The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1894-07-24
KNIGHTS OF COLUMBIA
The Pending Trouble Gets Into the
Courts.
a PETITION IS FILED THIS MORNING.

Judge Bazem However EvHthhOlds a
Restraining order Declaring That
NE Understands the order Is simply
Waiting for Necessary Proof 60 Pay
or Contest the Alleged CIaim-EsaI-
four suit Ordered Dismissed.
The trouble ID the Knights Of Column
bia has gotten Into the courts. an injunc-
ton being asked against the supreme
lodge aud officers. A temporary restrain
ing order was wanted this morning but
was withheld a. related below, and the
preliminary hearing set by Judge Hazen,
Of the district court, for Thursday, July
25th.
The Knights Of Columbia organiza-
ton il a large aud prosperous order, CON
tr0lied by directors Of high standing
with state reputation. The organization
WAS founded BY colonel George w. Reed
about three years ago. There are nearly
200 lodges in Kansas and Colorado under
its jurls iiction.
The supreme officers are: Col Geo.
wv. Reed, commander, W. J. Stage. re-
corder. a. T. Redden Of Ell Dorado, trea-
surer DIR. >. c. McCIintOck, Medical d.
rector, +. A. Beck Of Topeka, Joseph l..
Riggs Of Lawrence ami A. E. Riddle Of
Minneapolis, chairman Of committee.
The Injunction asked is against the
officers and Geo. w. Reed, r., who is
clerk iii the recorders Office and il to
prevent them from acting as supreme
lodge officers while the suit il pending.
collecting any assessments on deaths,
susp spending subordinate lodges or dis
posing IF any of the funds Of the order.
The suit is brought on behalf Of Carl
ton ]. BAlfOur, minor, by his mother
Eliza a. Baifour or Colorado Springs,
Col The petition alleges that c. vi.
BdIfaur Of that city Joined the knights
Of Columbia in 1888 and took out bene-
tciary certificates for $1,000, but before
the cert fcAte5 were received BalfOur
died. The claim is made that he was
regularly initiated into the order. The
constitution gives any one who has been
Initiated and whose application has been
approved by the medical director the
benefits of the Insurance feature. The
charge ID made that the supreme officers
refused to levy an assessment to pay the
death claim.
and whose death claims, it il alleged,
have not been paid is included in the
petition and there Is also list Of four
mem bers who have been totally disabled
and who. by tn Constitution, are entitled
TO one half the face Of their beneficiary
certificates. who have made proofs Of
total disability but have, it is asserted
have never been paid
It is set mp IN the petition that the
supreme officers are diverting the
fund received from assessments
TO other uses and cites the case Of a
member Of the ur1ler at Emporia, who
died aud the holder Of his beneficiary
certificate. was deceived as TO the amount
received from the assessment, and was
forced to enmprGmise at about one half
the proceeds received from the assess.
ment.
The Charge i also made that the pres
ent supreme officers we're never elected
in a lawful meeting Of the supreme lodge,
and that the constitution was altered %
that the beneficiary funds received from
assessments might be used hy the SUI
preine officers. Ii is charged that the
officers have been enriching themselves
at the expense 0f the order This trouble
IL the outgrOwth Of 4 factiOnal fight in
the organization against Colonel Reed.
Early in last month meeting of dele
gates was called to meet in North To
peka TO elect supreme officers, but when
the meeting assembled Colonel Reed
made an agreement to call a regular dele
gate convention and the convention adj
journed without taking any action The
convention has since been called to meet
La Kansas City, August IS, while, it is
alleged. the constitution OF the order
provides in no manner for such a couven-
tion.
In granting the order this morning
Judge Hazen stated that he had been
informed that z. A. Beck and Jos f.
Riggs, ON the part Of the supreme lodge
had gone to Colorado Springs 10 investi-
gate the matter and that If Balf0ur
Vas a regal u4ehD5E Oh the OTQEF The
supreme lodge would take steps TO paw
the beneficiary certificates. and therefore
he would withhold the restraining order
until they could return and report.
Col Reed was seen by JOURNAL re-
porter and said that the whole
thing was trumped up to en-
barrass the order. "Mr Beck and
Mr. Riggs" said Col. Reed, "are now at
Colorado Springs investigating the
claim and it will be paid If it il found to
be just Il had been understood that
Mr. Balf0ur was not a member OF the
order at the time of his DEATH
Although charges have been publicly
circulated about the order for weeks. ap-
parenLy to damage il, it j. worthy or
n0te that the present months business
has been one OF the best in the orders
Aistory.
his shows 3 gratifying confidence
and faith in the directory which is made
mp Of some Of the best men id the west
You Will see the Knights Of Columbia
come ont Of this ordeal stronger aud
better than ever and established as one
Of the greatest Of fraternaI benefit asso-
Citations
suit Ordered Dfanissed-
AT p clock this afternoon Col Reed
received Q message from J. E. Riggs,
from Colorado Springs, saying: "BaIfour
suit has been ordered dismissed