The Seattle post-intelligencer. [volume] (Seattle, Wash. Terr. [Wash.]) 1888-1914, 1892-01-29
THE BURKES' TRICKS.
Insurance Agents Accused of
Crooked Dealings.
THEIR BUSINESS AT LOWELL.
The Burke Brothers Charged With Try
Ing to Collect Premiums Twice
Validating Alleged

The Burke Bros, insurance agents, are
charged with following crooked methods
In the conduct of their business. The fol-
lowing letter from the PosT-ISTELLIGEN-
GER correspondent at Everett furnishes al
legged specific instances of the use of such
methods:
EVERETT, Jan. 27.-If Burke Bros, insurance
men or Seattie, are doing legitimate business
tney had better improve their methods or they
VIII soon win the reputation of being crooks.
About six weeks since A. and ]. c. Burke soli-
cited insurance here and at Lowell At the lat
Ter place c. Grunwald, barber, authorized
them to write fire policy on his building and
nxsures in some good. reliable com any, and
gave IN payment a thirty day note. This insur-
ance was placed with the Washington Farmers
insurance Company, of Spokane. Three weeks
later J. e. Burke collected the amount due, gave
receipt and promised to surrender the note by
return mail Instead of the note, however, there
came notice that il had matured and immedi-
ate payment was demanded
Two or three days prior to the receipt of this
notice, A. Burke appeared on the scene again
and insured another building belonging to
Grunwaid, collecting portion OF the premium
money, the remainder being due upon delivery
OF the policy. He gave receipt for the cash re-
eeiyed, agreeing to place the insurance with the
German American. This receipt bears date of
January g.
About the middle of the present month a
weil-dressed man, whose card announced that
he was II. r. Burke, special agent OF the Wash
lngton Farmers Company, with headquarters
at room Dol Burke building, Seattle, called on
Grunwald, presented that note and demanded
that 1t be paid at once. He was shown the re-
ceipt signed by ]. C. Burke, but he said that J..
Z. lad no right TO collect, and that unless the
note was paid the policy would be cancelled
forthwith. He further stated that A. Burke
had no connection with the German.Ameriean
and had no right to solicit business in its name.
In fact, he gave his two brothers the worst of it
on every proposition.
One day this week Grunwald received letter
from the Spokane home Office of the Farmers
Company stating that though j. C. Burke had
no connection with II. r. s business, he had
settled that particular deal, and the policy
would hold good. But Grunwald has not yet
had his note returned nor received his German
American policy. E. d. Ingersoll had similar
experience with the Burkes and the Farmers
Insurance Company, and other cases are coming
to light as the investigation proceeds.
The solicitors used the name OF Burke, in con-
nection with the Burke building at Seattle, to
establish their claim to reliability. Grunwald
says that though he cannot state positively that
they claimed ownership to that big block, they
left the impression on his mind that they not
WHY OHASd ~, OuS uSlu mortgages Oh tue EcSt VI
the town.
d. A. Spencer, manager of the Home
Fire Insurance Company, was shown this
letter and asked what was the likelihood
of its being true. He replied:
could have no doubt of its truth in almost
every particular for the reason that it is charac-
teristic OF the class of work done by the Burkes
as insurance men. They have for quite long
time past been representing companies I'M
authorized to do business in this state, many of
which have no standing whatever among
insurance men and are what are known as wild
cat companies.
know of one case of man in town who had
incurred a loss OF $3.50 in companies repre-
sented by the Burke brothers, a large portion of
which loss remains unpaid to this day, although
the fire occurred more than year ago and was a
perfectly honest fire, on which the companies
doing legitimate business paid their Losses
within three weeks after its occurrence. They
represented also the somewhat famous Seneca
County Mutual, OF Tifin, o., which, although
authorized to do business in this state,
is q company OF the wildcat spe-
cies. Captain Kraft, of the Mary Kraft,
which burned some time since on Lake
Washington, is earnestly looking for IS, 90 ]due
from that company, which il Is more than
probable he will never get. Parties have lately
been to see me who have had policies issued TO
them by the Seneca County Mutual, and upon
which they paid full cash premium, and have
lately received an assessment notice for an
amount equal to the premium originally paid.
Stories are constantly coming to myself of the
sharp practice of these men, and the character
of the companies represented by them is fairly
well illustrated by the above instances. They
are very bright fellows, smooth takers, and ap-
peal to that instructive desire which seems to be
in so many men to get something ct much less
than its actual value. 1t is this class of insur-
ance men, representing these irresponsible COM
panies, that makes the community prejudiced
against all insurance corporations, and renders
it impossible for an honest company to have
justice done in the courts when making q de-
Tense to fraudulent claim.
Attempts to see the Burkes were fail
ure. Room 20i Burke building is occu-
pied by II. r. Burke & Co., but Mr. Burke
was not to be found there. and was said TO
be at. Snohomish. The lady who gave
this information, and who appeared to be
a clerk, stated that the other two Burkes
had nothing to do with the firm, but had
offices in the Frye block. She believed
that Harry c. Burke was in town. APP
parentiy the Everett correspondent of the
PosT- INTELLIGENCER has by mistake given
the initials of this gentleman as J. e. On
the directory of the Frye block appears
the name of II. c. Burke & Bro. as occu-
plying room 2, but 1t was discovered that
they have not occupied it since last April
or May. The rent was paid up to the time
they left, but Mr.. Frye has not yet re-
ceived rebate due on advance premiums
on account of the general reduction in
rates made about year ago. A call at II.
C. Burke's residence also failed to locate
him, for the reporter was informed that ne
was out of town.