The Yale expositor. (Yale, St. Clair County, Mich.) 1894-current, 1908-03-27

HIGH LIFE WAS THE DOWNFALL
OF THE HOME PROTECTORS
SECRETARY.
HE JUGGLED THE FUNDS
Now Finds Himself In Jail and the
Stockholders viii Lose,-He Lived
on His REGULATIONS Extravasantly.

VIM. l.. Wilson, supreme secretary
OF the United Home Protectors Fra.
ternity, a fraternal building and loan
association. is in Port Huron jail,
charged with being short In his ac-
counts $4,000, but II is said by of
icers OF the order that the amount
may reach $125,O00 He has confessed
the shortage and the institution is
now in the hands of State Bank
ing Commissioner Zimmerman. The
fraternity was organized in Port HUI
ron about IA years ago under the
supervision OF the state banking de.
partment. In 1905 the act was amend
ed and the powers OF the commission
er with regard to the institution
broadened. 1t has about 100 lodges
in Michigan and about $500 members.
The officers, who are all Port Huron
men. are as follows: President, Major
N. 8. Boynton; vice-president G. C.
Meisel: treasurer, Albert A. Graves;
secretary, w. l.. Wilson; trustees. ID.
p. Marley, e. ID. Campbell and Albert
Dixon.
The populations of Wilson cover a
period of nearly IL years, practically
since he became connected with the
order, and, while $4,000 was specific
ally mentioned in the complaint. the
shortage may be S125, 900. He also has
personal liabilities outside of the or
der amounting to close to SOS 900. AL
bert Dixson, who swore to the COM
plant, is an indorser on much OF Will
sons personal paper He lived ex-
travagantly in one of the most beauti-
ful residences in the city. Two grown
sons, Louis. aged 81, and Grant. "a.
both married, lived with him. Wilson
maintained two automobiles, a hand
some power yacht and the family were
active in society.
The money that Wilson took was In
vested In many wildcat schemes. al.
though some of 1t was invested in con-
Germs which have good standing. He
has $4,000 In the Windsor e. Essex
interurban, about $4,000 in a refrigera.
tor plant in Battle Creek and some
money In bed springs plant in Port
Huron.
The big drain on his resources was
the Lapham mine near Deadwood. s.
ID. Into this he has been pouring
money for several years and in addi-
ton had induced many Port Huron
people to invest. The mine has never
paid anything. although thousands of |
dollars were spent in opening It up.
Just how bad the Home Protectors !
Fraternity is involved will not be |
known until the examiners go com.
pletely over the books and make their |
report
After confessing to the trustees he |
turned over schedule of his assets. |
consisting of the beautiful home in |
Port Huron, a farm near Grand Rap /
ids and scattered pieces of real es- |
tate. The whole has a paper valua-
ton OF about 100000, but will show
a shrinkage of so per cent on forced
realization.
Il have just $50 in the bank Every
other cent has gone to make up these
losses Practically Wilson turned his
trousers pockets inside out In his cell
In the county jail and showed Just 50.
with that $50 this sum constitutes
my entire fortune" he said. 81 am
turning everything over to the frater.
nifty for the protection of the patrons.
II l get out | am going on a farm to
work. l am through with city life for.
ever"