Omaha daily bee., 1899-03-26


The status of an insurance contract with
the woodmen Of the World is involved In
controversy now in the district court in TINS
city, and incidentally Iowa, South Dakota
and Nebraska laws have become mixed up
in it. Homer w. Johnson, as assignee Is
suing to recover insurance taken out Dy
Horace d. Nourse, deceased The benen-
ciaries named by Nourse we're woman 10
whom he was betrothed. Elizabeth Gamms'
and son. The son assigned the contract
in South Dakota to Johnson.
The position of the plaintiff Is that the
headquarters of the Woodmen OF the Worlu
are in Nebraska and Its contracts should oe
considered as being binding under the Ne
braska law. But the defense PLEADS that
the contract was made in Iowa and that the
Iowa law does not recognize contracts with
secret orders of an insurance character
where the benefciares are not relatives
1t is also urged that such contracts are not
assignable under the South Dakota law.
The different contentious make the case
very complicated one and the courts de-
cision Is being awaited with much interest
There will be a big meeting of the Morn
ing Degree camp at Council Bluns next
Wednesday evening. Work to be put on by
Council camp, No. IA, which has one OF the
finest teams in the country. Delegations
from different camps of Omaha and adjacent
towns will be present. A rousing welcome
and a big meeting is expected. Omaha del
egations will meet at 211 Sheely block, Fif-
teenth and Howard streets.
Omaha camp, No. 16, drill team announces
it's last dance of the season for Tuesday
evening, April 4, at Woodman hall.
Omaha camp, No. 16, will give a smoker
and card party Tuesday evening, March %.
The drill team will have half hours prac-
tice at the close of the meeting.
a new camp was instituted at Verdigris,
Neb. March Is, with twenty one members.
1t was organized by A. E. Kwett, deputy.
A new camp was instituted at Ravenna
March II, with seventeen members, having
been organized by Joseph Wolf, deputy.
At the sovereign camp meeting March 2S
was passed a resolution for a home for the
sovereign camp to cost 100000. Ten cities
will bid for the location. The sovereign
commanders salary was fixed at $500 per
annum.
The convention of the Woodmen of the
World, in session in Memphis for nearly
two weeks, adjourned sine die March "a.
Thursday, March 90, the camp concluded the
final work on the constitution and bylaws
of the order, but after they had concluded
with the consideration of the sections sepa-
rately motion unanimously prevailed
adopting the revised constitution and laws
as a whole This was the real end to the
business of the meeting.
The members of the camp feel that this
is the most important meeting that has ever
been held by the sovereign camp.
There were probably over a hundred
changes recommended by the committee on
laws for the constitution, but the very large
majority of them were rejected.
Probably the most important change that
was made at the session was as to
state camps. 1t was decided that hereafter
in any state in which there are 10000 men,
bers the order can have a conventional camp
with its own officers.
On December 81 of this year the contract
with Head Consul Frost of Atlanta, under
which he has charge of all the organization
work under the jurisdiction of the southern
provisional council, will expire and it will
not be renewed. 1t Is claimed that this
will relieve the southern camps of what is
considered burden in the way of conduct
ing their business affairs.