Union County courier. [volume] (Elk Point, Union County, D.T. [S.D.]) 187?-1913, 1892-06-03
Auditor Taylor.s Reply.
Pierre. S. d. May Is, 1892

weeks independent organ, publish,
"a in Elk Point? The following
FROM Iiatt & Welluan a well
known Pierre tirrn explains itself:
"This is to certify that ON Satur-
day u~ft.rnoon, May q, 1892, we de-
livescu 10 the State Auditor aiIida-
Wits OF publication OF the Hartford
Fire Insurance Co aud that we re-
ceiyed the Auditors certificate of
authority from the City post.oiiice
the next time we went after the Of
fee mail. Pratt & Welluan.' May
%. 1892.
The following from G. II. Ander-
son, chief clerk OF the Insurance
Department, also, il clear:
"Ine proofs of publication Of the
Hartford were delivered to me at
the Auditors office about 3 p. m.
May Il, 1892, by Messrs Pratt d
Wcllman. The certificates, 81 in
number, were prepared that day,
and mailed that evening at 7 p. m.
G. II. Anderson"
There is every reason to believe
Messrs Holiday e. Knapp received
their certificates not later than May
"a. One of said agents. Mr.. Knapp,
is editor of the independent organ.
With that certificate in his posses
sion prior to publication Of his pa
per without any enquiry into the
facts, simply with the hope of max
ing a point against the feared and
hated Republican party, he publish
ed the article in question.
A few words regarding Mr.. Bissell
may not be amliss. That gentleman
represents and virtually controls
II Of the most powerful insurance
corporations in the world. In his
dealings with state insurance de-
partments and other insurance COM
panies he Ito quote his own express
sion) SIS n of those unprincipled
characters who (think they) are a
law unto themselves"
Among representative insurance
men he has the reputation Of being
a bull-dozer and a hard man to get
along with.
MI. Bissell gave rs a great deal
Of trouble the first year. Some of
the letters he has written this de-
partment would disgrace q prize
fighter. But he was forced to COM
ply with the law.
Last year, appearantly, he set ont
TO test the law at every point.
Finally, when patience ceased to be
virtue, the company's agents were
notified to quit business. The gem
tleman spent the next two weeks
to trighten US with buster.
Then he sent Col. Bates, an able and
very expensive attorney, Of Chicago,
to see us. The outcome was a COM
plete compliance with the law Mr..
Bissoll sought to evade, and a writ
ten apology from the company.
Insurance journals are published
in the interest Of insurance compan-
les aud rarely take occasion to criti-
else one OF the fraternity. But in the
easel point Mr., BisselI was roasted.
A quotation from The Weekly IN
derwriter, Hartford, Conn, August
%, 1891. will suffice:
Eve said last week that the Hart
ford Fire insurance company was
n very foolish thing in trying
conclusions with the auditor Of
South Dakota. That seems to have
been the opinion of their attorney,
who looked the matter over, and so
the company has settled the dispute
by acceding to the demands of the
auditor. We are surprised that Mr..
Bissell should have been caught in
such a fix"
This year Mr.. Bissell complied
with the law but took occasion, as
as he had done SO, and before
we had a possible chance to receive
his proof and issue the certificates,
to write letters to his agents abus-
ing us.
The gentleman has had his own
way SO long INSURANCE men say he
rules his own and other companies
with a rod of iron) that he a
never brook or forgive opposition.
And a positive and singing defeat
almost kills him.
He has came into contact with this
department and on each occasion
has met with a complete and utter
defeat. Aside form his humiliation
his experience has cost him o. the
company many hundreds ofaollars.
Although fairly defeated he has
not the manhood to submit grace
fully, but seeks revenge by writing
abusive letters TO and about this de-
partment and its head, on every oc-
casion. Yet he has only been asked
to comply with the laws Of South
Dakota. What others did without
a question we are obliged to force
Mr.. Rissell to do. He has never re-
ceived anything but courteous treat
ment at our hands. No scurrillous
letter has ever been written to HIM,
by us. He has been asked to COM
ply and when he would not has
been compelled TO, but it has all
been done in acourteous manner.
1t requires courage OF a high order
and manhood OF nm exalted char
acter to set down 1000 miles away,
and abuse a man by letter.
Very Respectfully.
l.. G. TAYLOR.