The San Francisco call., 1896-10-07
Affairs of Class A Placed in
the Hands of a Re-
ceiver.
MANY THOUSANDS WERE DUPED
Liabilities Shown to Be Three Hun.
dred Thousand Dollars in Ex.
cess of Resources.

Another endowment organization,
which promised to its members more
liberal returns than it was justified in do
ing according to the assessment imposed,
has cahsed wailing and gnashing of teeth
among its constituents, who number more
than $4,000, including about 1000 mem Ders
in California who support about half a
dozen lodges or unions.
On September 19. 1896. receiver was
appointed at Erie, Pa. by Judge Gunni-
son to take charge of the affairs of class A
of the Equitable Aid Union on showing
made by one of the beneficiaries under the
laws of the order that its Liabilities were
$500, 600 in excess of its resources.
Some time during 1895 the wife of Al
bert E. Bowel OF CORY. Pa, died. She
left an endowment policy in the union
calling for $3.50, payable to her husband.
Repeated demands failed to secure a
liquidation of the claim and Bowel finally
resorted TO the courts, asking that the af-
fairs of the union, so far as class A is con-
cernej, be wound up. His showing taken
from official figures, which were not ques-
toned or contradlcted by the officers of
the Equitable Aid Union, set forth that
the New York jurisdiction of the order
in excess of all resources, actual and ex-
pected that the Pennsylvania Jurisdiction
had a similar excess of liabilities to the
amount OF $100,547 81; that the Supreme
jurisdiction. in which is included Cali
iornia, was $34 462 25 behind, ana the Ohio
jurisdiction was short $3201 15 of being
able to meet the claims against it. The
only solvent Jurisdiction was that of
Michigan, which had resources to the
amount of S6s6 80 in excess of liabilities.
On this re presentation the Judge men
toned appointed Chauncey P. Rogers Jr.
of Cory, Pa, receiver.
Despite the fact that this occurred on
September 10, the officers and mem bers of
the local unions assert that no Official
notice of this matter has yet been re-
ceived in this City, and many of the men,
bers are still paying their assessments,
which are being forwarded to the head
quarters of the order, located at Column
Dus, Pa.
What makes the situation more aggre-
waiting to the local members is the fact
that on August l, 1885, the supreme body
created what is virtually new organiza-
tion, and which was distinguished from
the old one by being called class B, and
which was provided as sort of safety
valve for class A, but of which the local
mem bers were not informed until about
three or four months ago.
The managers at Columbus claim that
class A was wrecked because of the tex
pectancy endowment" feature. This pro-
vided for the payment of half the face of
the policy when the policy holder reached
a certain age. In class B this ''expect-
aneyn clause is eliminated, and all men,
bers of class A were privileged to join class
on the payment of a certain amount,
fixed according to the face of the policy,
as an initiation fee and the continued
payment of the former assessment.
The time for joining class b expired on
the 1st of August, 1896, and but very few
members in this City, not score in all,
took advantage of the opportunity to
leave the wrecked order. They claim that
they were not informed of the unsound-
ness of class A, but on the contrary were
assured by some of the local lodge officers
that its affairs were In good condition,
and that class B was simply provided for
such as did not care to stand any possible
future increased assessments.
Membership was made attractive in this
order to people fairly we'll advanced in
years, both men and women being ELI
gible, and the membership was largely
composed in consequence of people who
could moi afford to buy insurance at the
regular market rates, and who therefore
feel their loss the more.