Evening star., 1895-07-16
AIRED IN COURT
Judge. Miller Probes the Methods Of
Beneficial Companies.
he USES STRONG LANGUAGE
Poor and Ignorant People Must
Not Be Defrauded.
AN AGENT HELD TO BAIL

From time to time the police receive COM
plants against some of the beneficial In
| surance companies. in which small weekly
payments are made, and a number of cases
growing out Of trouble in the companies
have been heard in the courts and before
| the magistrates. Policy writer's and col
iectors in these companies are numerous.
| it is said, and 1t has been shown in court
that some of them have resorted to all
| sorts of schemes in order to get the poor,
and in many cases ignorant, persons to
| take out policies. Today case involving
| the conduct of an agent-William F. Tay-
lor-who had been in the employ of the
Monumental company, and who Is now In
| the employ of the Mechanics Benevolent
Society, was called before Judge Miller.
The charge was one Of false pretenses. and
the principal witness was an elderly col
ored woman named Margaret Ford, who
seemed very much worried because of the
| loss of her policy and books in the Monu-
mental company and because she was not
| beneficial in the other company.
Under the terms of the policies an many
Of these companies 1t is necessary to hold
policy about four months before becoming
entitled to any benefits.
The Points In the Cnse.
The defendant Taylor had left the en-
ployment of the Monumental company
about two months ago and entered the
| service Of the Mechanics Benevolent So
ciety. Among others, he called on the old
l.colored woman mentioned and succeeded in
getting from her her policy and book in the
Monumental company. and she paid him 10
cents.
| Mrs Ford, in stating her case, said that
when Taylor called on her he told her that
the Monumental company had broken up,
| and he would put her in new company
md La 4tnr han a6ct9 he
| out her policy.
The policy was here produced. and it
| showed that she would have to he a holder
| of the policy for sixteen weeks before she
would become beneficial.
| Mrs. Ford said she had been a member
| Of the Monumental Company for three
| years. and she stopped her payments in 1t
| because of Taylor's representations.
And are YOU certain he tcld you that
| the Monumental Company had broken up?"
| she was asked.
'Yes, SIR she answered.
Judge Miller Takes a Hand.
I'm opposed to any of this kind of busi-
| ness. whereby these poor people are de-
pfiyed of their rights" remarked the court.
Thomas B. Du Ford. manager of the
| Monumental Company in this city, was
witress, and when Lawyer Darlington ex-
amined him he was unable to tell whether
/ or not the company had $4,000 reserve
| fund, which, Mr.. Darlington said, the law
| required. He could not tell in what bank
the companJ's money was deposited, but
| he did say that the records showed that the
old colored woman was ''unfinancial," be-
cause her payments had stopped.
Being unflnancial by the manipulatfonS
of these fellows who go around in this way
does not amount to anything" the court
rem 1rked.
Manager Du Ford said that the weekly
S.
1t was explained by Mrs. Ford that she
cannot read or write and in this connec-
ton Judge Miller said he wanted to see
how far this alleged scheme of swindHng
| is carried on. Even when persons can read
and write they have trouble about their
| policies.
Il have an insurance policy myself" the
judge said, "aad sometimes I hardly know
where I am
Plain Words From the Bench.
Judge Miller said If he were sitting as
chancellor he would compel both companies
| to credit her up to date and make her
| financial reparation. It's the most coward
| ly thing in tho world the Judge said, to
prey upon these ignorant people, and if
| there is any reason whatever for bringing
| this prosecution he will do all he can to
| protect the poor old woman.
The defendant made a statement in his
| own behalf, claiming that he had done
nothing wrong. He said that although
there was no change made in the reading
| Society, she would have received the bene-
| fits Immediately. Mr.. Darlington said that
| the manager was in court and would make
| the correc ton, if permitted to do so.
II should say not" said Mr.. Mullowney.
| ''If the court permitted the change It would
| not benefit her, for the claim of having
! made the change under duress would be
| set up"
Judge Miller said he would allow no such
| thing to be done.
Resuming his testimony. the defendant
said that the Monumental Company had
| not paid many of its claims. All the money
he collected he turned into the company.
The defendants father also made state
ment, telling about the manner of doing
| business, and saying that his sons trouble
was the result of his rush for business.
Taylor Held for the Grand Jury.
| Mr.. Heitrnuller, manager of the Mechan-
| ics' Benevolent Society, testified that he
| had been in the employ of the Monumental
Company, and he knew that that company
had not paid it's benefits. While in the EN-
ploy Of the Monumental Company he was
| frequently called dead beat because he
was one of them.
| pany was called to the stand by Mr.. Car
rington. and he said that his company did
not have 1000 reserve fund. He thought
the company had about $1,000 in bank in
ADDITION to the stock of the company
In dsposing of the case Judge Miller said
did not affect the court. He had dropped
that question entirely out of the case But
he said he was going to preserve the rights
of these poor people and the grand jury
will have to investigate the case.
The young man was held in $500 security
for the action of the grand jury.
EXECUTED By NExfCANS.