Perrysburg journal. (Perrysburg, Wood Co., O. [Ohio]) 186?-1965, 1873-07-25
A Model Insurance Agent.

THE commissions of life insurance
agents have been known in many instances
to amount to pretty handsome income,
but we doubt if any of them have made
money quite as rapidly as did Sam.
Smooth with the now old and respectable
Methuselah office, of New York In the
early days of that company-so the man.
ayers story to Spicer, Of the Bulletin, ran
Sam was known to be "smart" solicitor
of insurance, and when the manager en-
gagged him to solicit business for the Methu-
selah on liberal commission, the Di-
rectors congratulated him on his judg-
ment. In making his contract, however,
Sam stipulated that as he should probably
have to canvass the city of New York
thoroughly, parties on whom he had spent
q great deal of time and ingenuity might
be sent direct to the office without his de-
livering the policy, and if they were
landed in the Office after he had hooked
them, it was only fair that lie should re-
ceive the commission.
So it was agreed that Sam should re.
ceive commission on all such parties if
he could show their signatures, etc, in his
pass-book as voucher for having can
vassed them. Time went on, and the
Methuselah prospered. Sam brought in
a fair amount of business, but when asked
for the name of parties to whom he had
not personally delivered policies, always
said he would "bring 'em all in together
by and by" "By and by'' came one day,
when the President encountered Sam very
drunk in the entrance to the building,
trying to insure blind beggar, and offer.
ing to take his dog for part of the premi.
um. Sam received a note to call and
settle his accounts with the Methuselah AT
once, and on the first of the month pre-
sented himself, sober as judge, and in a
new suit of clothes, and to the horror OF
the manager not only presented his ac-
count for the few policies on which he
had received commission, but also bulky
memorandum book on which were the
signatures of nearly two-thirds of the
policy-holders of the company. The
manager swore he would not pay, and
Sam quietly reminded him of the contract
A meeting of Directors was called, and
| finally Sam was induced to Telinquish his
claims on the Mcthuselah for twenty five
| thousand dollars.
| 1t was not until many years after, when
Sam had run through his twenty-five
| thousand and something more, that the
manager learned how he came to secure
the signatures of so many of the policy
| holders in the Methuselah. 1t seems that
Sam did all his canvassing proper after
business hours in the afternoon. In tho
morning he stationed himself in the hall
way of the building in which the compa
ny's Office was located, and whenever hC
saw an individual about to enter the Office
would accost him with:
"Going to try the Methuselah, sir?"
The party would generally respond thai
he was going TO look at their plan or in
quire their rates, whereupon Sam woult
launch out;
"Best office in the United States, sir
Insures on the Gtm-gaim plan, sir. Div
idends of fifty per cent, semi-annually
Failed three savings banks first year it was
started. Paid loss yesterday. Man only
paid the premium of three hundred dol
| lars, and had received one hundred and
fifty back in dividends, when he died anC
the company paid his widow five thou
sand dollars before the funeral"
The visitor would smile, and say, {"
suppose you are an agent of the compa
nyY'
"A sort of one" Sam would reply.
take record of the visitors. Would yOl
oblige me with your nameY"
On the visitor complying, Sam pleaded
his bad penmanship as an excuse for tn
party writing his own name in the agent
memorandum book, and in this way sc
cured the signatures of the larger portion
Of the clients of the Methuselah.
Sam has passed away, but the manage
is today one of the most careful men II
his contracts with agents in the Insurance
business,--BOst0R Commercial Buttettn'