The Richmond Virginian. (Richmond, Va.) 1910-1920, 1911-02-17
ASK COURT TO
HOLD Down RATES
Petitions Filed to Prevent Su-
preme Lodge, K. of p, from
Increasing Charges
MlSMANAGEMENT OF
ORDER ALLEGED
Move to Place Organization in
Hands of keceiverS-Petl-
TONERS Show Radical
Increase

WASHINGTON, D. C., Eco. H.
Petitions for an injunction 10 prevent
the increase al certain Insurance rates
and for the appointment, % q receiver
for the Supreme Lodge III ms knights
Of Pythias, a corporation, ard q. Nj.
Hanson and L. -. Hunt were nsed an
the district supreme court yesterday
by John II. ut .pr.noe Zo.Bceiif .
by John III. Turplh. OF Greensboro.
Ala. and Joseph Williams, OF this
city, both members of the fourth class
of the endowment rank of the knights
of Pythias. Justice Gould signed u
rule. returna bile March s. to show
cause why the order should not be
conJoined from collecting the monthly
assessments now levied against the
petitioners. 1t is the contention of
the petitioners that an increase In the
amount of their assessments de-
stroys their rights under their con-
tract with the order.
On Jan. /. IL is ciaImed, the order
Increased the rates OF their Insurance
SO that Turpin, who formerly paid
$3.50 annually for a $4,000 insurance
policy, now has TO pay $3.50, and
in the case OF Williams, who for
merIy paid $3.50 for $4,000 policy.
he now has to pay $3.50. 1t Is as
serted that these excessive increases
constitute IA violation OF their con-
tract.
.AiIege AIis4aaaageHsat-
The petitioners aIIege also the
existence OF gross mismanagement of
the funds OF the fourth class. and
their diversion from the nses of the
fourth class TO the benefit OF the Attn
class. in which the men have no in
terest
The Williams petition further states
that under the act of Incorporation.
the order is allowed TO hold only
100000 OF real or personal property.
and the statement Of asseta filed as
IN exhibit with the petition shows
that the order has 100000 In
assets.
Attorney Charles y. Hillyer, OF
Blair. urayton IL Hiliyer. attorneys
for the petitioners. said last even
ing
There have been three different
suits died in indianapolis. the par-
poses OF which are to have receivers
appointed for the organization, and
up TO the present time the courts have
failed to act upon them, but upon
what grounds | am not advised. The
proceedings are instituted here upon
the theory that the court of the
domicile OF the organization is the
only one having Jurisdiction, as the
Knights Of Pythias were Incorporated
here by a special act of congress In
1884. understand there Were $50
scented In one of the. Indianapolis
suits,
Older Men Suffer.
Recently there was a canvass Of
all the members of the fourth class
by the officers of the association, ana
strong pressure brought TO bear to
persuade them to transfer from the
fourth 10 the NTH class. and as a re-
suit the ranks OF the fourth class
We're greatly depleted of the younger
members. This has left in the fourth
class oniy the Older men. some OF
them past the age of 65. the condi-
tons 10 The transfer OF the older
men being such as to practically bar
them from transfer. AT the same
time the rates exacted from them IL
they remain In the fourth class are
SO high as TO practically confiscate
their certificates.
The nth class is practically
straight life insurance and the fourth
class Is On the assessment plan. The
reason for the exorbitsnt increase in
the monthly assessments in the fourth
GLASS Is that when the fifth class WAS
organized several hundreds OF thous-
ands of dollars of the fourth class
were diverted to the fifth class from
which the members OF the fourth
class have no benefit whatever.
The condition OF the fourth class
can best be understood by compar-
ing the amount in the mortuary fund
on December 81. 1903. which was over
100000, with the amount in the same
fund one year later, which was a
Ett.e over $4oo.0oa."