Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1910-08-16
UP AGAINST LAW
Supreme Head of CoIored Fra
ternity Under Charges.
BUSINESS OFFICE RAIDED
Manager Accused Of Conducting In
surance Business Without License.
ARRAIGNED IN POLICE COURT
Arrest Follows Complaints Made by
Holders Of Claims for Death
Benefits.
BUSINESS OFFICE RAIDED
ARRAIGNED IN POLICE COURT


f. Curry, acting superintendent OF in
surance. and Detective Burlingame raided
the Supreme Tent at 473 New York
avenue and took away all the literature
and Office records In sight, and required
the supreme commander. Prof. L. Peaks,
colored, to appear in the Police Court this
morning. Supreme Commander Peaks
was charged with conducting an insur-
ance business without a license. The hear
ing in the case was continued until
August 81.
The organization he represents Is copied.
1t Is said. after well known organiza-
ton Of similar name Mr.. Curry said
the two have no connection. Peaks told
the raiders that in addition to being a
supreme commander. he had a college
degree.
What Is TT" asked the detective.
I'm professor: professor Of badges
and banners" he said
Ample Supply Of Material.
Supreme Commander Prof. Peaks evil
IDENTIFY used his professional knowledge
OF badges. banners and paraphernalia to
some advantage. for he had a supreme
tent full Of such material when the BUSH
y
Emblems. badges. mysterious notices in
unknown tongues, red pants. crossed
spears. fiery swords and affairs were piled
up In abundance in the supreme tent,
which before its elevation as the center
OF Supreme Commander Peaks activities
was an ordinary second-story back room
Whatever else the court finds about the
organization, II will doubtless remain true
that the supreme tent was able to supply
all the mystery necessary to initiate a
I'm cyht into l4AA A0A4 80
tism.
Reception Of Complaints.
The National Independent knights OF
the Maccabees Of the World is an or
ganization OF colored men and women.
ii is said, which Is in large detail similar
| to the knights Of the Maccabees Of the
| World. Mr.. Curry said this morning
that as far as he could see the booklets
Of the organization OF which Prof Peaks
| Is supreme commander are almost exact
| replicas Of the other organization.
| The troubles of Prof. Peaks, supreme
commander, started when Mr.. Curry re-
| ceived q call from Mrs. Elizabeth Davis,
AL street northeast. Mrs. Mary A.
Whitley. 1929 Sd street northeast. and
Walter Love. 1910 7th street northwest.
| These three had complaints to make
| about the way certain death claims had
dragged along after Supreme Commander
Peak had been furnished with notice
| Of their occurrence. They had been
| members. they said. since March. 1903.
and were especially interested in the
claims of Mrs. Carrie harrington, 237 ID
street northeast, and Mrs. Lancaster. 633
Acker street northeast. They claimed
very strenuously that the supreme com
mander owed somewhere between $50
and $50. and had paid part of the claims
| with two sets OF ten-dollar promissory
notes, making $50 in promises to each
claimant.
Mr.. Curry said that paying insurance
one on him, and he looked into the mat
ter. When the detective raided the SUI
preme commanders sanctum he found in
a mass Of papers and memoranda some
OF those notes. but there was no bank
account found by the detective and the
insurance expert.
Range Of Benefits.
The National Independent Knights Of
the Maccabees Of the World gave out a
pink certificate with a high-sounding pair
Of thick-typed paragraphs which spoke of
benefits. etc. The limit Of benefit Is
$50. running up from $50. in accordance
with the length Of time that the knight
pays the collector IS cents q week OF
the IS cents, 1t was said, the collector
gets a quarter and the supreme COM
mander, Prof. Peakes. gets 10 cents
Acting Superintendent Curry attributes
to this unequal distribution much of the
disbursement Of the knights who have
claims, as by some arrangement the COL
lectors. who represent tents" have to
pay sick claims. and the professor had to
pay death claims and his board bill be-
sides.
AS far as the raid was able to disclose,
no books were kept by the supreme COM
mander. merely loose memoranda being
discovered. Large masses Of correspond
ence from various members Of tents
throughout Maryland were found some
Of them asking that the supreme COM
mander should stand by the pink-and- gold
certificates.
I'VE done our duty at the grave, you
ought to do yours, now" said one letter.
Generous Distribution Of Titles.
The organization lacked nothing In the
way Of titles, as a high-sounding, ele-
waited and perfectly original office is pro-
vided for in the bylaws for nearly every
one The supreme tent has everything
provided. The supreme commander has
an active supreme commander to do the
hard work, and is further held up and
sheltered from the heat Of the day by
two lady members. known as the right
hand support" and the left hand sup
port" AS far as could be ascertaine0.
the supreme commander rules over $40
members in the District Of Columbia, ali
of whom. IL Is presumed, are paying
| "a cents q week.