Fort Worth gazette. [volume] (Fort Worth, Tex.) 1891-1898, 1896-01-09
HELD TO THE GRAND Jury.
g. D. Erwin and II. H. Brooks, In
surance Promoters.
CHARGE. VIOLATION INSURANCE LAWS
u. L. Pollard. of tho State Insurance De-
partment. a Witnessed Case Pend
ing Against Brooks.


given preliminary trial yesterday after
noon by Justice ]. It. Mahoney. Erwin is
president and BroolSs secretary ana gem
eral manager of the Security Benevolent
association. and on December n. 1896. they
We're arrested. charged with doing bust
ness OF a benevolent insurance association
nature ostenslbly. but In direct conflict
with the Insurance laws of tho state.
ihe circulars of the Security and
benevolent association announce that Il Is
chartered under the laws of tho state OF
texas, and that It provides an indemnity
| N the event OF sickness accident or death
inc initiation fec OF s. Is payable but once
anu no assessments. Dues are payable
nhhnally' semi-annually or monthly, thr-
" days grace being allowed on all pay
mcnts. The objects OF this association
are to furnish Immediate relief In the hour
| OF need; to place the most practical bcne-
dts within the reach OF the people I'm All
| spheres OF life; to furnish Immediate In
ucmnity IN case OF accident. sickness or
| death; to furnish safe protection on COM
mon sense principles that will benefit you
most while living; to furnish Immediate
| relitf when disabled. 70 often necessary
| 10 prevent the sacrifice OF property. Brief
| ~. 1t covers In this association every kind
| of bodily Injury caused by external, ylo.
lent and accidental means, such as dis
| locations, spraina, broken bones, rupture
lemons, bruises. cuts, gunshot wounds,
crurhing. innngling, burns. scalds. kicks
| and bites OF animals. drowning, strike OF
| lightning storms, runaways. cyclones.
etc, happening In any Of the lawful oc-
| equations OF ordinary routine life, includ-
ing boarding or alghtlug from moving
street cars, while travelling or engaged In
any OF the ordinary sports for recreation
| n pleasure, where II totally or partially
| diaables the member Immediately and con-
tinuously from labor or business, or causes
| death. loss OF sight. hand or foot within
| three months; not only total. hut also par.
| tinl disablement IL provide for.
| The officers OF tho company arc given MS
follows, the home office being located in
| Houston.
lr. d. Erwin president: w. II. CIowney.
vice president; IL. IL. Brooks, secretary
and treasurer; p. II. cronln medical d.
| rector; board of directors, II. ID. Erwin,
president; w II, Clowncy, Vice president;
| II. II. Brooks, real estate; s. Benedict,
real estate; ]. II. Tuttlc. attorney; Z. IL.
Cronin. a. NJ. Hobby, medical doctors,
County Attorney Schwander appeared
| Tor the State and Attorneys williams and
Tuttle for the defense Twenty or thirty
| witnesses were heard. II. H. Pollard one
| OF the clerks In the offlcc OF the insur-
nncc commissioner. testified that the do.
Pendants were doing an insurance business
| IN Texas. oPtcnsibly under the laws which
govern ffaicrnai societies. but not through
| the medium of lodges or councils. They.
| with others, had secured the charter OF
tho Security Benevolent association In
July last; had neglected to make returns
| TO the insurance commissioner, MS re-
auired by law, ana had not trnnsactcd
business through lodges or courLlls.
Agents OF the company had operated at
Galveston and Rcfugto and there were no
| lodges or councils In these places, II was
stated, number Of witnesses testified
| that they held palicics In the Security
benevolent association, had paid weekly
| iues for months past, and that lodges
had been organized during the past three
| weeks and n grand council would be or
| gnnizcd later. Mr.. Brooks was the last
| witness heard. lie said the organization
WIS launched In July last: that II had he
tween 200 and 800 members. had paid $500
or 800 In sick benefits and had not been
called upon to pay "A death loss since its
organization. Four subordinate lodges had
been organized since December TO- 1895,
and three started. He disclaimed any In
tention OF violating the insurance laws
| of the State. The defendant said that tho
Guild. order ~ Ccohen Friends and other
fruternal 80 ietios were conducted upon
II similar basis. He admitted having done
business for several months prior TO the
| organization OF subordinate lodges, but
held that the Security Benevolent nssoela-
ton itself was the grand council or parent
lodge and that beginning In December II
| was decided 10 issue certificates to menu
|
In the usual way
After argument by the learned attorneys
Justice Mahonoy held the nccused parties
TO the grand jury In the sum OF $500 each.
The case against II. II. Brooks. eharg-
ing him with obtaining money under false
prstenses will come up for hearing be-
fore Justice Mnhoney today. Mrs Susan
Roland made the affidavit upon which
this arrest was based.
Mr.. Pollard said TO a Post reporter last
night.
1.-The officers Of the Security Benevolent
association have been doing business In
defiance Of the insurance laws OF the
State and in October last complaints were
lodged with the department. notlhed the
ofricers of the concern to send their pa
ucrs 10 Austin and they did not deign 10
notice my communication, At Refugio
they had an agent and collector doing
business on the same lines as iiic IN
surance company, while profess'nR 10 be
conducting a fraternnl and bencvoient or
der Lately they have been organizing,
80 / am informed. lodges and councils N
thia city The public must be protected,
and for that reason this prosecution w'1
ordered"
-r-ho Pos, of Yesterday contained an ac-
count of tho suicide of u stranger sup
posed 10 be C. A. Pratt OF Clarksvilie,
Ark. During the day II was ascertained
that the name OF the unfortunate young
man was c. a. remington, anu tnat hh
relatives are well to do and highly re-
ttected residents OF Clarksvile Ark. PEN
nington WIS a mombsr of the knights OF
pythias lodge at Clarksvillc. Justice j. T.
Mahonoy inquested tho remains and. sit
Tins, as n coroner. heard the evidence.
IL was n plain case OF suicide and the
Justice returned II verdict In accordance
with the facts.
Pennington was n handsome man OF 30
well dressed and very intelligent. He ar
rived In Houston Saturday. and drank
freely at different saloons Sunday and
Monday morning. When taken TO the
police station, in n dying condition 10
cents was found in his pocket. He had
evidently squandered his money and In
a ~ of remorse. or dependency. he swal-
lowed large dose OF morphine with
suicidal intent and paid the debt that
he owed nature. The remains were
! shippcd TO Ciarkaville last night by Wall
& Stabe the funeral directors.
one Of the landmarks OF Houston. the
venerable Peter Gnf-el. died al his resi-
derce, sl3 San Jacinto street, at 4iso
O'clock Yesterday afternoon. after an III
ness lasting few days only. lie was more
than a landmark; no was one OF the carly
1,cxas pioneers, and witnessed the growth
and development OF Texas from a vast
Wilderness Into a great empire. teeniing