Wheeling register. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1878-1935, 1891-07-02
A SH0RT-TERMER.
NJ, urrORY OF TaB FRATERNITY OF FlNAN-
GIAL COOPERATION,
And III, Way II Does Businsss-Th' General Ofhc'
IN IBIS Oity-lntervisws With Various
Psr6ss-An Interesting Stsry.

Ahoot a month or so ago, the REGIS
-, limited letter written to Chief OF
p,,,ce Delbrugge, by Norfolk. Va,
-, IN which the writer called atten-
=. ~ the business methods of short
-, order called the Fraternity Of FL
,ci.l Corporation and denounced the
or,snization, which then purported TO
have is National office at No. 1921 Wal
mt street, Philadelphia, in the most
for,ible terms. The letter was published
IN the REGISTER, together with a clrcu-
lar issued by the Company, in which the
plan o. organization and operation was
outlined, and the matter created consid-
arabic talk for Il time, but gradually
faded from view and recollection, the
police. who had been appealed to by the
Norfolk man, being unable to obtain a
trace Of the concern IN this city.
As amatter of fact, the Fraternity
was at time doing very extensive bust
mess here In Wheeling, the National
bead0uarters of the order having been
removed here from Philadelphia, and
there IS very good reason for the state
meut that several hundred thousand
dollars, the proceeds of the business OF
tbe concern, have passed through the
Wheeling banks within period OF less
than Two months, the proceeds or as
easements levied upon members OF local
divisions in half the States of the Union.
Tuesday MIR. Emerson Ii. Eggleston,
ex-United States District Attorney of
Cleveland, O., came to this city, repre-
sentlng a local division of the city OF
Cleveland, and attached the cash OF the
Fraternity for the sum ofS4, 900, and out
of that proceeding, and as well by the
statements Of representatives. OF the or
-aniZation, made TO representative or
THE REGISTER yesterday, there is rea-
son 10 believe that the days of the or
ganization are numbered, and that it
will very shortly pass out of existence,
after most tlouriShiug career, espec-
falIy from the standpoint of the man
ayers.
A REGISTER reporter devoted consid-
cradle time to an investigation Of the
Fraternity, yesterday, and unearthed
some very interesting facts.
The Fraternity, which belongs to the
Genus "Short Term Order" seems TO
have been first Incorporated October
%, 1890, under the laws of the State OF
New Jersey, C. 7. Shields being Su-
preme President; w. E. Diehn, Supreme
Vice President; z. Winfield Lukens,
Supreme Secretary, and c. +. Dollner,
Supreme Treasurer. The charter was
taken out under the New Jer-
sey law providing for the in
corporation OF benevolent and char
table associations, and the objects
of the organization, as expressed in the
charter, were "tO discourage intemper-
ance and vice; to diffuSe the principles
Of frugality, cooperation, benevolence
and charity; TO maintain cooperative
or relief fund from the weekly dues OF
members, from which TO pay its mem
.Acrs certain sick, periodical and relief
MnefitS, and TO provide for such neces-
~ expenses rs shall be necessary be-
IdllSe of carrying into effect the objects
Werein set forth"
' The organization was to consist OF a
staff of central officers and as many
subordinate divisions as could be Sc
cured, and constitution and bylaws
was drawn up for the government OF
members, from which document the fol-
lowing selections are made:
Sec. 6 of the Constitution says:
''6. Each Division shall be entitled to a
representative at the annual meeting and
election. Pr0uided, That One-fourth of the
members Of such Division, ut the time OF
the annual meeting, have held continuous
membership during three successive DlVl-
SION terms: and further PrOUtded, That
such representatives have held office dur
ing said term. Said Division terms are
one year each"
AS the Fraternity has not been In
operation for year, it will be seen
that no Division has as yet been repre-
Sented, and could not possibly be for
two years to come, and that then the
representation would be exceeding
small. However, it looks we'll at first
glance.
Sec. of art. says the financial sys-
tenn of the order shall be under the
management of the Supreme officers
and Board of Trustees, and Sec. , says
tail shall be under the management of
the Supreme Secretary, Treasurer and
Chairman OF the Trustees, subject to
the control and approval of the Supreme
Body. 1t is also provided that there
shall be an application fee of SO, GER
tifcate fee of s. and an expense fee Of
81 per month, in addition to the weekly
dues of 81 for each applicant. Unless
all of these fees are paid promptly, the
certificate is forfeited, and all the pay
menJS which have been made are lost.
Section says that each member shall
have deducted from the face of his GER
tifcate at maturity the sum of $50,
which SUN is to be laid aside rs q re-
serve fund for the organization, and
Section says there shall be weekly
assessments of 81 for the period of
twenty six weeks, at the end Of which
time, according to the representations
OF circulars, the member is to draw out
500. Section again reminds the MEM
Der that failure to comply with the
provisions of sections I, or work
forfeiture OF the membership.
section Q sets forth the sick benefits
organization, and it Is dandy.
1t SAYS:
80. After ninety days from the date of
the certificate the member shall be Gu
titled 10 a sick benefit not to exceed S.
per week, and not TO exceed two weeks
During the continuance of any one certih-
cate. Such benefits are TO be deducted
from the amount Of the certificate when
mstured. Sick benefits only to be paid or
allowed to such members who, by their
sickness. are deprived from following
their usual occupation or employment, and
then only upon the certificate OF the at
tending physician"
Chapter 6 of the Bylaws provide that
matured certificates shall be payable