Evening journal. [volume] (Wilmington, Del.) 1888-1932, 1892-08-12
Cross sxTRAvAeANog CHARGED.


ture 10y Iron Hall Omciais.
indianapolis, Aug. l2-The supreme
council Of the Order Of the Iron Hall began
it's investigation Of the condition of that
organization in the council hall here. While
the supreme council was in session a dozen
attorneys were before Judge Taylor argu-
ing the application for a receiver made last
week. Attorney Hawkins, representing
the plaintiffs made the opening statement,
reiterating the allegations in the complaint
and simplifying them
He said that it would be shown that the
supreme officers had conducted the affairs
with the utmost extravagance. At Omaha
in 1889 the four days session of the supreme
council, which was composed OF only forty
members, cost the organization Sl5O,OOO
The council had given champagne supper
TO the board of trade and the council OF that
city and had presented the mayor with an
expensive silver service. 1t had also voted
$4,000 to Somerby rs a gift. Other similar
incidents were related by the attorney.
Judge Howe made the opening speech for
the defendant, in which he said: ave are
ready to so to trial. This suit was filed
while Mr.. Somerby was out Of the city, and
we were compelled to go TO Mr.. Davis and
Mr. Walker for our information, which we
believe is not as complete as that given the
opposition" He denied all allegations as 20
any dishonesty, but admitted and sought to
explain many points made by the defense
Money had been borrowed he said, from
the reserve fund for the general fund. but
paid back. The heavy expense account was
due TO legislative lobbying in fighting the
old line insurance companies efforts to over
throw the order in eastern states three
years ago
In regard to the Mutual bank, Of Phila-
dolphin, he said that Somerby had but
s., 200 stock In It, He had no power TO
either put the orders money in IL or draw
it out. All the stockholders are members
Of the order. He admitted that there WIS
100000 Of the orders funds in the bank
when the crash OF the Spring Garden and
Keystone banks came, and when the court
ordered that $4,000 be put into the bank
the supreme officers put that much more of
the orders funds in 1t rather than lose what
II had. There is now, he said some $780,
600 Of the orders funds in the bank.
"Ihere isl said he, ''more money there
than ougno TO be, but it does not strike me
that 1t is the proper thing to appoint a re-
ceiver TO wreck this institution OF to draw
that money out all at once"
/ He declared that the point upon which
the suit turned was its present solvency,
not the possibility Of future insolvency, and
stated that on Jan. last if had in its benefit
fund more than S1,OO0,OO0, in its general
/ fund $4,000, in its reserve fund 81 400 600,
or total assets of S2,40O,OOO, nearly all cash.
Since then its assets have increased until it
now has 81 0s6,274, with an income Of $3.50.
600 per month from assessments, which
usually run two dollars per month With
its power of assessment il could pay all IL
will be required to pay for two years If the
Philadelphia bank were wiped off the earth
He closed by declaring that the suit was
the result Of "a conspiracy within the order
to drive Somerby out, intimating that the
chief conspirators We're Supreme Cashier
Davis and Supreme Accountant Walker