The Washington herald., 1912-10-01
INSURANCE MEN
ARE INDICTED.
Grand Jury Returns True Bills
Against ohicials of Modern
Workmen and Royal Life.
CHARGED WITH coNspRAcY.


twenty-seven indictments, among them
being one against five officers Of the
Royal Life Insurance Company, charxinx
alleged conspiracy to defraud the policy
holders Of the Modern workmen Of the
world. fraternai organization. which
was merged with the former co-opera-
ton.
One Of the conspiracy Indictments ac-
cuses Samuel J. Masters. John p RIn-
near Charles A Hartman, Frank +.
Evans and Bion II. Cohill with enter
ins into an unlawful agreement january
a lsll. Masters and Kinnear were re-
spectiVeiy chief workmen and chief
scnoe OF the Modern workmen, and
man' ' Evans and Cohill filled the
posiuons or president. treasurer and
secretary. respectively. of the Royal Life
insurance Company of the District
Inc Indictment charges the fve men
Win conspiring to defraud the policy
noiders OF the fraternal society out Of
az, ,lsaH. being the assets of the orean-
ization. It Is alleged In the ind,ctr,.,,
that Masters and Kinnear transferrrd ~
assets Of the Modern workmsn 10 the
Royal Life and its three officers without
authority II was the scheme, according
10 the Indictment. to contemplate a mer-
ger or the two organizations and that
Masters and Kinnear should be paid
/ tralgreTrAd n
salaries for alleged services to the RoyaI
Life. ''as a consideration and compensa-
ton Tor so transferring the said assets
Of &2,13s-A
| Overt Acts Auesed.
| Another count in the Indictment charges
the five men with conspiring to commit
an ofrense against the United States in
an alleged attempt to obtain irnprop-
eriy from the District Superintendent OF
Insurance license authorizing the ROYAL
Life to transact business. Throuzhout
nine other counts the grand jury relates
alleged overt acts in furtherance of the
alleged scheme.
In a statement last night Mr. Kinnear
| explained the relations existing between
| the two corporations, and his own re-
sponsibility in the premises as treasurer
Of the life insurance company. He said
| the two concerns were merged under pro-
cess OF law in January, 1911. After the
merger the life insurance company
| operated under the arrangement for ten
months when friction arose in the board
OF directors regarding the claims of the
moribund Workmen OF the World.
Mr.. Kinnear stated that he was the
legal custodian Of the assets OF the COM
pany. He said these assets now amount
to about $4,000. and that he is ready at
any time to make a proper accounting
to the recognized authority. The assets
| OF the company consist of real estate.
| real estate loans, collateral loans and
cash in bank He declared that every
dollar received from any source could
be accounted for and that the criminal
| action brought by disgruntled policy
holders OF the Workmen Of the World
was without a leg to stand upon all of
vi hA -ad At he
time.
Mr.. Kinnear stated that he would. upon
the courts order, produce cash and Sc
curities of approximately Gs.0e-all that
the company possesses He declared that
no criminal act bad been committed and
no criminal intent harbored BY any men,
ber OF the oficial board OF the Royal
Life Insurance Company.
Charles Wynard and George II. Hamil-
| ton are charged with alleged conspiracy
| in connection with their refusal TO sur
! render certain funds to Mrs. Catherine
| Harbeck widow and administrator Of the
estate Of her husband. William H Har-
beck. one OF the victims OF the Titanic
disaster.
Ralph Harris. Warren z Talbert
Charles A Norris. and Kitty Brown.
| also known as Kitty Harris. are in
dicted. charged with conspiring to de-
| fraud Charles Schwartz. local jeweier.
out of articles of jewelry valued at 500
The formstion of the alleged scheme 20
defraud dates back to October 1. 1911.
and the alleged overt acts run through
January. 1872. Each OF the four named
is separately indicted, Talbert on grand
larceny and false pretenses and the 9TH
ers for receiving stolen property.
Charged with Conspiracy.
Another Indictment for alleged con-
spiracy is that against John ]. McCor-
mick, alias John J. Cowles. who is
charged with having entered an agree
ment with persons unknown to the grand
jury to cheat Benjamin Lenowitz out OF
sl10O
The gambling indictments include
Michael Hill, Isadore Rudderman, Boot
sey Given. William F. Mann, Harry
Davis. and Cotton Nelson. They are
charged with setting up gambling devices
at the Benning race track on Labor Day.
George P. Robinson, promoter. was
indicted for false pretenses. Henry
johnson. colored, Is charged with murder
in the first degree In connection with
the death OF his wife, Emma Johnson.
March II last His wife died from Q blow
on the head
The other indictments include Rosie
Padgett. assault with dangerous weapon;
Martin Zecker. housebreaking; William
Bright, violating white slave act; Will
lam A. Yeatman. forgery and uttertng
(two charges: Joseph r. 'Kesterson.
grand larceny; Edward Perry, assault
with dangerous weapon; Robert Alhs.
violating the white slave act: H. B. Jen-
nings, false pretenses-