The Iola register., 1902-03-14
MODERN TONTIES STOPPED
Orders Declared Insolvent and For
hidden to DO Business In Kansas
Had II Branch Lodge in lola

A perpetual injunction was granted
Wednesday at Topeka by Judge Hazen
against the Modern Tonties, frater-
nal insurance company with head
quarter i'm Wichita. The suit against
this association was brought 10y At
tornery General GODDARD at the request
of w. V. Church, State Superinten-
dent of Insurance. 1t is understood
no appeal will be taken. Samuel T.
Howe was appointed receiver of the
company and will endeavor to wind
up it's affairs. The association is in
solvent.
Several months ago Mr. Church was
informed of the precarious condition
of the finances of this companyland he
had them examined by pecial;EXami-
ner II. w. Wheeler of Marion. Mr..
Wheeler found at that time that there
was but few thousand dollars in
ready money on hand and that there
were outstanding claims for much
more than this amount He also dis
covered that the affairs of the com
pany were in very tangled condition
owing to the mismanagement of the
officers. 1t appearsSthat nearly all
money was used in paying the agents
salaries and in increasing the salaries
of the officials. The presidents salary
had been raised three times in four
year and at each raise the increase
dated back to the founding of the or
ganization.
At that time, Mr. Church refused to
renew the company's licenseltand it
was forced to reorganization. A
complete new set OF officers were elected
and it was presumed that the company
would be put on its feet. ItDr.I Cave,
who held the position Iof examining
physician for the company, brought
suit, however, against the company
for about 81, 900 which he claimed was
due him for the examining of appli-
cants. Other creditors also put in
their claims and the aggregate amount
was far more than was in the.treasury
at that time. Mr.. Church then finally
refused to grant the license and the
Attorney General beganlsthelproceed-
ings to compel the company to stop
doing business in Kansas.
A REGISTER reporter sought infor-
nation on the subject of Judge Thomp-
son and learned that the lola order
had membership some time ago of
100, but that it had dwindled in Janu-
airy to 20 in good standing. They have
been meeting in the Masonic hall and
r. L. Manley is president and Mrs.
Sadie THOMPSON, secretary. The or
der was instituted in 1896 and ch ar
ter granted in 1897 and it prospered
and grew. Mr.. Thompson was mem
ber of the board put in charge of the
Tonties last fall when the first trouble
arose and he was unpopular becaus
he hinted that something was very
wrong.
Here are some significant figures;
From it's founding 20 January 1902 the
order took in Sl40, ,3sS. The benefci-
aries got only $lS, ABB of this. $40, 900
shows on the books for "salaries, "
and "all other expenses" ate up 500,
3S3.36. An expert called in said the
books were undoubtedly the very
worst he ever saw and that the man
who kept them certainly drew his
salary "under false pretenses.
From January l, 1901 to Sept. 20,
1901, when Mr.. Thompson and Others
took charge at Wichita, the order col
lected SGT, ,924.59. Bene6ciaries re-
ceived Ss, 722.lO Expenses consumed
500, O52.4l. The officers met and raised
their own salaries, quarreled over
the spoils and Mr.. Thompson thinks
the order should have flourished il
properly managed but that it is GER
tainly extinguished now.