Rock Island Argus. (Rock Island, Ill.) 1893-1920, 1910-12-12
DENIED A BERTH;
DENISON IN ROAR
Dubuque Woodmen, When Re-
fused Appointment, Threat
ened to Get Even.
JOINS HANDS WITH WEBB
State Insurance Commissioner Pot
ter Says Charges Will Be
Investigated.

State Insurance Commissioner Fred
c. Porter has replied to long list of
charges of mismanagement and the
wasting of funds of the Modern Wood
men of America by it's present officers
and directors, which were brought to
his attention by John T. Denison, Jr.,
of Dubuque, Iowa. The commissioner
said his department and also the de-
partment of the insurance commission
er of Virginia have been making an in
vestigation of the society for six weeks,
which is not yet completed.
He denied any political influence has
been brought to bear upon his office TO
take a lenient stand against the Off
GERS and directors of the Modern Wood
men, and stated that, as soon as he re-
ceived the report of his investigator,
there would be a hearing, at which
every one who had any matter to bring
TO his attention would be given a
chance to be heard
Charges Made by Iowa Man.
Denison. who took occasion to hand
to Commissioner Porter, while stand
ing in the lobby of the La Sale hotel,
Chicago, a copy of his charges against
the present management of the society,
including a long list of Specifications,
has asserted that among other things
the officials have invested in $2.500,O00
of bonds when under the law they
should have invested only 100000.
He further claims 100000 was lost
to the society through the approval of
the board of directors of forged bond
presented by banker who afterwards
failed and has since died.
He also charges the officers and en-
ployes of the company have been us
ing transportation furnished by the
railroads in payment for advertising
contracts, and for these same jour
neys have been charging the society
mileage a the rate of cents mile
The Iowa man names the directors
of the society-R. r. Smith. E. Z. Muir
ply, George W. Kelley and c. J.
Byrnes-as being responsible for some
of the soCiety's losses.
T. S. Webb, who formerly was in
charge of the advertising department
of the society, joined with Denison in
making the charges. He further said
that he would apply to States Attor
ney Edmund Burke of SangamOn coun-
~ for grand jury investigation.
Two States Cooperate.
q do not know what merit there is
in these charges" said Mr.. Porter
The Modern Woodmen of America is
the largest fraternal insurance society !
in the country. and has its headquar-
tiers in Rock Island l was so anxious
to have a thorough examination made /
into its affairs that l invited the insur- /
ance commissioner of Virginia to join /
me. and the departments of the two /
states are working jointly on the ex-
Il received a letter from Mr.. Dent /
son several weeks ago, after we had /
started the investigation, in which he |
said that he had some matters regard /
ing the society which he wished to lay |
before me. and replied that as our ex. /
aminer was in Rock Island, which is /
much nearer Dubuque. where DenisOn /
lives, than Springfield. that he should |
90 to Rock Island and present his mat !
tiers to our examiner there.
He did not do this, and the next /
thing I heard from him was when Il /
was standing near the desk and a man /
handed me a plain envelope. not ad- !
dressed, and said it was for me. In il /
was a letter. saying that there was in |
closed a list of charges against the /
Modern WOodmen of America officials /
and several typewritten pages contain !
ing the charges. l have read them /
only hastily.
There will be a thorough investi- /
CATION, and if anything is wrong we
shall do our best to correct 1t, and at |
any rate, a full and complete report /
will be on file. and any one can have a
copy for the asking"
NOrthcOtt Calls Charges Lies.
The statements made by Denison
aroused w A. Northcott of Spring
field, who gave out the following state
ment from the state capital:
so far as his newspaper interview