St. Paul daily globe. [volume] (Saint Paul, Minn.) 1884-1896, 1888-06-23
leaves for the agents and officers for ex-
penses and profits, S14, ,461.23. 1t is all
legged that the farmers are the
ONES WHO RITE


| legged that the farmers are the
ONES WHO BITE,
| and it is certain that the greater part of
| the work of the association is done
amongst farmers and poor people. AS
| evidence of its strength and stability,
| the association avertises:
''Sixty thousand dollars in bonds de-
posted with Hon. Charles Shandrew,
insurance commissioner" and of this
to the last page of it's circular appears
the following letter:
AS to the business and social standing
OF the officers and directors of the ST.
Paul Life association, the following
speaks for itself:
ST. PAUL, Minn., Jan. z, 1SS7.-Being
acquainted with the officers and direct
ors OF the st. Paul Life association, and
knowing them to be men of high standing
and unquestionable reputation in all their
business relations, we feel confident that they
would not associate themselves with any cor
porat1on or association whose plans of opera
ton were not based upon sound business
principles, and whose management was not
controlled by men of known Integrity.
We can cheerfully recommend the board
of directors of the ST. Paul Life association
to your favorable consideration.
This letter is signed by several prom
lnent parties and also by the Andrew
Schoch Grocery company, intended as
references of the Association. The
GLOBE reporters called on one of the
prominent signerS and asked him if he
had signed such letter or if he had in
dorSed the company.
81 certainly did not" he said, "and
they had 40 business to use my name.
This is the first l have known of it, and
l would like to see their authority
The following communication from
| the Andrew SchOch Grocery company
explains itself:
Many farmers, in different parts of this
state, nave come to me to know why l in-
dorse the St. Paul Life Association of st.
Paul, Mimi. The farmers say they Joined
the association on my recommendation and
the slippery talk of the agents. and paid
SZq ana so to join, only to find the concern
to be misrepresented. They censure me for
allowing this association to use my name for
| reference
/ wish the farmers and public at large to
distinctly understand l do not recommend
this association, and they have no authority
to use my name in connection with the con-
cern: L don't want my name used in con-
nectlon with this so-called life association,
as L consider this concern unworthy of the
farmers confidence. Respectfully yours,
The ANDREW SCHoCH GROCERY Co.
Following this the reporter called on
commissioner of insurance, Hon. Charles
Shandrew, at the capitol.
"Mr. Shandrew," asked the reporter,
what do you know about the st. Paul
Life aSSOciatiOn?'
'.Well," he said, with smile, 81 have
mad more trouble over that one concern
than any other one insurance company
III the state. L have received dozens Of
letters q was going to say hundreds),
from all parts of the state, asking about
the association and my opinion of it.
Some of these letters L answered, and
answered them very plainly, expressing
my disapproval of the kind of business
the company was doing. The officers,
headed by Mr.. Nelson, came to me aft
erWardS very warm, and wanted to
know why was giving the association
black eye. 1t was organized in 1886,
and admitted while l was laid up with
rheumatism. l knew nothing about it,
and when | was able to return to work
received letter from Austin asking
about the company, and saying that its
agent was doing business there. l inn
medlately ordered him arrested. He
was arrested, but afterwards / ordered
his release, when looking at the records.
In February, 1887, Mr.. Nelson brought
the statement of the association to me.
which | refused to accept at the time.
| do not believe in such companies.
They are wholly lacking in the ele-
mentS of parmanency, and only give
| temporary insurance. I have here a
| printed list of 700 such companies that
| have failed. Their average life is
about five years, and they never live
longer than fifteen. This is matter
| of record. When a man wants nv
| honest opinion he gets it. They use in
| their circulars as evidence of good
faith, story to the effect that they
have S5O,000 in bonds deposited with
me. So they have, but they don't
amount to a row of pins. The bonds
are absolutely worthless, and the Off
GERS of the st. Paul Life association can
get the bonds any time they want them.
only accepted them as matter Of
courtesy. These bonds are signed by
William F. Nelson, Paul Haupt, Joseph
K. Bacon, Charles G. Coleman and j. G.
Nelson; By the way, 1 ordered this
association last fall to cease printing
these circulars regarding the bonds.
Thay had no right to print such things,
| for they are worthless.'
The GLOBE man saw Mr.. Merrill,
Mrs. Edgerly's attorney, and he said
the case would be prosecuted at once
| against the association.
L