Richmond planet. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1883-1938, 1897-10-23
EDITOR
MITCHELL'S
ANSWER.
HE REPLIES TO REV.
w. w. BROWNE.
rIore About the Purchase.
THOSE SWOLLEN FIG
URES AND THE $1,000
SHORTAGE.
Paid the Boss Over Eight
Thousand Dollars in One
Year.
BRoTHER BURRBLLs PREDIOA-
MENT.
BROTHER BURRBLL's PREDIOA-
MHNT.
The Bank and its Balances.

Rev. w. w. Browne was wrathy in
his article last week To all appear
ances he was foaming like q mad-dog
and striking blindly like ''rattler. -
The abuse resorted to rivalled that in
vogue in the slums of New York, and
the denials made caused not only dis
gust, but loathing among all of that
class of people, who had taken the
time to add the figures or paused to
consider the manner in which he had
twisted and distorted them.
FIRING INTO HIS OWN OFFICIALS.
That q man OF Rev. Brownies stand
ing in the community, in his despera-
tion would denominate as liars not
only his household but declare as false
the figures of the Grand Worthy Sec.
retary and Assistant Grand Worthy
Secretary was astounding.
He stamps truth as falsehood, and
maligns those who in any way interfere
with his well-laid plans. de says, "I
peeped from beneath my pains to
speak the truth and TO meet this hy-
dra-headed monster with truth"
AN APPEAL TO THE PUBLIC.
It is to be regre tied that he so soon
forgot his intentions. But we are di-
recting our argument to the calm, dis
passionate public and not to the fanat-
les Of the Order
There are some, thank God, who
have not bowed the knee to Baap'
or crooked the supple hinges Of the
knee, that favor follow fawning"
The interests of the people are para
mount to that of individual friendship,
and it has been with this view alone
that we have entered into the contro-
versy and called attention to the pecu.
liar way of the chief officer of the True
Reformers.
THE ONLY WAY TO SAVE THE ORDER.
If change can be inaugurated and
the ruinous policy discontinued, we
indulge in the hope that all is not lost
and that the organization may vet en-
Joy reasonable degree of its old time
prosperity.
But to the discussion. Rev.W. w.
Browne was given, as he says the re-
gala department of the order in its in
cipiencY. He reaped the benefits ac-
cruing therefrom for six years or
more and then sold it back to the
Grand Fountain which gave it to him
for ($3000) three thousand dollars.
THAT FIFTY THOUSAND DOLLAR "GRAB." I"
Rev. w. w. Browne was appointed
on commit tee consisting of Messrs
W. p. Burrell and r. T. Hill, to revise
the ritual and the constitution and by
laws of the Grand Fountain.
The work was completed. Rev,
Browne then secured at Washington,
ID. O., q copyright in his own name and
right on the ritual for fifty cents and a
copyright in his own name and right
on the constitution and bylaws for
nifty cents, making one dollar in all.
Mr.. r. 7. Hill and Mr.. w. p. Burrell
had just as much right to get out an
Individual copyright as had Rev.
Browne.
AUcTIoNERR AND BIDDER.
And yet Rev. W. W. Browne offered
these same copyrights to the Grand
Fountain for l$40 .0OO.l forty thousand
dollars, and with a work of the ina
chine" the Grand Fountain voted him
1850, ,O0O] fifty thousand dollars which
was 100000 ten thousand dollars
more than he charged. They agreed
to pay this amount In ten annual in
stallments.
We said at the time that the Order
could not survive the shock. The
strain was too great and the loss of
the confidence Of the people would be
followed by q curtsiling of the re-
venue.
THE PURCHASE AND THE DEED.
Rev. Browne was directed to secure
site for the location of an Old Folks
Home. Accompanied by some men,
bers Of the Order. he decided upon
Westham Farm" about seven miles
from this city.
1t was purchased and the deedIshows
that 1T was purchased not for the Old
Folks Home or with the Old Folks'
Home money, but with Rev Brownies
money
Had he purchased It with the money
OF the Old Folks Home organization,
case could be made out in equity and
the property recovered.
ii ad he bought it as trustee, it could
be recovered AS it stands today, it
is as much his property as is the
clothes which he wears upon his per-
son, II not even more so.
GRAND WORTHY SECRETARY AND THE
GRAND WORTHY MASTER.
But to those figures: The contro-
NC@oJ ~ ~ VIC cCNOu glOuotuu QOllbE
shortage is lot between the editor of
the PLANET and Rev. w. W. Browne,
but between the latter individual and
the Grand Worthy Secretary OF the
Grand Fountain, United Order of True
Reformers.
1t was Mr.. w. P. Burrelrs report
which showed that the Order had paid
out during the year, seven thousand
dollars more than it had taken in. AS
the year dates, we believe from Au-
gust-1896 to August-18o7, this
would mean that during that period
without bringing forward the balances
from the year preceding there was a
deficit. a shortage for the fifty-two
weeks.
AN OFFICIALS PRKDIoAMENT.
Mr.. Burrell did not make the figures
show this. They were handed to him
from the chiefs in his bureau aud the
"footings" showed that this state Of af-
fairs existed.
Ar. Niles B, Jones, . deacon IN she