The Salt Lake herald. [volume] (Salt Lake City [Utah]) 1870-1909, 1893-12-12
INVESTIGATING AN AGENT.
The Discoveries Made by Life In
surance OficiaI.

Ever since life insurance came into
existence, men who are inclined to be
dishonest have recognized in this bust
ness q field in which to operate to
their own advantage and the com
pany's injury. The big institutions,
however, are very watchful in these
days, and profiting by past experiences,
select only men in whom they have
the fullest confidence to have charge
of their agencies. Then. too. special
agents are kept in the field all the time
to guard the interests of the companies,
and recently a, director of a big eastern
concern, having occasion to come west,
visited Salt Lake, the company it is
said, not receiving the most satisfac-
tory reports from its local representa-
tive On calling at the local office, the
director found the agent absent from
the city, but in looking over the bust
ness the visitor, it is said, came across
some things which caused a thorough
investigation to be made, with the re-
suit that the agent has been relieved.
Besides the general looseness that
prevailed in the agents methods of do
ling business, it is claimed that con-
siderable risks have been accepted, and
unbusinesslike promises made For in
stance, one man who went through
the war of the rebellion and received
for a policy, when he himself admitted
that he was not in fit physical condi-
ton to carry insurance.
1t is also said that the director found
in the desk of the agent a letter ad-
dressed to the latter, in which the
writer asks If there can be a commun-
lily of interests, and if they can work
f<1 tffa al
aske if the company represented by the
agent in question can be worked as
easily as certain others, and if So
expresses the hope that the way may
be made clear for him to come in from
San Francisco to Salt Lake The local
agent is warned, against another indi-
vidual on the ground that he would
give those associated with him the
worst of it.
Another letter, apparently written by
an employee of the local Office to a
Chicago party, was returned to Salt
Lake, the party to whom it was adj
dressed not having been found. This
missive also fell into the hands of the
director, who found it to refer to the
writer's ability to fill position in a
gambling room, with compliment to
the agents ability to bring in big
men.
These are all the developments that
can be learned thus far, but as some
thing new is turning up every day
another chapter may be written in a
short time.
If a conspiracy should be unearthed
| in Salt Lake duplicating any of the
agents of the company, it will I'M
| doubleday be found that the matter
does not end with the boundaries of
| this territory, but will extend into
many other offices and implicate many
men heretofore unsupported.
II the whole thing is unearthed it
will be a good thing for all the insur-
ance companies, as the men who are
themselves to any one organization,
but take whatever they can get.
| 1t may be stated that on account of
the reported queer doings of the Salt
Lake Office, the company will be put
to a great deal of trouble and will be
annoyed in no small degree by those
who have made application and who
are undesirable risks. However, the
company will lose an almost inconsid-
cradle amount considering what might
| have been.
The Herald does not desire to do
any man an injury and as the agent
referred to is absent from the city, and
therefore cannot speak in his own de-
Tense, particulars are withheld I'M
til he returns to the city or can
be reached, or something of a positive
nature is developed here. This seems
but Just, as the agent has shown him
self to be hustler thoroughly up
in his business, and popular with his
associates, whose confidence he enjoys,
OF course q, full explanation is bound
to come at once. and when the other
side of the story is presented. it may
clear up many things that now have a
decidedly queer look.