Fort Worth gazette. [volume] (Fort Worth, Tex.) 1891-1898, 1891-08-09

iutSS parties was Ft4ntlE'd-iA tu'trdtltL Ecu
by the most stupendouS frauds in the his
tory of life insurance. The funds were lille
gany loaned and fraudulently taken. 5nd
the company. when placed in charge of Mr..
Nichols, as president, had become almost 4
hopeless wreck
He reported on the management Of the
Globe as follows:
The results of this investigation conclu-
sively show that. vested with the entire
charge of the affairs of this company, as its
officers have been, their trust has been
willfully and Shamefully abused. 10 their
own pecuniary benefit and 10 the great in
jury of the policy-holders.
There is one fact to which desire to call
special attention. and that is. that after Mr..
McCall'S appointment as examiner in 1872
no failure of any hre-inS urance company
transacting business IN this state occurred
involving the loss OF penny TO the policy
holders, and in every subsequent instance
in which life company passed into the
hands OF a receiver il was either on his re-
port or where he had recommended that it
should be closed. The managers of large
and well-conducted insurance companies
were rejoiced to know that there was AT
least one man of commanding ability and
integrity TO whom they could look at a time
when dishonest and corrupt methods We're
so generally prevalent in the insurance
world. In January 1883, they united III a
petition TO the governor, urging the appoint
ment of Mr. Mccall TO the head OF the in
surance department of the state. a higher
testimonial than was paid him in this petit
ton has never been received by L state
officer. quote from their petition as fol-
lows:
THE undersigned, officers of life and fire
insurance companies organized and oper-
ating under the laws of the state of New
York. recognizing the Unreasonable i'm
,f,fN ONLY 70 +l,a rap.sa
they represent, but to the public at large
of an honest and intelligent administration
of the state insurance department, respect
fully and earnestly urge the appointment
by you of John A. Mccall, jr.. TO the Office
of insurance superintendent. Since his con-
nectiOn with the department, and especI-
ally since his promotion TO the position of
deputy superintendent, Mr.. Mccall. by in
defatigable industry, enlightened endeavor,
and uncompromising fidelity 10 duty, has
given abundant proof of his pre-emiueut
fitness for the Office named"
1t is characteristic of the mOdeSty of Mr.
Mccall, that as soon as he was made aware
of the circulation of the petition, though he
thoroughly appreciated the evidences of eS-
TEEN which it conveyed, he instantly tele-
graphed from Albany requesting that its
circulation be discontinued, and that moth
ing further should be done in the matter
This was followed by q letter in which he
said to his friends:
Il agree with you thoroughly, that the
officers of the various companies should not
put themselves in the position of appearing
to dictate to Governor Cleveland the ap-
pointment of any particular individual as
superintendent of the insurance depart
ment. and for that reason | have refrdined
from soliciting from the companies, or any
one interested in their management, any
aid III the direction mentioned. | believe
that the governor should be allowed To
make his choice without any effort on the
part of any corporation or individual 10
force the selection of any person. l have
not made any canvass for the place, and
am entirely Indifferent as to what may be
done regarding the matter ! am fGjOlced
to know that / have the friendship and
good will of the insurance fraternity. and
that, to me, will more than requite for any
disappointment | may sustain i'll not being
promoted. | have prevented the circulation
of the petition to which had been obtained
the signatures of 4 number of prominent
officers asking for my appointment, believ-
ing that if the position should be offered to
me it should come unsolicited. and entail
ing no promise of place, patronage or of
fetal action that would be detrimental to
the interest of the department to fulfill.
note your kind offer to interview several of
the Democratic leaders of New York in my
behalf, and while am thankful for the in
terest you have shown, l believe that you
will agree with me that | should make no
effort, directly or indirectly, to obtain the
place, in the sense of committing myself TO
any programme that would have 1t under
stood that the appointment was political
reward"
In spite of Mr.. McCall's protest, the lead
ing bankers and business houses of New
York city joined with the best representa-
tiyeS of the insurance b1siupSS IN IIrrp hi
appointment, and Governor Cleveland made
it. During Mr.. McCall's administration in
the Office. 10 company by its failure i'll this
state caused a loss to a policy holder His
certificate of examination was honored i'll
every state in the Union, and he indugurated
the system, which still prevails, of making no
charge for examinations and permitting no
fees to be charged to the companies of this
state by his department on any account
whatever. Yet there was paid into the
state treasury during his administration
over and above all the expenses of the de-
partment, from the legal income of the
Office. over S76,0
His annual reports were widely circu-
lated, and his views as the head of the in
sulance department OF New York We're
quoted in insurance circles as standard de-
cisions, ana | might add that they still hold
as such. Twice he was unanimously chosen
president of the national insurance con-
ventiOn of supervising officials. and his ad-
dresses before that body. in which he rec
commended as the first duty Of a commits
sioner the protection of the interests of the
policy holders received general and cordial
approval.
After the election of the Hon. D. B. Hill
to the goyernorShip. he rendered reap
pointment of the office of superintendent of
insurance to Mr.. Mccall, but the latter,
having accepted the important place he now
holds. declined the tender. II was very re-
iuctantly that the governor accepted MIR.
McCall's resignation. and in his letter to
the latter Governor Hill thus feelingly ex-
pressed himself:
Until now, notwithstanding rumors of
your intended retirement, | had hoped to
have associated with me in the adninistra-
ton of state affairs during my entire term
of Office, you. who have so acceptably risen
through every position i'll the department
over which latterly you have presided with
with such signal ability Your selection as
superintendent i'll 1888 was urged by, and
was most satisfactory to, the great finan-
cial interests over which your department
has the supervision, and your appointment
met the unqualified appreciation of the peo-
pie of the state, whose faithful servant and
trustee you had already shown yourself.
Your management of the department has
conclusively proved that this confidence was
well placed. And to the credit of the state,
it may to-day justly be claimed that the in
surance department of New York IS the
best organized and most efficient in the
country. On behalf OF the people of
generally, and myself l express re-
greet at the decision conveyed by
your letter. At the same time l cannot
fail to appreciate the Sagacitv of the great