Young v. Grand Lodge of Sons of Progress

Citations

• 173 Pa. 302
• 33 A. 1038
• 1896 Pa. LEXIS 700

Syllabus

<p>Beneficial associations — Forfeiture of membership — Subordinate lodges.</p> <p>The constitution and by-laws of a beneficial association provided for a grand lodge and subordinate lodges. Each subordinate lodge was required to collect assessments from its members, and forward the amounts to the grand lodge. The fund thus collected was called the endowment fund, and was distributed to the widows and children of each member of the association upon the decease of the member in good standing. If a lodge became delinquent in its payments due to the grand lodge endowment fund, it could be suspended at a special meeting of the grand lodge called for that purpose. This special meeting could only be called, at the instance of the grand master upon the report of the committee of the endowment fund after such committee had investigated the matter by the examination of witnesses and papers. Held, that a widow of a deceased member of a delinquent subordinate lodge was entitled to payment out of the endowment fund, if the subordinate lodge had not been suspended in the manner provided by the constitution.</p>