The evening world., 1894-05-02
ALL WANT TO RESIGN.
Atlantic Mutual Benefit Society
an Opera oulfe Affair.
Crazy.Quilt Business Men Thought
II Great Scheme.
Now There Is Talk of Warrants and
Creditors Are Anxious.

A greater middle than has been made
of the affairs OF the New York State
branch of the Atlantic Mutual Benetit
Charleston, w. Va, and which went
out of existence last Wednesday, 1t
would be hard to discover.
at IL the story said Director NAL
colin W. Niven, q lawyer, at 40 Broad
way, INT Secretary Of the Harlem
Bridge Commission. ''of a lot of men
ignorant OF insurance business. acting
In good faith and wishing to help old
when they ought to know better. ami
getting. mixed up in a matter they had
better have kept out Of.
incidentally / might add my igno-
rance was seized upon lowell, put 1t
mildly-make me pay for others mis-
takes.
II have known President Edward A.
Smith, brother Of Gen. Baldwin Smith.
of Philadelphia, for many years. He
and John w. Coffin, a wealthy con-
tractor, OF so Broadway. came to me
about last November and asked me to
ing the New York State branch Of the
Society. They told me It was properly
organized In West Virginia, and that
everything here had been provided for.
All they wanted was my temporary
used as u director. | objected at first,
as l. have so little time to spare.
Finally J. attended a meeting at
Then / was introduced to Henry Will
iems, a lawyer. He assured all present
that he had attended to all the necessary
cured the permit from the State Insur-
ance Commission, at Albany.
Here's where the first mistake comes
a Nd M H.d asnsra had been up to Albany All any
gone to the Secretary of State at AL
bany, stated his business, paid certain
fees and. In return, received a license
from him for the Society to do business.
He had never gone neal the Insurance
Commission
Then a mass OF the statistics were
the society's plans were; accepted
eBntley was elected President and j
Nice-President. We were also elected
II missed the next three or four
meetings, and at the fourth Gen. Bent
ley resigned, because his plans of bust
elected In his place. l tried to resign
and SO did Coffin, but a quorum could
never be got together. Then the State
fact that we had no license. although
we thought that OF the Secretary OF
state was all right. They. refused to
issue us one when we applied, because
A
Or "Wednesday, last we held a meeting
and decided to dissolve the New York
organization. Last Saturday or Wednes-
day we notified the Insurance Commission
that we were out of business.
Now comes another complication
The officers elected here in New York
are also the sole officers of the West
Virginia organization. Just as soon as |
can get a quorum l shall resign, and so l
believe will the other directors.
II suppose the best thing for any one
interested is to apply to the home office
at Charleston about its affairs. Presi-
dent Smith, I understand. is still In
New York. Solicitor John Hopper I
know but little of. He is said to have
n good record with the Mutual Reserve.
OF course II he has defrauded any one
he should be punished. but l do not
know he has done any wrong.
Il notice in a morning paper that
warrants are said to have been sworn
out against the officers of the Society.
All / will say is that |. as n director, a
member of god standing at the bar,
was approached yesterday with the in
timatioh that II l, personally, would
make good the moneyreceived by So
licitor Hopper from Mrs, Helen f.. Muir
ray. the warrants would not be taken
out"
Mr.. Niven does not know how much
business the Society did, and does not
know how the boks stand.