Omaha daily bee., 1896-06-11
EXAMINING THE RECORDS
Dry Testimony in Masonic Benevolent As
soCiation Case
SECRETARY PUTS IN A DAY ON THE STAND
Nothing Elected 10 Indicate that the
Affairs of the Concern Were
Conducted in nm Unusual
Manner.

In the district court yesterday before
Judge Smith the case Of George ]. Crane
against the United States Masonic Bonevo-
lent association was on trial all day. The
testimony taken was devoid Of anything at
all bordering or the sensational and was
confined to wearisome examination of the
records and check stubs of the company. A
great mass Of figures was presented. but
at present it is about unintelligible, except
to an expert
Secretary John z. Richardson was on The
stand most of the day. being examiner by
Mr.. Shea for the plaintiff. Lir Richards IN
first produced the record of mortgage loans
of the company, made from the guaranty
fund, and Mr. Shea inquirei about the CO. di-
tion of the loans, whether yet due Or I,ast
due and the shape ~ which the interest on
the loans was kept NJ.
Then the report VI the asso :iat!cn, made
December 81, last to the auditor of state
was taken UP and item BY item the various
amounts reported to the insurance denart-
ment were discussed in detail Mr. Rich
ardson did not have a copy of the report
made to the auditor, but checked up the
items as found in n sketch or first draft
OF the report, which he had retained in his
possession, and did not send to the depart-
ment. The report itself is promised to he
mere today and further examination into
that branch of the case was deferred until
this morning.
In the afternoon Mr. Richardson was
again on the stand for the plaintiff and was
interrogated at length in regard to the sal
aries and travelling expenses paid the Off
GERS and employees of the company and the
funds out of which the salaries were paid.
STUB by stub the checks of the association
Tor clerical and travelling expenses were gone
A.
salaries had been paid out of the proper
1und. Mr.. Shea then inquired about the
relation of the officers of the association
with the officers of the Guaranty Fund Life
ASSOCIATION IN the past up to some time in
April last, when the old directors and Off
GERS OF the Guaranty Fund resigned. and the
association was taken charge of by the
Omaha Life association of Minueapolis
None of the officers of the United States
Masonic are now officers of the cuarant,,
Fund Life.
| The typewriter forms of contracts of
settlement used recently by the association
| were produced and then Mr. Richardson
stepped down to let Alex Shannon. the ad-
tussins agent OF the association, who has
had the matter of settlement in charge
| TESTIFY as to the number of settlements
made and the amount of claims still re
naming against the association unsettled
Mr: shannon testified that the association
had settled death claims against il of s197 :
| 15O since the first of the year 1896 and that
4
there was nothing due on any of these set
Elements; that the association had met 4verv
settlement exactly as agreed, and that there
| was nothing due on this account. Mr. Shea
| then inquired into the policies issued on the
| natural premium plan by the association
| ana found there was nothing delinquent on
| any of them Eight thousand dollars of
claims were on hand, but checks were ready
| to send out on $4,000 of them at the begin
ming of the trial. and on the balance proofs
had not been received or had been received
only recently.
The entire testimony of the day was evil
IDENTIFY search to discover some dscrep-
ancy or failure of the association to con-
! duct its affairs required, and a Very
monotonous examination was made of the
| payments made by the association to officers
| and employees as balances and clerk hire.
Nothing of interest to the public shown,
| except that salaries paid the officers and
employees were nothing out of the ordinary,
| and were paid out of the regular fund of
| the association for expenses, and not out
| of the mortuary or guaranty funds.