Rock Island Argus. (Rock Island, Ill.) 1893-1920, 1910-08-03
SEEK TO ENJOIN
WOODMEN BOARD
Directors Charged With Vio-
lating Obligations to
the Society.
NAME SMITH AND MURPHY
Members for Independent Association
to Conduct Investigations
Strong Charges Are Made.

A bill for an injunction against the
directors of the Modern Woodmen of
America, namely, A. R Talbot, F. R.
Rooms, A. N. Bort, C. ]. Byrns. R. R.
Smith, E. E. Murphy and ]. A. Rut-
ledge, was filed in the circuit clerk S
Office this afternoon by Attorney Thorn
as c. Hennings of st. Louis, Mo-. act
ing for c. d. Oberholtzer of Marseilles,
H., the complainant. In the bill the
court is asked to enjoin and restrain
the defendants, their officers or agents,
from paying further sums of money to
R. R. Smith or E. E. Murphy.
This is the first gun to be fired in a
campaign recently inaugurated by the
members of the True Woodmen's as
ISOLATION, recently organized for the
purpose of asserting the rights of the
members of the Modern Woodmen of
America. 1t is composed of members
of the latter association and is volun-
tary organization. There are no dues,
but each member gives a voluntary
contribution to carry out the aim of
the society. So far, the society has
been organized in 40 counties of Illi-
nois, % counties of Missouri, parts of
Kansas, Nebraska, Iowa and Wiscon-
sin.
Section 159 of the bylaws of the
Modern WoodmeQ of America reads:
1.-The board of directors shall consist
of five beneficial members of this So
ciety, who shall devote their entire
time to the society, exclusively, to the
faithful performance of their official
duties as members of the board of di-
rectors of the Modern Woodmen of
America
Because OF the alleged violation of
this section of the bylaws by members
of the board of directors, the bill for
injunction has been filed in the circuit
court.
Is First Step.
Directors Murphy and Smith are both
large stockholders in the Woodmen
Casualty company of Indianapolis. The
former is vice president of the COM
pany and the latter is treasurer. Each
receives a salary of $500 per month.
The members of the True Woodmen
association have taken the first step in
the fight against the directors who, it is
charged, are violating section 159 of
the Woodmen bylaws. They charge
that the directors are devoting at least
a part of their time to the performance
of their duties as officers of the Wood
men Casualty company.
The salary of the members of the
board of directors of the Modern Wood
men of America is $4,000 per annum
per each member of the board. And, as
has been said, each member is to de-
vote his entire time to the perform
ance of his duties as a member of the
board. In the bill, it is alleged, A. r.
Talbot, head consul of the Woodmen,
who receives $4,000 year for his en-
time time, is attorney, together with
his partner, Allen. for one of the big
corporations at Lincoln, Neb., where
he resides.
Formerly Received S15 Per Day.
Before the IS 900 per year salary was
adopted each member of the board was
allowed by the auditors SIS per day 1t
is claimed that c. ]. Byrns of Michi-
gan, who served in the Michigan legis-
lature in 1905 and 1907, filed a bill for
100 days service in the legislature
and for 318 days service as a member
of the board of directors. In 1907 he
received pay for 1913 days in the legisla-
ture and for 800 days as a director of
the Woodmen. The True Woodmen
association claims that when objection
was made, Mr.. Byrns set forth that he
was serving in the legislature for the
purpose of watching out for the inter
ests of the Modern Woodmen of Amer
ica
1t is further claimed that Mr.. Byrns,
assisted by Mr.. Talbot, sought the po-
sition of collector of the port of De
troit, but when the president was about
to grant the Office to him some bank
failures developed, and because of
Byrns' relation to the banks the office
was not given him.
The True Woodmen association as
serts, through Attorney Hennings, that
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