The St. Louis Republic. [volume] (St. Louis, Mo.) 1888-1919, 1900-12-14
ORDER OF CHOSEN
FRIENDS INSOLVENT,
Attorney General of Indiana Will
Ask for a Receiver To-Day
Has 22,OO0 Members.
CANNOT MEET DEATH CLAIMS.
Obligations Are Said to Be $780,
0OO-Was One of the Largest
Fraternal Insurance Organi-
zaiiOns i'm the Country.
CANNOT MEET DEATH CLAIMS

indianapolis. Ind. Dec. 1.-THE Sentinel
| this morning says:
Attorney General Taylor. on behalf Of
| the State OF Indiana. will file suit in the
| Supreme Court of Marion County this (F>rf-
| dayJ morning asking the appointment OF a
| receiver for the Order of Chosen Friends.
one of the largest fraternal insurance asso-
1 Citations i'm the United States.
The filing of the suit will affect thirty
States of the Union. as the association has
been authorized TO do business in that num-
ber.
In the application for a receivership which
IL Il voluminous document. the fact Is set
out that the association IL insolvent and
unable TO meet the death claims now out
standing.
Claims Aggregate s3OO.OOO.
The claims aggre gate about $oO0O0. and
came to light through an examination made
diana Insurance Department. last Wednes-
day. Immediately upon being advised of the
condition of the association. Auditor OK
State Hart notified T. b. LINN, supreme re-
corder Of the Chosen Friends, that the Or
der insolvent ard that he would at
once make application for a receiver.
The utmost secresy has been observed in
the preparation OF the papers to be flied in
the Superior Court. because the Auditor de-
sired that Indiana be the first State to ap-
point a receiver. as. under the law. the first
appointed takes priority over any that may
be appointed in other States.
Average Age of Members, 80 Years.
According 10 the statement OF the State
Insurance Department last night an exam
inaton of the condition of the association
was made at the beginning of the present
year, and at that time it was found In as
good shape as the ordinary run of fraternal
Institutions.
Auditor Hart. however. at that time noted
in his report that the average age of the
members of the order. who were holding
certificates. was -. condition that usually
results In the insolvency of similar Organi-
ZationS.
The order has been carefully watched
throughout the year. and to this is due the
dsG%ysTy "s, sd iI nsSysnSy n4 r,o.
one of the primary causes OF the failure
Of the organization is the great loss sus-
tanned i'm the Galveston disaster The claims
arising out of the death of members in the
Inflated city aggregated about s60.00
An excessive loss of this kind. coming,
il did. all at one time. rendered the organ
legations. except by increasing the assess
nenis of the members to such amounts "a
To bring about their withdrawal from the
order.
The examination instituted by the State
insurance Department also revealed that
former Suprsme Treasurer William L. VIII
son, who had been in Office since 1885, had
de:aulted to the amount of about SO.0el. Mr.
Wilson died last October. and the order is
e,,, Serursn nS bona IN one OF the bonding
count Of this defalcaton.
Supreme Officers of the Order.
The officers of the Supreme Council are
as lOlIUES-
H. II. Morse. supreme councillor. 10 Wall
street. New York. VIM. G. Morris. Junior
past supreme councillor. Chicago; T.. A
Steber, supreme assistant councillor 81
Louis. Mo-: II. W. Hutton. supreme vice
councillor. San Francisco: T. b. Linn su-
preme recorder India napolis: B. Wilson.
supreme treasurer. Newark. n. j.: Henry
Jameson. NJ. d.. supreme medical examin-
er. Indiana polls: Reverend L. G. Beharret
supreme prelate. New Albany. Ind; j. C..
Williams. supreme marshal. New York: S.
W. knight. supreme warden. Cleveland o.:
p. II. OBrien, supreme guard New Haven,
Conn: L. NJ. White. supreme sentry, st.
Louis.