The Mankato free press. [volume] (Mankato, Blue Earth County, Minn.) 1879-1924, 1894-12-21
A HITCH ON ADJUSTMENT.
Mr.. Brett, Member OF the Adjusting
Board On McCOnnelI's Fire Loss,
Declines to Serve Longer.
His Reasons Are That KENYON, Who
Represents the Insurance Compa-
MES, Is Determined to Fight
Anything Like Justice, Is
Arbitrarily Unjust and
Unreasonable.

For the past two or three days the
adjustment of Mr.. McConnell's fire
loss has been at standstill. The in
surance companies selected a man by
the name of Kenyon, Of Minneapolis,
to represent their interests; Mr.. Nc
Connell chose Geo. E. Brett, and after
Kenyon had declined to accept any
one of half dozen good men to act as
referee, Mr.. 2. A. Larson, of Lake
Crystal, was finally chosen.
/. The board began it's work of adjust
ment Tuesday afternoon, and worked
along into the evening. During the
entire time this man Kenyon plainly
showed that he did not propose to
allow anything like justice on the
loss. Tuesday morning a wide differ
ence of opinion arose on some valu-
able dress goods, and Mr.. Brett with
drew, declining to longer serve.
The FREE PRESS interviewed Mr..
Brett this morning for the reasons for
his action, and he said: "All l
wanted or tried to get for Mr.. Nc
COnnell was a just award for dam
ages on his stock. When | became
satisfied that this was impossible, re-
fused to act further, as l would not be
a party to, or compromise myself in,
a matter where such fragrant and out
rageOuSly unjust determinations
were being made. 1t became plainly
evident to me that Mr.. Kenyon had
no disposition to be even halfway
fair, and that his only desire was to
defeat justice on every hand. / be-
lieve that | can say, without being
charged with egotism, that | am a
reasonably good judge OF a stock of
dry goods and notions, and the coudi-
tion in which Mr.. McConnelis stock
is left has deprecated it's value even
more than [ cOntended for. Every
business man will acknowledge that
the mere fact that fire has occurred,
and was damaged by water and smoke
for twelve hours, will depreciate the
value of dry goods stock fifty per
cent. in the estimation of the buying
public. They expect to buy the goods
at half price or less. | placed my
damages below the actual figure in
all cases, so that | could not be
charged with desire to be unfair
toward the insurance companies. But
In n OF InYo NJ
lowed the reporter to draw the infer
ence by his remark that Kenyon
is possessed of a soul so sinfini-
teSimal that the point of a pin
would look large in comparison, twas
so exasperating in his ridiculously low
estimates that | simply would not act
with him, and Mr.. Mcconnell cannot
get justice if that gentleman con-
tinues to officiate as one of the arbi-
TRAITORS"
Mr.. Brett'S reasons for withdrawing
are certainly all-sufficient. 1t is not
to the credit of the companies inter-
ested in McConnell's loss to try and
rob him of his legitimate compensa-
tion. If there is no protection
against loss by fire where one is in
sured, then why do not the business
men save the amount annually paid
in premiums, or else look carefully
into the reputation of the companies
with whom they insure, and convince
themselves that they will get at least
partial justice in case of loss? If the
companies who hold the policies upon
Mr.. McConnell's stock permit this
method to continue to the end, and
he is denied something like reason
able compensation for his damages,
the public Indignation should be
aroused, and every policy in the city
held by these companies ordered can
celled. This should be done as mat
ter of self-protection, for what they
do with the present case they will do
with the next. We are paying an out
rageously high premium for our insur-
ance, with a loss rate exceptionally
low, and if, when fire occurs, the in
sured has got to fight against great
odds for his rights, and then be
cheated out of them, change of
policy cannot come too soon.
| 1t is hoped that accompanies in
terested will see the injustice which
is trying to be- heaped upon Mr.. Nc
Cornell and stop it. 1t is for their
own interests that this be done, and
done promptly.