78 Mo. App. 546 | Mo. Ct. App. | 1899
This is a proceeding in mandamus where it is sought to have B. D. Stone, an insane person, reinstated to membership in the defendant order from which he had been expelled for failure to pay certain assessments. At the trial below plaintiff was awarded a peremptory writ and defendant appealed.
On the first of October, 1895, the grand lodge made certain assessments for the beneficiary fund, which said B. D. Stone failed to pay, and on account of which default he was considered as suspended and as having forfeited his life insurance. In the March following (1896), Stone was adjudged insane and sent to the state asylum at St. Joseph, where he was still confined at the trial of this case.
The point in controversy is, whether or not under the laws of the society and the facts in the case said Stone was legally suspended October 28, 1895, because of his failure to pay the assessments last above mentioned. Plaintiff contends that said suspension was illegal and improper, because at that time, it is claimed, Stone was sick and insane so as to cast the burden of paying such assessments on his local lodge.
The laws of the order relating to this matter are as follows :
“Law 138. — Subordinate lodges may or may not provide in their by-laws for the payment of weekly sick benefits.
“No Suspensions During Reported Sickness. — Provided, that any member who is reported to the lodge or to the relief committee as being sick or disabled, and who is a beneficiary member, according to the provisions of law 139, shall not become suspended on dues or assessments during such sickness or disability.”
“Law 139. — Who Entitled To. — Any member of the lodge, who, through sickness or other disability, is unable to follow his usual business or some other occupation, shall be considered a beneficiary member, entitled to receive such benefits as the by-laws prescribe.
*553 “If Not In Arrears. — Provided, that such member is not in arrears to the lodge for the amount of three months dues, and that he is a member of the Workmen Degree.
“Sickness Must Not Be of a Permanent Character.— And that his sickness is not of a permanent character or such as does not prevent other men, similarly afflicted, from pursuing their avocations.
“Or Result Prom Vices. — And provided, that his sickness or disability has not originated from intemperance, vicious or immoral conduct.
“Or Diseases Previous to Initiation. — And provided, that he is not disabled by any disease or infirmity by which he was afflicted previous to his initiation into the lodge.
“Lodge May Reduce Amount at End of Six Months. — ■ And provided, that the lodge may reduce the benefits for a brother fifty per cent, if the lodge has been paying him sick benefits for the space of six months.
“Three Months in Arrears. No Benefits. — And a member who shall be taken sick or be disabled while in arrears to the lodge to the amount of three months’ dues, can not, •by payment of his arrearages, become a beneficiary during his sickness.”
It will be seen that before a member can be entitled to have his lodge pay his dues and assessments he should fill the description of “beneficiary member,” and that is by the above laws defined as one (1) “who, through sickness or other disability is unable to follow his usual business or some other occupation,” (2) is not in arrears to the local lodge for three months’ dues, (3) sickness must not be of a permanent character, etc.; and in addition it is provided that such beneficiary member must have been reported to the lodge or the relief committee as being sick.
In addition to this, Stone was at the time of his suspension delinquent on his lodge dues for more than three months, and this disqualified him as a “beneficiary member.” He was, as the proof shows, more than six months in arrears
A more satisfactory reason for refusing to restore Stone to membership appears in the record. The evidence conclusively shows that Stone yielded to the suspension of October 28, 1895, and intentionally abandoned the order for the time being. On that day, he called on the collector or financial secretary of the lodge, and said to him (quoting from the abstract) “that he was going to let the lodge business drop for a while and wouldn’t pay the assessments, assigning as a reason that times were hard, close money matters and that he wouldn’t pay them and he didn’t pay them.” This in effect, was.repeated to the same officer a short time thereafter. The witness stated that Stone’s conversation and conduct was entirely rational and that he discovered nothing that indicated an unbalanced mind.
After suspension, and during the winter of 1895-6, other members of the lodge met Stone at different times and talked over the matter of his suspension. In each instance he expressed regret at being obliged to drop his membership; said it' was his intention to- get reinstated as soon as times got better and he could afford it. And to more than one of these parties expressed his gratitude to the lodge for the generous treatment he had received; said in effect that he could be reinstated at less cost by waiting six months and then come in as a new member; and this appears to have been correct! It would have been less expensive to wait the six months and then apply as a new member rather than come in by paying up all delinquent dues and assessments.
In my opinion tbe judgment of tbe circuit court ought not to stand. Tbe other judges concurring, it will be reversed and remanded with directions to dismiss tbe petition.