Wheeling register. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1878-1935, 1891-07-02

| Under this plan with soma variations,
! the order started with its headquarters
at No. 1921 Walnut street. Philadelphia
operating under the New Jersey Char
ter, but things did not seem to get alone
smoothly, for in circular dated in
Apriis 1t Is stated that a meeting held
| Aprit l6, 1891, at which 5000 member:
were represented by proxy. it was
agreed to recommend to the Supreme
Trustees change of plan, as follows
Make the certificates 500 each. and
take one month off for each member.
provided the members so reduced con-
tinue the payments IN force for the period
of one month. This change was to take
effect May 18th. The same circular, by
way Of reaSsuring members. said:
1--WE can assure you that you are repre-
senting an order that Ia judiciously and
! honestly handled; that the concern OF the
members is the first consideration at the
| hands of the Supreme officers; that every
safeguard has been thrown around It's
! treasury and that there can be no ques-
tion as to the legal right to transact the
business as set forth In its circulars, con
stitution and certificates"
The national headquarters were then
spirited away to this city, as is stated
in circular dated "Wheellng, w. Va,
May 1lth," IN which the management
says:
"TAKE NouoE-That the executive OH
ces of the Fraternity have been moved TO
this city. which is in conformity with the
charter of incorporation issued TO the Fra,
ternity by the State of West Virginia, ana
accepted by majority vote or the members
at Camden, n. j., April IL, 1891
This move we considered necessary TO
protect the best interests Of the members,
owing TO the recent decision OF Judge But
Ter, of the United States District Court.
relative to orders Incorporated under the
! laws OF the State OF New Jersey.
1t is fully expected tRat under the new
charter, which clearly states our rights,
that the order will grow as never before "
ThiSbrings usdown to the alleged West
Virginia charter, and thereby hangs an
interesting tale. Inthe circular OF May
IL. the management distinctly claim to
haveaa charter from the State of West
Virginia" When Mr.. Eggleston came
here from Cleveland. a week ago, ana
Messrs. Erskine s. Allison, his legal
counsel, began an Investigation into the
affairs and standing of the order, they
ran against this West Virginia charter,
but It then assumed the phase OF a GER
tificate issued by the County Clerk OF
Kanawha county, under Secs. =, and
of Chap. So of the Code, which pro-
vides that
''3. The said agreement or declaration
shall be acknowledged by the parties sign
ing the same, in the same manner that
deeds are required to be acknowledged by
the laws of this State; and when SO ac-
knoweledged, it shall be filed with the
Clerk of the County Court Of the county IN
which the business or purpose OF the cor
poratioA is TO be carried on or pursued, ana
by said Clerk preserved and duly recorded
in book to be keep exclusively Tor that
purpose.
~. The clerk shall thereupon issue TO the
corporatOrs certificate, under the seal OF
his Office, stating distinctly the names OF
the corporators and the name as well as
the object and purposes of the corpora
tion.n
When this certificate was struck by
the Investigators, telegram was at
once sent to the Clerk OF the County
Court Of Kanawha county, who endorsed
upon it: "No such paper recorded here;
referred to the Secretary OF State" "
and that official added: ''No such paper
issued" and sent it back to Wheeling.
Fearing that some error had been made,
another telegram was Sent to Charles
ton, which brought substantially the
same answer.
IL will thus be seen that either there
is no such West Virginia charter, as is
claimed, or that very serious error has
been made by both the Clerk of the
Kanawha County Court and the Secrc-
tary of State. Certain it is that no such
certificate has been put upon record at
the office of the Country Clerk in this
county, as would seem to be required by
the terms of chap. So Of the Code.
Judge Jacob was made to say In the m
teItigencer yesterday that he had pro-
cured the West Virginia certificate.
Yesterday Judge Jacob said he had not
procured the paper, and had not said
so, but that he had seen a paper pur-
porting to be such certificate. OF this
certificate feature, more will be said
later on.
The next circular sent out FROM this
city was dated wheeling, w. Va, May
23d," and says:
cat a meeting he'd Thursday, May
2l, 1891, ways, means and various plans
for the protection Of the order were
considered. A proposition from the
supreme officers of the Star Tontine
Association was presented at this meet
ing, and is submitted for your consider
alton:
'PHILApNrHIA, May 10, 1871.
"'TO E.. Winfield Luk,ns, Supreme Secro-
tdrv, etc.;
1--we will accept al members of your
fraternity, and will albw members whose
certificates mature in one month four
months credit; those whose certificates
mature in two mouths, three months
credit, and all others one month credit
in the Star. This includes, OF course,
the initiation fee. We will also
give credit for whateFer members were
recommended by the members; that is,
one month deduction oftime for each mem
Der recommended. If member in your
Fraternity has recommended two members,
this will mature his certificate in six
months if he has secTed three members,
II will mature in five uinths; if four mem
0ers, in four months, aid if five members,
in three months. 7. ). FoUsE,
Secretary AM Gen'l Manager.
Mr. E. Winfield LuSens endorsed this
as good thing, and hen said:-
"If the members of ne Fraternity de-
cline 10 accept it, then we shall be conf
PEELED to continue on II our present posi-
ton, and make such assessments from time
to time as the necessities of the Associa-
ton require"
He adds that the Str is an incorpor-
ated company, with acapital stock, ETC.
The next circular ssued from this
city was dated June 1891, and con-
tains some financial pinters as to how