The representative. [volume] (St. Paul, Minn.) 1893-1901, 1896-06-24
WAS IT FALSE.

WAS 1T FALSE.-7 =
"A SUIT FOR LIBEL THREATENED. -
We have received the following le-
gal document:
Editor Representative: You will please
take notice that an article printed and pup
lished In your paper above-nanied, Of and
concerning the undersigned corporation ON
the 9th day, Of May. A. p. 1886. which was
IN words and figures as follows '--- .-.
SERIOUS CHARGES.
(Mr. E. B. Ford of Mortified. over his
own name, makes some serious charges
against Farmers Fire Insurance Com
pany doing business in the counties Of Rice,
Goodhue and Dakota, and claims to have
been victimized by them.
charges, but if they are half true the farm
ers ought to be warned and protected. We
will be glad to publish any explanation or
defense of the companies-Ed. Rep.
To Whom it May Concern: ga
. l wish to warn the unsuspecting farmers
living in the counties of Rice, Goodhue and
Dakota against two men of this city, one by
the name of B. F. Woodman. and the other
- Maccullock.
- These two fellows are agents. for what is
known as the "Montevideo Farmers Fire
Insurance Company" In connection with
this concern is the Farmers, Cooperative
Hail Insurance Company
These two concerns, / believe, from inveS-
legations made, are two of the biggest
frauds in the Northwest. They send out a
very nearly the whole thing connected with
the two friends(?) of the farmers is one con-
glomeratioh of misrepresentations..
For instance, Mr.. Maccullock, last year,
together with a raft of "under-strappers"
under his instructions-he getting his in
structions from headquarters-represen
their company for loss from hail was 15c an
acre, while it has been as. low as Sc, when
a was nea shsT that b the feeSt 2c tSt
are no salaried officers, while it is shown
that large share-almost half-,of the. re-
ceipts are paid out in good salaries while it
Is shown that hundreds of dollars are paid
($3 a day In many cases. for liars and sharks
to boom the concern, and notes from the
tfarresm yout;, whatocarl-Rnynec 1234456
farmers at 1e per cent. Livery rigs paid
for at 80 day al the expense of the farmer.
too.
To show how cute these fellows are their
notes read, "On the 18th day of October,
1895, for value received, l promise to pay to
the order of theFarmers Cooperative Hail
per cent from date. If paid at or before
maturity no interest will be charged" -.
All of these notes are dated from June and
July. Every farmer agrees to pay ION oc-
tober 18TH" man by the name of Clegget
is sent out with instructions to collect in
terest from June or July, most Of them pay
ing it, not noticing the cute way in which
the note is drawn up and signed by them:
The total loss of the company last year
was nearly $1,000, and to meet this 35c an acre
was assessed, while Csc was the limit, with
5000 members. 1t is plain to be sen that
these 5000 members had nearly $4,000 taken
All of the direct charges have made can
prove, because I was a sucker and got
taken in. e. 3. Ford.
Is claimed by the undersigned to be false
and defamatory, and you are hereby re-
of any and all statements therein contained
in your next regular issue. as required by
law and
q rotr9ctiOn UNDERSIGNED
poration will hold you responsible for your
failure so to do. Farmers Fire Company
Montevideo, Mimi,
BY E. M. Keithley.
Dated at Montevideo. MIMI. June 9Th, 1896
The statutes of Minnesota provide
that the notice served upon the pub.
Usher shall specify the statements
in the alleged libelous article. which
the party libeled claims to be false
and defama tory" There is nothing
of the kind in this notice. Is it
claimed that the statement that
Maculluck and Woodman are agents
of the company is libelous? Is it
claimed that these men did not mis-
represent the rate of assessme nts
levied on the company's members?
Does the libel consist in the statement
that these agents claimed there were
no salaried officers while One-half the
receipts were taken to pay salaries?
Does the libel consist in the charge
that S., 900 more were assessed on the
mem bers than was required to carry
on the bus mess of the company? r-~> =
If the Farmers Fire Company Of
Montevdeo, Mimi, will specify"
where the libel is, we will invest igate
and either ret ract or prove the truth
Of the charge. s
This paper was established by the
Farmers Alliance: and the Farmers
Alliance was established by the farm
ers of Minnesota to protect those en-
gagged in agricultural pursuits from
being swindled and robbed by adven-
turers; and when it comes to US. over
the signature Of responsible citi
zen, that the farmers were being sc
despoiled, and that he himself was
one of those who had suffered, we felt
that it was our duty to lay the facts
before the farmers of the state; but
we invited the compa MES referred to
to put in their defence; and that offer
is still open to them. We have not a
particle of desire TO do them any in
justice. but they cannot escape the
effect of such charges by threatening
to sue this paper for libel, and throw
ing a drag-net over the whole article,
without specifying what part of it. is
false.
1t is somewhat suspicious that
while the charges made seem to refer
to the doings of the Farmers Co.
operative Hull Insurance Company"
the demand for retraction comes
from the "Montevideo Farmers Fire
Insurance Company" Is the Hail In
surance Company unwilling to face
public investigat ion, and prefers that
the suit for libel should be instituted
by the other company, which is only
incidentally referred to?
Come, be fair. If We have done you
injustice point out what it is, and IL
we were wrong we will make the
a1nende honorable: if we were right let
the whole business Of the company be
Investigated by court and jury, in
the interest of the people, who have
right to be protected from wrong-do-
ing.
P S.-Since writing the above we have