The Washington critic., 1888-03-03
THE TRUE REToRNERs SPLIT.
Nine Fountains withdraw From, the
United Order. ..lg. 4a

Nine Fountains Withdraw From, the
United Order. ..1V. sA
There has been split in one of the
strongest colored beneficial organizations
in this country, the United Order of True
Reforniers.
Rev. Robt. Johnson, pastor of the Fourth
Baptist Church and worthy grand mas
ter of the split faction, tells the following
story about it:
Three years or more ago some trouble.
arose in the order in Virginia, which
caused the suspension of four numbers.
Those four numbers, under the leader
ship. OF q Mr.. Williams, were lncorpo-
rated under the laws of Virginia and
named themselves the Supreme United
Order of True Reformers. Then Will
liams came to Washington aud formed
several numbers then they wanted me
to become member.
II did not want to be one, but they in.
sisted, so joined. They made me grand
deputy at large, and sent me, to. Rich
mond to inquire into the difficulties there
and ascertain which faction was the right
one. met Mr.. Brown, the grand worthy
master of the other faction, and we, to-
gether, went to the court house and
found from the records that the Brown
faction was the right one. returned to
Washington and told my people what i
had learned, and consequently, four OF
five numbers of us went over to the
Brown faction. That side put me on the
executive board, where the salaries are
paid out. / saw certain things in that
board that did not like. / spoke of it.
Mr.. Brown was grand worthy master,
secretary and treasurer; i told him that
must tell my people the truth about
this, and he said that he had to hold
these offices because the former secretary
had stolen money.
"After that he seemed to stand in fear of
me, and when went to fredericksburg,
Va, in 1856 not as delegate, but as one
OF the District deputies and while there,
Brown would not give me any voice in
the meeting. But the convention, bya
unanimous vote, gave me all the time /
desired to express myself. Immediately
left for Washington, leaving the conyen-
ton still in session. AS soon as L left,
Brown took my Washington delegation
to hall and there charged me with SLAM
dering the female deputy of the District
in my letter of resignation, which l had
rendered some time before, because did
not intend to be ruled by woman dep
uty, when good men could be had. At
this hall he persuaded my delegation TO
elect this female deputy Grand Worthy
Mistress Of the District. The Grand
fountain in Washington give bond to the
Grand Fountain,for all moneys in their
treasures within sixty days after passage
of the resolution. Nine of the numbers
here in the District said that they would
notdo it. Then Brown was elected Grand
Worthy Master for life, and these nine
numbers came out, saying that they did
not want any king inthis country.
! ~ asked nobody to come out with me-
| lod mn ~ tl,a, ,Inr
and Washington deputies, but the female
deputy refused TO attend. We organized
a Grand Fountain, and on the Both of
December last had ii incorporated here
under the name of "Free and Independ-
ent Order oil True Reformers" Our
motto is "Liberty, Liberty, Liberty for
ever" They are leaving the other side
and coming over to us rapidly. AS to
the other organization, i would not puta
straw in the way to impede its progress.
1t is good enough, but in the ruling
powers is the trouble. They want TO
Keep the money on the other side of tile
Potomac. We want to build up Wash
ington; we want to keep the money here.
They were afraid of me after found out
certain thingsi in the executive board.
owe propose to have an industrial de-
partment where children of the members
can be employed and keep what articles
they make. They demanded our works
TO be turned over in ten days or go TO law.
We are moi going to turn over the works
and are ready TO go to law with them.
When man buys an article and pays for
| 1t, 1t is his property; so are these works
ours. We paid for them. lam worthy
grand master Of our organization, and
the Grand FOUNTAINS meet every quarter.
| The nine numbers which came out are:
| |, Emanuel; 2, Olive Leaf; 8, Smitten
Rock A, Bethsadal 3, Sarah; O. job; Z,
Johnsoni s, Churchwell, and o, Levitt
icus."