Evening star., 1900-02-27
FIGHT OF FACTIONS
Mutual Fire Insurance Company
Troubles.
PRESIDENT WALKER REMOVED
Policy Holders View the Latest
Phase CompIacently.
EXPECT IT EVERY YEAR

Another chapter was opened yesterday in
the already long history Of the troubles
that have marked the career of the Mutual
Fire Insurance Company. 1t was in the
nature of a meeting of the board Of man
ayers of the company, at which, by u
unanimous vote, Mr.. Samuel H. Walker,
the president of the company, was removed
from his office. The managers who took
this action were VIM. A. II. Church, Mat
thew g. Emery, George T. Dearing, T. w.
Murphy, George c. Walker and R. Harri-
son Johnson. Mr.. Church was elected in
Mr.. Walkers place. The action was the
result of the recent decision of Justice Cole
in restraining the counting of the votes cast
at the annual election of the company for
a board of managers.
Preceding that election meeting was
held presided over by Mr.. Walker, at which
resolutions were passed prohibiting the ac-
ceptance OF votes OF any proxies dated pre-
vious to January 1. 1900. and prohibiting the
voting of any proxies held either by officers
or managers of the company no matter
what date they bore. When this became
known. representatives of very large ma
jorfty Of risk holders in the company (and
each risk, it may be stated, entities its
holder ito one vote, and some policy holders
hold numerous risks) secured temporary
restraining order to prevent the counting
Of the votes, and this was made perma-
Call for Mass Meeting.
Last Saturday Mr. Walker published .
notice to the policy holders of the company
reciting the action of the meeting January
Is, and expressing the belief that the elec-
tion that day resulted in the choice of NJ.
]. Emery, Jesse B. Wilson, Samuel II.
Walker, Andrew Archer, Peter Latterner,
L. NJ. Saunders and Frank Hume. Mr..
-
the policy holders holding a mass meeting
at an early date and expressing his willing
ness to receive commune ations from them
on the subject The action of the board OF
managers recited above was then taken.
The courts will be probably called upon
to settle this latest question. Under the
charter of the company a board OF manag-
ers must be elected each year at meeting
of policy holders to be held in January on
a specified day, but in case Of no election
the board holds over. The present board,
which removed Mr.. Walker. was elected in
January, 1879. and are holding over. as Jus
ttce Coles restraining order. in the opinion
of their legal advisers, 1t is said, has made
that election void.
Policy Holders Complncent.
There are about 1900 risks in the Mu-
tual Company, represented by perhaps 1,75O
or 1900 holders A Star reporter saw
number of these gentlemen today, who are
not allied with either Of the factions in the
present controversy, and each and all of
them declared confidently that they were
not bothered about the fuss.
The personal ambitions of this or that set
of men cannot affect the good Of the COM
pany IN any way, said one who pretty
nearly voiced the general sentiment. We
risk holders always expect a scrap between
the factions at every January meeting, and
when it don't come We feel surprised. We
are not bothered a bit, only amused. and
perhaps little indignant-but that's ALL