Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1912-05-08
THEIR ARREST FOLLOWS
Embezzlement Of Fraternal Insur-
ance Funds Alleged.
BOTH MEN RELEASED ON BOND
Indictments Also Returned Against
Rodney Hawkins, Reputed "Du-
plicate Key Man." and Others.

District grand jury. charged with the en-
bezzlement Of trust funds amounting to
Sl3,1 roo. The indictment sets forth that
the money belonged to fraternal insur-
ance company known as the Modern
Workmen Of the World, and that Mr..
as the chief executive officer Of
the institution, known as chief workman.
and Mr.. Kinnear. as it's secretary. called
chief scribe. had in their possession the
above amount of money, and wrongfully
converted it to their own use, between
May II. 1909. and December 10, 1910
The company was. organized about five
years ago by the defendants and several
other men residing in the state of Vir-
ginia. and has several thousand policy
holders. the majority Of whom are ne
groes. residing in the southern states
In January of last year, when the in
surance department of the state OF Vir-
ginia was resisting an ort of the de-
fendants to secure a renewal OF their IL
cense to do business in that state. the
company was consolidated with the Roy al
Life Insurance Company Of this District.
1t is said that such consolidation was in
violation of law of the state of vir-
ginia, which prohibits the consolidation
of fraternal insurance company with a
company having capital stock.
Allegations in Indictment.
The indictment contains fifteen counts
and alleges that the defendants prior to
the consolidation with the Royal Life In
surance Company had embezzled various
sums from the company. ranging in
amounts from 500 to s6, 500.
The affairs Of the Modern Workmen
OF the World have been the subject of
numerous suits in the local courts in the
last six months, several cases having
been filed concerning its consolidation
with the Royal Insurance Company and
the disposition OF the assets of the two
concerns.
Superintendent Ingham insurance COM
missioner Of this District. in November.
lsll. refused to grant a license to do busi-
ness In this District to the Royal Life
insurance Company, which had ATTEMPTED
to absorb the Modern Workmen of the
World.
The attention Of the court was then
Tor the first time, called to the affairs of
the Modern Workmen Of the World,
through suit which was instituted by
the defendants and several other men
known in insurance circles, to compel
Supt. lngham to grant the company a liz
cense This petition for mandamus was
successfully defended by Mr. Ingham.
who satisfied the court that the assets of
the company were not of such character
and of sufficient amount to meet the re-
quirements of the law governing insur-
ance institutions in the District
In the answer Of Mr. Ingham certain
matters were disclosed which. being
brought to the attention Of District At
torney Wilson, resulted in an investipa-
ton by the district attorneys office.
through Assistant District Attorney
Hawken. After the books of the com
pany and all the persons who had bor-
rowed money from the Modern Workmen
OF the World, and also from the ROYAL
Life Insurance Company, were examined,
q report was made by Mr.. Hawken to
his assistant to submit the whole matter
to the grand jury. The indictment re-
turned today is the result Of the investi-
cation.
Justice Barnard, upon motion Of United
States Attorney Wilson, issued bench
warrants for the arrest of the defendants.
ana Detective Evans and Deputy Marshal
Iravers arrested both this afternoon at
their offices and took them to the city
nail Attorney Wilton J. Lambert was
In the sum Of 5000 for each defendant.
When DIR. w. w. Stewart had uuaIified
on the bonds Messrs. Masters and Kim
near were released.
Statement by Attorney.
Attorney Lambert stated, in behalf M
his clients. that the entire matter grows
out of disagreements among stockhold-
ers of the Royal Life Insurance Com
pany. and that both Mr. Masters and Mr.
Kinnear will show conclusively at the
proper time their entire innocence Of the
charges.
Faces Forty-one Counts.
Rodney Hawkins. colored. called by the
police the duplicate key man." was also
indicted today, forty-one counts of house.
breaking being alleged. The police pre-
sented forty-nine charges, but the grand
Jurors seemed to think forty-one counts
would be enough to include in the in
dictment. Inc evidence submitted showed
that the entrances in the cases OF house.
breaking charged were In only two in
stances made through the front door Of
the dwellings.
Joseph Jones was indicted for false
1t being alleged that he Sc
the representation that he was q water
Inspector. Nothing was missing from the
residence, the sole charge being the i'm
of an officer This is said to
be the first indictment for such offense
In this District.
A charge of HOUSEKEEPING and assault
Is made in an indictment against Charles
Jones, colored, who is alleged to have
been discovered in the room of Miss Mil
dred E. Bromwell of 1922 18th street.
April q last.
Miss Bromwell was awakened in the
early morning by feeling a cold hand
on hef ankle, and saw the man in her
room. Her screams frightened the negro
and he ran. James e. Bromwell. the
father. pursued the man with a revolver
and shot several times at him. Jones
was apprehended nearby, and ii was
learned he had been released from the
Atlanta penitentiary January "a last.
Other Indictments Reported.
Other indictments include the following:
James Bussell, alias Baltimore" rob
berry and assault with a dangerous weap-
IN; Theodore Handy. alias George Mahon,
and larceny: Ezie Cole
man, assault with a dangerous weapon:
William Newman, carnal knowledge; WILL
lam Davis, housebreaking and larceny:
Charlie Woodson. assault with a danger
ous weapon: Charles Jones, housebreak-
ng and assault; Robert Hill and Eugene
Brooks, housebreakng; William r. Jones'
alias George Green. grand larceny;
Thomas Newman and Eugene Jones,
and larceny; Thomas New
John Coleman, embezxlement; Arthur
Davis. embezzlement; Joseph Jones. false
personation.