The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1885-05-14
THE ORDER OF FOREsTERs.
Reasons for Placing the Organization in the
Hands of a Receiver.


Terre Haute Evening Mail.
The sensation. of the week which has for some
reason or other escaped the reporters of the
daily papers, has been the collapse of the mu-
tual benefit society known as the Omitted Order
of Foresters, which was placed in the hands OF a
receiver James E. Somes, supreme treasurer of
the order, being appointed to the position. The
liabilities of the association, which consist OF
death claims which have been approved, amount
to about $37 000 while the normal assets are
about $1,000, in bank here. The figures show
the society to have been in very bad way, but
there is no official delinquency to blame for il
For year the membership of the order has been
dwindling down, and the last assess
bers. AS the death losses during
the last few months have been averaging from
So, 900 to $4,000, and the receipts only about
S., 600 month, meeting OF the supreme officers
and executive committee was called, at New
York, the latter part of April at which it was
decided to apply for a receiver, and wind up the
affairs of the order before the indebtedness
should become greater. The supreme treas
urer j. E. Somes, and supreme secretary, John
L. Mccoy, residing here, the motion was made
in our courts, and the appointment made
as above stated. Mr. Somes will send out Off
cial announcement to-day of his appointment as
receiver, and will make strong appeal to the
different courts of the order, on behalf of the
benefciaries of deceased members to forward
all funds in the treasury of each lodge for the
purpose of paying off the policies now due. Mr..
Somes thinks that these amounts would enable
him to pay at least % per cent. of the indebted
ness, if all the lodges comply with his request,
which, however is not at all likely. The proba-
bilities are that benefciaries will not get more
than 10 per cent on their policies
The Independent Order of Foresters of which
the present order is the successor, was organized
in 1874, on the plan of mutual insurance, and
had "a large membership. 1t got behind in
its finances, until, in 1881. il $74 600 in debt
and every month this debt grew larger. 1t was
YPOn IN nj hQ 0rdo an hoff
basis, which was done in 1881, the name of
United Order of Foresters being adopted. The
$74 900, which was due beneiciaries of deceased
members of the l. o. F., was assumed by the
new organization. and it was practically the
milestone which drew it down to death Extra
assessments were made on the members to lift
this debt, and hundreds of members refused to
pay it, In many cases entire lodges dropping ont
Each assessment saw the number of members
decrease until the 60O0 with which the
1900 The old indebtedness was wiped
out, and until last spring the death losses
were met promptly. But it became noised abroad
that the order was unsafe, and no new members
could be obtained. The losses became unusually
heavy about that time, and members refused to
pay the assessments, and dropped out. In Au-
gust last the Indebtedness had grown to $25, 900,
and although struggle was made to pull
through, the death losses during January and
February were so heavy as to put an end to all
hope and to prevent any further loss to members,
it was decided to wind up the affairs of the or
der Mr.. Somes knows more of the affairs Of
the order than any other man, and his appoint
ment is a guarantee that the affairs will be set
tied up honorably and in the best manner that
the limited assets will allow The loss of the
$37 900 unpaid death claims will prove serious
one to the beneficiaries, but there is some
ISOLATION to the members of the order that hum
dreds of thousands of dollars have been paid out
to the widows and orphans before the storm OF
adversely came upon them.