The times dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1903-1914, 1910-09-15
NEGROES FORCED
TO MAKE CHANGES
True Reformers Select
New Officers Under
Official Pressure.
BUTTON ISSUED
HIS ULTIMATUM
Order Once Bought in Its Own
Property for Sso,ooo-Allied
Bank Did Not Pay Insurance
Checks - Successful Fu-
ture Is Now Ex-
pected.


Yielding to repeated demands made
by state Insurance Commissioner Jo-
seph Button for complete change in
management. the Grand Fountain OF
the United Order of True Reformers, In
biennial session in Richmond ycster-
day chose H. w. Homes OF this city.
as grand worthy master. in place OF
w. l. Taylor. w. +. Burrel. whose ad-
ministration has been entirely sa,is-
factory to the Bureau OF insurance.
VIII De reelected grand secretary the
officers have been selected by what is
known as nomination. and will he for
mally elected to-day.
Probably the entire future Of this
order. the largest most successful ard
most prominent among all colored se-
cret societies in the world. was n
volyed in the choice OF the Grand
Fountain of lis president. Recent trou-
bles have brought the organization to
: a critical stage. due mostly. It IS be-
lieved TO ignorance OF business meth
DDS and partly. perhaps. to the ma
chinaiions OF more intelligent negroes
who found IN the members Of their
race easy dnpes to their plans.
Holds Highest Place.
Remarkab BILE indeed is the history o.:
the True Reformers which for nearly
thirty years has held first place Ut tho
respect and admiration OF the colored
population OF America. Its homo oiIlee
and central building are located In
Richmond, on Second street, near
Leigh, wnere yesterdays sessions we're
held. The body. which is composed OF
delegates, mot on Tuesday and Eili be
in session the remainder OF the week
On one occasion this Grand Foun-
tain. elected TO represent the interests
of the members, gravely and solsmnly
bought its own ritual. its own charter.
ana It's own constitution and bylaws
from its grand master for the sum I
$4,000, NEARLY $4,000 of which. was &c
tuai,y paid Tn.s otficial 4gao Is I,ow
1easi was the founder or tiie 3 !s.ssssT Ito
formers, Wis d salar!ea oticer, and ac-
tualiy had the ritual copyrighted In
order 10 secure the consnrnmatlpn OF
his plans. TO add to his gairu. his
wife for nine years had the exclusive
right 10 manufacture regalIa 10. the
members. and at last this right vas
sold back TO the order for Ss,V0b,
Wore Robes of state.
rhts founder w w Browne Il Is
stated, presided in the meetings Of the
;rand Fountain in flowing ropes to
aid him IN impress.ns superss.lious
reverence tuponxthose who mad ailisteu
with the organization. In tact, II ru-
nors be correct, vague ceremonies OF
This sort We're prac9ceo up u
recent time. .oo,.toon /,
with an income Of nearly s3op,Ooo
.ar hosts OF claims amounting in the
,ograpate 10 more than s5O,9oN re-
NAMED unpaid at about the beginning
Numerous complaints of the nom
aayment of insurance claims, rans.ns
from small sums up to $500, were mace
70 Commissioner Button, who ordered
an examination. 1t was speeu!!s
learned tina. the trouble was not with
the order. which was IN spiehaiu MAJ
.fal condition. with nearly q quarter
of n million dollars to dts credit IN
he hank men attention was PAID 10
,he bank. II was here found that this
institution, known as the Savings nahh
IF the Grand United Order OF true Re
CORNERS was holding the checks Win
put paving them. a littie deeper was
the search conducted. and II was
earned that the officials OF the bank
ana those of the order are the same
IN. fact the bank Is an affiliated insu-
.ution.
Checks Were Held.
Ibis was ,..e method o. procedure:
rhe treasurer OF the order was cashier
Of the bank. The checks for payment
az the insurance claims would be
oroperly drawn by the order, and
.harged off on It's books. This was
III regular. The ordet mad the money
IN deposit Then the cashier OF the
+ ,ank would put these checks away in
nrawer and ley would not pc
,afd. lhe records Of the bank did not
.t,o,y that the checks lad been pre-
;ented The bank looke>, all right. oh,
s inc!
Immediate demand was made by Col
onel Button for the payment of the
:laims. The bank made Its arrange
nents and paid them. But the COM
missioner was not satisfied with the
management. Heagave the order until
:le next biennial meeting. wn.ch is
aow being held, ~ cleanse its stables.
For weeks past officers and members
R,f the True Refornlers have been noti-
led that there must be a change of
management. Taylor, the grand mas
.er. was told that he must step out,
,r he was given intimation to that
,ffect. The result was to be an im-
mediate investiga Ion and firm appli-
,ation Of the insurance laws. 1t was
Colonel Buttons Intention to reform
he order. not to wreck it. He de-
,ires to build it up Tor should 1t fall
would drag uown With 1t. probably,
he entire fabric OF colored secret So
.ieties to which the negro race pins
is highest hopes.
stood to Guns.
All day yesterday delegations OF
members called on the commissioner
1T his office in the Capitol, some OF
he members undertaking to argue the
,oints at issue With .-m, He produced
ais reports and omcial records, and
old them what he expected. EXpostu-
alton was OF no use To the last
delegation he delivered his ultlmatun.
It fell,
Yesterdays action of the Grand
Foustain is regarded as complete
aseturn to sanity and conservatism, ! n
lew hands the order liz eXpectedSgto