their initiation ceremony in [[Birmingham, Alabama]]. Kenny was the president of the local [[Chauffeurs Union]], and Gustin was an iron moulder. Both men were made to look upon a red hot emblem of the Order, and then blindfolded and disrobed and have a chilled rubber version of the emblem applied to their chests while a [[magneto]] was attached to their legs and an [[electric current]] was applied to them by a wire to their shoulders. The aim was evidently to make them believe that they were being branded. Both men fainted, but, as it was thought that they were feigning, the lodge officers did not stop the initiation until it was evident that the two were dying{{clarify|date=February 2019|reason=No cause of death is described. Did they both have spontaneous heart attacks from fear? Were they electrocuted? Unfortunately, the two sources cited in this section do not seem to be accessible.}} and the lodge physician was unable to revive them.<ref name="Preuss p.258" />