, 1877-11-27
The Ex-Manager Of the Charter
Oak Visits Chicago.
How the Scaling Down of tho
Universal Comes On.
Mr. Furbor's Defense Of the Matthews
Property Matter---Tle Chi
oago Committee.
The Future Of Tho Charter Oak, and Of
Life Insurance Companies
Generally.


IIcrruican build, ut tic Grand Pociflc. "Do
you see TINT llcavy.set tnau, with black hatr oil
over his lace, Just gotng iuto TIC cigar-storcl
That's your mnn."
And the reporter, following Instructions, over
took tho big man Just as fle halted to examine
the New York papers. THO reality did not ina
tcrialIy differ from 1ack's description. Tie
gentleman was large, weighing, perhaps, 240
pounds, witt, heavy black mustache, s1e.wf,isIk-
era and beard extending down Ills shlrt-flont,
not too far, however, to ,ilo brilliant tllamuni
stud, rendered nil the moru brilliant by contrast
with q suit ot t1nre|teycd plain bIacA.
ais this Mr.. Henry j. Furtcr1" askcfl tho re-
porter, with & feeling Ut ave, ~ he gazci on
tho mau about wium 80 much has been written,
al oue time and another and In unu way md
another, III connection with tic auvcral lfc-lt,-
surancc companies which he has managed.
ut ts," replied tue gentleman, IN tona
Which completely ll!spclica tho reporter's ave
and made him feel thoroughly at lis case.
II have called OIL you as the representative OF
THE THlDusE,'' aaId tits scriIe. "to have
little chat with yoti OH iusurnnce matters iu
general, ami IN relation to thu Universal Ltfo
and Charter Oak l.ito In particular"
"Lct's go up Into my ROOM" was the reply,
and thttl,er. tho interviewer and his subject
II nm going to New York Mt $3.50" said Mr..
Furbcr, on tho way upstairs. "Wns over iii
West Virglnia looking after the Quinc1nont fur
a 9ras sas u eTe N 70 o. ts,
my testimony IL a forccloaurU suit. Gave It to-
day, and noW I'm oif tGr homc.n
by this tIme tho twain tlad reached No. 0,
parlor floor, two chairs wcrc Immediately ulaja
custom intandcd, and tho Interview proceeded
as fo!1ows:
allow aro the ntfaira Of
THE UNIVERSAL
looking no since tho scaling down process was
put 1t, f0rcGl' asked tho reporter.
Ne think VIC shall bring thu Company out
nlt right. Most Of the pulicY-huldcrs who have
been spokcn to on the subject thus far-ncarly
that, under the circumstances, y was tic very
best thing that could bs done. During the first
sixty days, our sucres4 wns really wonderful.
ana ansns n the n'1t sixty days wo hope to COM
"Won't you please explain just what IA
meant BY this Scaling. down! buafacsst''
"We,l, IT, just this. You must kunw that a
great part Of life-iIlsuratce Conlpany's invest
tho banks. Some Of your Chicago banks, Tor
instance, know great deal abuut TINT. III tho
present. staso of tho market. that real estate
can neither he sold for what 1t cost, in many In
future, when tho value appreciates. When VIC
wero examined some time ago, tho Insurance
Commissioner put such ynlno on our real
cstats that, by, h!s showing, there was
whether wc, should 20 into thu la',ls
appealed to the policy: holders moi to let the IT,
stftution 60 down. Thu result WINS that they
the Company go OH, ,yalt for better i.mcs, aud
III tho cnd, as wo bcllcvo ~il be the casc, tho
zcal estate will appreciate sn value, aud tho
polcy.hollcrs will get their share Of the profits
4 es es po1isy ~? rea sa S irsn M ss
fln,u forti, oi, $1,000 Cali your policy ior tic
time being a 5000 une, an.l VIC will give your.
premium receipts on TINT, an1 at thu sauo ttmo'
sru sntitcl to your prouort toa on t' tho oier tUa
5000 Of the profits of tho business in tho
meantime. Well III hrc, tcn, or ilttccn years
tho real estate Will apprcstate ~ value, ws enn
stored to ths Original amounts. All tila policy
holders will be placctl On tho ea.nc fputlug,
sharo tho profits of the business, aud tho COM
pntiy 10 kept up, which is what they wapt. Tic
amount. 30 far tho SUCCESS Of tho pial has
heou very general. md .tnrlug t!le next sixty
days We BELIEVE tho rnst will coino ill.,"
"Now, ABOUT CIlAlsTEK OAK MATTERS,
1supposc you read with some interest quito
number of a,Tticlcs' OF which you wcre tbs Aeso,
"Oll, as to ttlat, I've become used to 1t, 10
abused % much tliat I'm very thick.skiniei
now, and thu arrows don't wound INC. uut tho
best Of It Is that people are seeing tter mistake.
and arc tcllag nc Of 1t. For instance, here Is d
Secrctary ii tho Pollcy.holdcrs' General Com. e
lnlttce, which s.ates solnc very curious
things. Ono Of them is that tho Chicago
Go;amtttse t; VA ,nn nsycF iu 18th. the Charter
ths books, and s.,at they 70: M tter iafos.aaltoa ~
fruln tue GcncEl Committee. You remember
how tlattcrlng y tale Gov. l.rosa told OF my
management of tho Company In Ills dispatch to
or other, whcu ho samo back 70 Chicago aud
nct with tho other members ol tlv ColnHIlttcu
here, hc lad u different talu ID uutold. liz liud
changed his views. And yot h|s Conlnlttuo
lion iron the Gsnsral Gousmls.so. il has been
said TINT George Sherwood Madu an luyestigu-
tion Of Tho books. but tho fact ia It was s'ply
u rursorY- examination. aud amounted to
.Your answer to these gentlemen tthe Chicago
Cominlttee) was ndlntEablc, aud sloull bo cult
yiiiclnE u nuy 1air.lni,,dcd man. bclieyo you
aro = wron&ly;ao4sed man-tho vlettM Vi q per
ca,ion than that. Nor. do want any better
vindlcatoa than that letter of uov. Bross, tu
which la spcaks IN sncll glowing tclms Ut my
management Of tho Company. III TINT IettUt
record a. VI officer ot the Charter Oak On which
he can INak, a. point, and is left no 0ltur-
native but to 20 for inc OIL my former reputa-
ton. Tint Will speuk for ITSELF, aud tako
ters hero from Gov. Jewell and Commissioner
stednan taking ths 9ame ground--tiat NY
SERVICES to thu Charter Oak woro tho tueans ut
carrying II on Us long ~ It WINS carraca OH. that
tributo.s to the Cumpapy's success, aud TINT
they regret that SHOULD have bcun nude tho
object Of persecution and thu tssRut for 80 luurll
abuse. Bus IL these days whatever bad things