Preamble Whereas, the citizens of the Township of Comstock, Charleston, Pavilion, Climax, Ross, Richland, Brady and Wakeshma impressed with the propriety of a thorough organization to protect themselves against Thieves and Burglars to restore stolen property to the rightful owners and make the detection of Thieves more certain do hereby adopt the following Constitution and By-laws which the pledge ourselves faithfully to sustain:

Constitution:

Article 1:  This association shall be known as the Galesburgh Protection Society and be composed of citizens of the township of Comstock, Charleston, Climax, Pavilion, Ross, Richland, Brady and Wakeshma

Article 2:  The object of the association shall be to protect its members against the loss of Horses and other property by theft and to assist in the arrest and conviction of thieves

Article 3:  Any person can become a member of the Society by paying Three dollars into the Treasury as a general fund

Article 4:  The officers of this association shall consist of a President, Secretary, Treasurer, Captain and one Vice President from each Township represented the Captain shall have power to appoint any members of said observation as riders at any time and as many as he shalt at any time deem necessary.  The above Officers shall be elected on the second Saturday of October in such year.

Article 5:  The riders so appointed shall be under the direction of the Captain when on duty

Article 6:  When any property belonging to the members of the Association of the value of Twenty five Dollars shall be stolen in any of the above named Township the Captain and riders shall proceed to the detection of the thieves and to restore the property

Article 7:  The Riders shall furnish their own horses when in search of thieves or stolen property under the direction of the Captain and shall receive an allowance of One Dollar and fifty cents per day and necessary expenses but no rider shall receive per diem allowance unless he shall use due diligence in the performance of his duty such claims shall be settled and paid by the Captain and Treasurer

Article 8:  The Captain or in his absence the second Captain mnay when a search is necessary draw from the Treasury such amount of money as he shall deem sufficient to defray the expenses the overplus if any shall be returned to the Treasurer

Article 9:  If the funds of this Society as provided for in Article 3 shall fall below the sum of Fifty Dollars it shall be the duty of the Treasurer to report the same to the President and Secretary who shall forthwith proceed to assess each member a sufficient amount to have One hundred Dollars in the Treasury and it shall be the duty of the Vice President to collect such assessments from each member of their respective Townships and pay the same into the Treasury

Article 10.  Any member refusing or neglecting to pay the assessment when duly notified by the Vice President within Fifteen days thereafter shall be excluded from any benefit of the Association unless he can give the Vice President satisfactory reason why he had not paid it

Article 11.  One half of any reward paid for the recovery of or for the detection arrest and conviction of thieves to which any rider shall have become entitled when under command of the Captain shall be placed in the Treasury of the Society

Article 12.  The Secretary shall give ten days notice of any regular or Special meeting

Article 13.  No part of the Constitution shall be amended or suspended unless notice of the proposed alteration is given by the Secretary at the time of calling the meeting: when if a majority of the members present who in favor of the alteration it shall be adopted

Article 14.  This Society at any regular meeting may be disbanded and the funds in the hands of the Treasurer be distributed to its members by a two thirds vote of all the members of the association

By-Laws: