Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1894-08-15
THE DIRECTORS INVITED
Asked to Confer With Indignant Endow.
ment Policy Holders.
Investigating the Washington Bene-
hctai Association by Means of Com
mfttees-The Meeting Today.

A meeting Of the committee which was
appointed last evening by tie policy hold
ers Of the Washington Beneficial Endow-
ment Association to look after their inter-
ests and to see what action had best be
taken In the matter was held this morning
at IL O'Clock in the office of Mr. William
]. Miller, +s0 Louisiana avenue The meet
iLs lasted less than an hour. and compare
lively little was accomplished beyond look
Ing over the field to see what the duties
OF the committee and its powers might be
There were number of speeches made
and some rather unpleasant things were
said OF the management of the associa-
tion. 1t seemed to be the opinion of the
committee that the best thing to do was TO
pay no attention to the New York COM
pany. but to force the local association
INTO insolvency by means of a bill I'm equity
10 guard the property OF the association
end the interests of the policy holders. In
view of the high standing OF the directors
OF the association II was decided not to
take any action until they had been given
an opportunity to explain their connection
with the association and the transfer of its
business to the New York company. For
this purpose an adjournment was taken
until o'clock, when the committee will
meet again I'm Room of the Central Ma
an invitation will be sent to the six direc-
tors to be present.
Mr.. Simon Wolf presided at the meeting
this morning, and Mr.. ii. o. Claughton
was elected vice chairman, to serve at any
meeting at which Mr.. Wolf may be absent.
There we're present of the committee Mr..
Henry F. Bauer, Mr.. Charles E. White.
Mr.. Claughton. Mr.. +. II. Mackey, Mr. VIM.
]. Miller, Mr.. Robert Ball, Mr.. II. ID. Nor
ton and Mr.. Wolf. Mr.. T. Percy Myers
acted as secretary.
us.
by Mr. Browning. In the course of which
he said that. inasmuch as the men who
are at the head of this concern were men
Of such high standing in the community, II
was the duty Of the committee TO have
conference with the old board of directors
and get them If possible TO restore the cor
poration to the condition In which IL was
ten days ago. The new company, to which
II was proposed to transfer the stockholders
already finds that it has an elephant on its
| hands, as II can't get any Of the policy
holders to have anything to do with IL.
Any such movement on the part of the old
board of directors as was suggested would
completely exonerate them from all charges
of questionable methods
The suggestion was made by Mr.. Ball to
the effect that Mr.. Gardner had himself
assumed all the responsibility for the trans
fer, and that IL there were any blame II
rested with him and not with the directors
maEy Of whom did not even know that the
transfer was contemplated. A motion was
tors to meet the committee this afternoon
for the purpose Of giving such Information
as would assist them in righting the wrong
that has been done.
The question of paying the assessments TO
the old association which were due today
was then taken UP. IT was understood
that the majority of the policy holders
would act in this matter in accordance
with the advice Of the committee. Some of
the members have expressed their intention
of paying the assessment In order that they
might not run the risk of forfeiting any Of
the rights they might possess in the prem
ises. Mr.. Claughton, however, said that,
int smuch as he was sure that his heirs
would never get a cent out of the associa-
ton, he had no intention of putting any
more into II. AS to the matter of paying
the dues, he said that the very fact that
the association had violated its part of the
contract had relieved them of the necessity
of paying in any more money. In other
words, they were not jeopardizing any of
their rights by refusing. inasmuch as the
association, by failing to keep it's share of
the contract, had made IL impossible for
them to live up to theirs. If the matter
was brought into court. as II should be,
they would all be restored to their rights
whether or not they had paid any more
money to a corporation which had notified
them of Its inability to live up to its agree
ments.
Two committees were appointed before
the meeting adjourned One was of law
yers to look into the legal position, con-
ststing of Messrs. Claughton, Mackey and
Miller. subcommittee on accounts and
examination of books was appointed, con-
sisting or Messrs. Gieseking, Bauer and
White.
Paying Their Assessments.
One Of the assessments in the Washing
ton Beneficial EnGow ment Association fell
due today and the policy holders were
paying it very much as If nothing out OF
the ordinary had occurred in the business
Of the association. All day long there was
steady stream of people calling at the
office with money In their hands although
they did not know whether II would be ac-
cepted or not.
1t was taken all right, however and as
rule the people stopped for a few min
utes to discuss the situation either with
Secretary Parks or with each other. MIR
Parks told Star reporter that so far as
he could judge the policy holiers were pay
ing up just about rapidly as ordinarily
they 90. He could not say. though, whether
or no- this would be the las. assessment
made. as IL was impossible to tell lust
what the outcome of the mass meeting last
evening would be.