The morning call., 1893-11-16
AN OFFICE FIGHT.
Two Insurance Agents Do
Battle.
Colonel Hodge and Alfred Todhunter
Strike Hard Blows About
Business Quarrel.

An exciting hand-to-hand encounter be-
tween two well-known insurance men dis
turbed the customary peace and dignity of
the offices of the New York Life Insurance
Company in the Mills building on Tuesday
afternoon.
The combatants were Alfred Todhunter
and Colonel n. ID. Hodge, both special
agents of the company, and the cause of
the fight was business disagreement
Each man is about so years old and weighs
about $50 pounds. so that there was little
advantage for either in age or weight. A
number of other employees of the company
and one or two outsiders witnessed the bat
tie, but no one interfered, the unanimous de.
cisOn of the spectators being that the
amateur pugiiis,s should be allowed to ad-
just their personal grievances in their own
way:
Colonel Dodge was conyersing with one
Or two acquaintances when MIR. Todhunter
entered the office. The latter walked
quickly 10 Dodge's desk and accOSted him
IN angry tones.
80 you've been Queering me in my
business. have you?"' began Todhunter.
81 don't know anything about aueering
you attend to yours" was The unsoothing
reply.
~ ou've been undermining me with your
sneaking. eavesdrepping tricks, and"
What do you mean, slr?" asked Dodge.
also getting excited.
simply that when / arrange t0 write a
policy for a customer, you hang around,
overhear the conversation. aiterward close
mp the contract with my man and pocket
my commission"
well. I'm responsible for my acts"
said Dodge, defantIy.
"And l propose 10 hold you responsible,
you lOw-lved cad" and Todhuuter gave
head with his walking-stick.
Before the brow ;could lie repeated
Hudge grabbed his own cane and thus
armed these two stout. middle-aged gen.
tiemen rushed at each other and ham-
mered blindly at each others heads. The
spectators say that it was an edifying
spectacle to see the pair. both with their
eyes shut, fencing, parrying aud whack-
ing wildly. but vigorously. The round
had lasted almost three minutes, when Tod
hunter, with tremendous blow, brought
his cane on Hodges head, breaking the
frail stick into three pieces.
Each had been more or less I'm iured in
the single-stick battle, but when Tod
hunter thus disarmed himself both men
dropped weapons and grappled, catch-as-
catch-can. Some one opened the door of
the office and the fighters rolled out into
planted blow under his assailant's ear.
and Todhunter's fist struck the colonePs
nose so hard that CORY stream bright
ened in spots the floor and walls of the
corridor.
The melee continued until each was
GREATNESS. and then they staggered apart.
1t was generally admitted that Hodge had
received the more severe punishment of
the two He received some hard blows
from his opponents stick, and although he
made good use of his fists. v as outmatched.
Mutual friends escorted the c0mbatants
to different drugstOres, where their
wounds were dressed and soothing lotions
applied to confused faces. Neither re-
turned to the office that day, but yesterday
afternoon Todbunter made his appearance
looking slightly the worse for wear. His
face was somewhat swollen. bnt he did
not wear variegated eyes. Hodge did not
appear at his desk yesterday. and it was
stated ty clerk in the office that he is
confined to his room for repairs.
Colonel Alexander q. Hawes. general
agent OF the company, stated yesterday
afternoon that as the trouble between his
two subOrdinaces was of a personal char
acter he would take no official cogniZance
of It. He said the fight had only lasted a
few minutes, and that, although the atmOs-
pnere was very sulphurous for time.
neither of the combatants had been seri-
ouslv injured.
The explanation given for the melee was
that hodge had persuaded TO take " nolicy
ID the company man to whom TOdhunter
hau been talking insurance and whom the
latter regarded rs his own client. The
commission for bringing in the new bus-
ness was paid, of course, to the agent who
consummated the arrangements. Tod
hunter maintained that Hodges action was
| violation of insurance ethics.