The record-union. [volume] (Sacramento, Calif.) 1891-1903, 1892-04-20
MORE SACRAMENHANS VICTIMIZED.
Collapse of the Western Mutual Ben
eft Association.
Manager Riddell is Missing, and it is
Claimed That Some $4,000 Has
Also Disappeared.

There appears to be no longer any
doubt of the collapse of the so-called
Western Mutual Benefit Association,
which began to display signals of distress
some two months ago. 1t is said that w.
ii. Riddell, the manager of the concern,
has left San Francisco; also that there
is some $4,000 of the Associations funds
unaccounted for.
Referring to this condition of affairs,
the Examiner of yesterday says that J.
NJ. Henderson of Sacramento arrived in
that city on Monday as the represent
alive of a number of the victims of the
organization residing here. He tells a
sad story of the way the members of the
society have been victimized, and saws
that he will al once employ attorneys to
prosecute, criminally as well as by civil
action, those who are responsible for the
Swindle
ut will be remembered" he said,
that the Occidental Self Endowment
Association collapsed in 1889, victimizing
about 5000 members, and suit was
brought against the directors to hold
them personally liable for the promises
Of the association. The case is still in
litigation.
A DECOY INSTITUTION.
AN attempt was made to defeat the
action by organizing decoy institution
called the Western Mutual Benefit Asso-
citation. Most of the defrauded member
Of the Occidental refused to take stock in
the Western, but many were duped into
1t and have continued to pay assessments
up to the present time.
Most of the victims I represent are
women, and although assessments have
been paid to the Sacramento AGENT. no
intimatiOn has heretofore been given to
the members that Riddell. the manager
and son of. l.. Riddell. the principal de-
tendant IN the Occidental suit had disap-
peared with the books and funds of the
association.
ut is significant fact that no oppor-
tunity was given the members of the Oc-
cldental, whose coupons were about to
mature, to come into the Western ONLY
those who would be willing to pay assess
ments for a long time before getting any,
thing In return were allowed to come
in"
The same paper says: stephen V.
Costello Of go Turk street knows good
deal about the working of the defunct in
StItutlon and expresses much surprise
that the methods employed by young
Rlddell have not before been given pub
Lefty. lie represents a number of vic
TINS residing in Marysville. whose inten-
ton 1t is, he says, to have Riddell brought
back to answer for his shortcomings.
The institution and its fraudulent
operations were brought to his notice by
Mrs. n. Dennis of Santa Rosa, who held
coupons which had matured to the value
of $500. Costello attempted to collect the
amount for her, and by dint of great
pressure succeeded in recovering about
500, in two installments. Finally, to-
n,.l lat4 =
attached the office furniture of the COM
pany in the Flood building, whereupon
Riddell left town and has not been seen
since.
The names of the alleged Directors of
the association, which are printed on the
stationery, are a. NJ. Bullock, Dr.. NJ. ii.
Logan, X. f. Collins, Charles Lesher and
f. II. MOrelle. According to the state
ment made by Costello, however, these
persons repudiate all connection with the
concern, and say that their names were
used without their consent. Lesher and
Morelle, according to Henderson, were
agents in the employ of the Occidental
Directors to speculate in lapsed policies,
by which it was developed in the inyesti-
CATION conducted by Commissioner Tobin
in 1889 that over 5000 was diverted
from the funds of the association.
That the Western came into exist
ence for the purpose of dipping the
members of the Occidental, whose cou-
ponS had not matured, into continuing
the payment of their monthly assess
ments Is quite apparent from the report
furnished the last Legislature by Com
missioner Tobin. ct in spite of this
and the publicity given to the scheme at
the time, hundreds fell into the trap and
threw good money after bad.
EVANSVILLE VICTIMS.
1.-THE majority of the victims of the
Western reside in Marysville. Sacra-
mento, Santa Rosa and Vallejo. A few
days ago lady living in the tirst-named
placed arrived in the city with two younp
children in the expectation of collecting
1900, which became due upon the death
OF her husband two weeks ago. The
poor woman's disappointment may well
be imagined when it is said that she is
entirely without means and placed her
entire dependence upon this.
Mrs. CumberSon is q lady of Marys-
vile who is entitled to 81 0G0 in a similar
way. She brought the information to the
city yesterday that W. II. Riddell was in
Portland, Or, two weeks ago, and will
be one of the complaining witnesses in
the proceedings about to be commenced
against him.
Exposures in the public press from
day to day. says Commissioner Tobin.
do not drive these rascals from the
ground. Suppressed to-day they bob up
serenely in some new disguise to-nor-
row. Like the Grand Lama OF Thibet
they never actually die. They are meta
morphosed, or undergo simply a
transmigration of soul. II knocked ON
the head as a Pacific institution they re-
appear as an Occidental, and if deprived
of breath as an Equity they come up in
questionable shape as Fidelity
- For instance, when the Pacific Coast
branch of the Mutual Self Endowment
and Benevolent Association of America.
with headquarters at Longview, Texas.
departed this life its soul transmierated
into the Pacific Mutual Self Endowment
Association. Upon the decease of the lat
ter it underwent a TRANSPORTATION and
came up smiling as the Occidental Self
Endowment Association. When the last
went the way of all flesh the faithful were
told to worship at the shrine of the West
ern Mutual Benefit Association