The times dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1903-1914, 1910-12-14
PYTH|AN KNIGHTS
UNDER AT I AC K
Complaint to Attorney-Gencral
Says Order Is Insolvcnt
and Asks Receiver
CITES THE SUPREME LODGE
Insurance Out S2o,o67,soo and
Cash on Hand ,5o8-Rates
Raised 500 Per Cent.


"
New york December 1s.-Allcging
~. a.,,,a.,a,, J., ,,,so,,on, an
ma tno oisan'"a'io' -
its own showing, Milton g. Bucky' a
lawyer, yesterday sent letter to the
Acknowledgement nj Albany calling
,s ~
on nm 10 pesih an "S'i0ii "s"''''' W.
knights OF PSthias, one OF the larges'
of the fraternal orders. TO cancel their
.cor,if,cato "a conduct q lifo insurance
a,,,, =
business IN tnis STATE anu "Ppo''' :"
receiver of all assets and property IN
Inc state He also wishes them en-
- ,a, ~. e,,.ho h,s
''ti'eN Do'e
mess In New york.
MIR. Buclsy tells the Attorney General
,bat Information supnltod by the SUI
pre''ie b'uee oi nv "toei sio"' ''''s
at the present time 1t is carrying IN
surance of the fourth class, amounting
- syo SCI too with cash IN hand 10 nav
"
thls amounting 10 Soiy'ooo.
with the letter Mr.. BuckS sent COPIES
or communications from inc ceh .li vi
ganizalon to client OF MS Ihofhas
Barber, OF 4e5 rogers avenue ploVh-
lyn IT is on Information as 10 the
business OF the order given IN these
letters that the lawyer bases MS re-
quest for the appointment OF re-
ceiyer.
Thomas Barber has been paying an
ussessment averaging SEQ a month
on a $1,000 insurance policy issued to
him in 1885 One of the letters from
the Supreme Lodge. dated November
%. 1910, informs him that bylaw has
been passed by virtue d which the
Members OF the fourth class in the
Insurance Department, to which Mr.
Barber belongs. were TO pay an assess.
ment of S2i.To month after January
] next for continuance of insurance
under their policies The lawyer tells
the Attorney General that this demand
Will not be complied with. and that
his client does not recognize the right
OF the order to enact such a bylaw
The letter OF Mr. Barber is on sta
tionery marked Supreme Government
knights OF Pythias, Calais. Maine"
and is signed BY George NJ Hanson.
supreme chancellor 1t is addressed
TO Members of the Fourth Glass, In
suranco Department"
Bringing the statement down to
date. ii says, the number OF mem
bers OF the fourth class on october 81.
1910. was 1882 carrying insurance
in the amount of s2O.s67.JO0 The
amount in tho mortuary fund OF the
fourth class on October ~ was ssI5
Sos Thus II was aprarNnt 10 thu
members of the Supreme Lodge. and
will be apparent to you. / think. that
II steps had not been taken 10 in
crease the contributions OF members OF
this class its funds would be exhaust
cd in a very few months"
At another point the letter from the
Supreme Lodge says: The payments
now exceed the income and no private
business can long exist under such cir
cnmstances. Neither can our busIness
so continue" The St1prenne T,odpa also
says tina, the state of affairs is not
the present body's fault. but was "bo
cause of a mistake I'm hxinr the ra,.s
of contribution at the verv ,ncontior
of the Organization.
According to the same letter al tho
end of the year 1909 the lodge had IN
tho mortuary fund of the fonrth class
sS0g.S7s, when thev sa,, thev should
have mad about IS. ojo. oo0 1hetr
disbursements In the wear 1eos az.
ceeded their receipts, accordi,ys In the
letter. by about s2os 900 In 1903 their
disbursements exceeded their rece,nts
bv s4o1.5oo.
Commenting on this report Mr.
Bucky says to Attorney General C'Mal-
ley: They not only admit their pres-
ent Insolvency, but concede that this
state of affairs has u.istcd tor sev-
eral wears past, unknown to nv client :.
For this reason nc asks for the pro.
ceedinr to Investigate the affairs Of
the organization and an Injunction
to prevent any further business being
done in this State until a receiver can
take charge.
The action also serves to brig TO
light that the Supreme Lodge of the
knights OF Pythas, together with some
Masonic orders and two other frater-
nal organizations, are exempt from
the insurance laws OF the State relat-
Ing to fraternal Insurance.
Mr.. Bucky explained yesterday that
ordinarily the procedure would be to
apply Tor relief TO the State Superin-
tendent OF insurance, but owing TO the
TACT that these organizations are en-
enpt' as ne says IN ms letter to the
AleoineS- u enc a. t"es ca!!not pc .es
He said that he had found other state
To- hoyu IN