The advocate. [volume] (Charleston, W. Va.) 1901-1913, 1911-03-16
RECENT EVENTls PORTEND Dis
lNTEGItATION OF THE ORGAN
IZATION.
Affairs in Tangle
Dirccors charged with having trans
ferred property without authority,
and attorney for the Order
promptly disaVows responsibility.


events effecting the Grand United
Order of True Reformers portend the
d1sintegration of this organization.
Worthy Grand Master A. w. Holmes
has made statements since the Saw
1ngs bank has been in the hands Of
receivers that have made the men,
Dcrs and friends Of the order opti-
m1stic over the fraternity being able
TO rehabilitate itself Among the
statements which appeared In a daily
were: 'Onr receipts In the savings
Dank of the Grand Fountain at the
time 1T went into the hands of the
receivers were over 100000. This
Of course prevents the organization
from carrying out some of its oDli-
%atlons on account Of checks not
being paid by the bank. Aside from
this the Grand Fountain owns it's
home office, worth $4,000; a hotel
worth $4,000, and, a mortgage Of
more than $54,O 900 on other proper
ty.' The commissioner of insurance
for Virginia tells the representatives
OF the order that it is possible for
the organization to rehabilitate it.
self, but it will have to begin anew
and not look for anything from the
bank and expect nothing from the
property holdings to relieve the Sit
natiOn. At the same time he adj
VlSed them to procure the services
OF the ahlest lawyers to protect what
interest the order may have. Since
the claims against the order are we'll
up into the thousands of dollars, the
statement by Col. Button somewhat
reveals the fact that the assertions
Of Mr.. Holmes as quoted will not
stand.
Another piece Of startling Informal
ton is afforded the public; that the
board Of the Order sometime ago
without the authority Of the Grand
Fountain conveyed to the Reformers
bank certain pieces Of land which
were understood by the members Of
the Order to have been the property
Cf the Grand Fountain This act
has laid ground for probable heavy
ntlGations. According 10 a report in
the Planet Of the II inst it is under
the Order. Reference to a meeting
held by the executive committee Of
The order which was held. February
-. and the attitude Of certain Off
cials toward Counsellor J. Thomas
NcWsome, who was elected attorney
FOR the fraternity at the recent eX-
ira session of the society, a report
in the Planet is as follows: He"
Newsome, Immediately notified
Grand Worthy Master Holmes that
hc had come to take charge Of his
office and that he would do so at
once. This news came like a bomb
shell and his request was not COM
Piled with. -
In the meantime a meeting Of
the Executive Committee of the
Board Of Directors was called Mon
day, Feb. 27, and this committee
decided all Of the property Of the
Grand Fountain, United Order Of
Tue Reformers, throughout the
country to the Savings Bank, United
Order Of True Reformers, or rather
to the receivers thereof. The hall
at G04 North Second Street, and the
True Reformers, throughout the
and Baker streets, were not included
in the conveyances. Those compos-
ing the committee are A. w. Holmes,
w. p. Burrell, w. r. Johnson, John
]G. Mcrriweathcr, Joseph Ward"
Continuing it says: "When Attorney
Newsome learned that this had been
done he promptly disavowed respon-
%iblity for such action and notified
tho True Rcformer officials accord
ingly. His pleas were disregarded,
however, and he proceeded to consult
with Ex-Governor A. J. Montague and
to retain him as counsel to repre-
sent the order. Tn the meantime
Lawyer !. G.. Robertson was acting
attorney for the order and his
action was highly disDleasing. to Mr.
Newsome. He notified him to va
cate the Office at once. which notice
was not regarded at that time
Excerpts from a letter from Mr.
NcwSOme to Mr.. Holmes. the head Of
the fraternity, appearing in the last
edition Of che Planet are quite sig
nifcant Which are as follows:
"I am taking the occasion to writc
YOU this letter to say to YOU that
from all sources has come to mo the
information that you were hostile to
my election as attorney for the Re-
formers, and that even Sir',e my
. election you have allowed serious
blunders to be made in the depart
ment over which | have control
which are likely to involve the en-
tire order in maze of legal entan-