The San Francisco call., 1896-04-12
The Worlds Christian Co.opera.
tive President at Nevada
City.
SOME RICH MINES IN BOND
A Peculiar Social Transaction-Re.
pudiating One Society for
Another.

A meeting of the Worlds Christian Co.
operative Society took place at Golden
Rule Hail on Mission street. near Sixth,
last evening, and President G. W. Wilder.
man of the concern was discussed in terms
not supplementary.
1t appears that the society recently pur-
chased the Cleveland mine, situated on
the Yuba River. eight and half miles
from Nevada City. from John and J. R.
Tilton. The two parties entered into a
contract whereby the corporation was to
pay the Tiltons $25 600, the former to work
the mine, setting aside 40 per cent of its
earnings as payment for the property.
The society then sent Wilderman as an
expert to examine the purchase. He was
also to pay the taxes on the property,
which were due. He reported that the
Tiltons had no title to the mine nor TO two
others which they claimed, and as they
| were common property he located all
three in the name of the corporation. He
| then proposed to extend the World s
Christian Co cooperative Society to Nevada
City and said he would appoint five resi-
dent directors there if the same number Of
the original eleven in this City would re-
| sign. He also proposed that the society
| would buy his claim of 81 900 acres of land
in Lower California, paying in stock which
would be assigned to him. By this means,
it is alleged, he would be able to control
the corporation and its property.
The directors here refused to do so in
| very strong terms. Waterman then cut
loose from the Worlds Christian, ETC., ETC.,
| and started new society IN Nevada City
called the Peoples Cooperative Invest
ment Association, with a capital of four
mines representing untold millions out
side of his Lower California acres.
There are many details of this Napoleonic
cooperative campaign, but this is the
history of the affair in nutshell.
Now the Tiltons want their property
back, and the society wrestled with the
intricate problem last evening. John Til
den was present and told his plaintive
story of Wilderman's ways, and the d.
rectorS present concurred with aim in his
unfavorabie estimation of their presidents
character. They still consider Waterman
their agent, and all the mines which he
has become possessed of as the property
of the Worlds Christian Cooperative So
ciety. and that the Nevada City institu-
ton has no entity.
Attorney Collier, who was called in for
legal advice, informed them that the
Cleveland mine was their property by vir
tue of the contract; also that Tilton could
only recover the other mines by suit of
election against Wilderman. These gloomy
tidings affected the luckless Tilton,
and his estimation of Worlds Christian
Cooperative concerns sank still lower.
The society itself is not disposed to sur
render any nf the mines, but claims them
all, as Wilderman is their president and
accredited agent. Wiiderman, however,
| repudiates them and their pretensions,
and claims the mines. Tilton is indeed
between the devil and the deep sea.
| An effort will be m ade by the society to
! prosecute Wilderman on criminal charge,
| it being alleged that he sold stock certifi-
Gates OF the corporation, appropriating
| the proceeds to his own use. Attorney
| Collier Will be sent TO Nevada City to col
| lect evidence of Wilderman's peculiar
| business methods and to examine the
property. The members of the society
stated last evening that they will return
| the Cleveland mine to Tilton-when they
get it from Wilderman and his new asso-
citation, but they will keep the other two
| mines. This does not suit Titon, who
cannot see why Wilderman should jump
| his claims.
| He says the mines are worth $1,000, 900.