The Providence news. (Providence [R.I.]) 1891-1906, 1898-05-14
Hamilton Says He Didn't
Sign CIarke'S Bond.
LATTER'S ACCOUNT SHORT
He Was Local Agent For Union In
surance Co. OF Portland.
ACTING AGENTS STATEMENT.

Mr.. Thomas j. Hamilton, a we'll known
real estate owner of this city, is very in
dignant man today, and IL all the facts
turn out as MIR. Hamilton states them 10 be,
he has very good reason for indignation. Mr..
Hamilton received communication from
TIE head Office OF the Union Mutual Life In
surance Company of Portland. Me-. notifying
him that inasmuch as no was one of the bonds
men Of c. @. Clarke, who until within few
weeks was the local agent OF tho company,
they would have 70 proceed against him, Mr..
Clarke having been pronounced defsulter
by the company.
Mr.. Hamilton. upon the receipt Of this
letter, visited this morning the local office of
the Portland company which is in the Hodges
building on Weybosset street, and emphati-
caily stated that he nsver was "a bondsm an
for Mr.. Clarke. had never signed his name to
any bond, and that, IL his name appeared
upon any bond in relation to Mir. Clarke. it
was forgery. The temporary agent at the
local Office told. Mr.. Hamilton that he would
at once communicate with the home Office
giving full statement of the facts, and by
Tuesday morning next he would Re prepared
10 furnish all details.
Mr.. Hamilton later was seen by News re-
porter and made similar statement to the
above. adding further that he had never had
any dealings with Clarke because he did not
care TO do 80. Ho had been introduced Ia
Clarke some time ago by local attorney,
and later Clarke had asked him TO become
one OF his bondsmen, but he refused to do so.
Mr.. Hamilton again stated that IL his name
was on the bond it was a forgery, and ne
wanted to hear from Portland with as little
delay as possible.
The city directory gives two persons by
the name of Thomas ]. Hamilton as residents
Of this oity, one OF whom is DIR. Thomas ].
Hamilton, who has an Office at 2l2 Union
street, and the other rs Thomas j. Hamilton,
who resides at Hamilton place. the gentle
man who believes his name to have been
forged. An interesting point in this con-
nection is raised by the fact that in every
case In which bond is given, particularly II
TO go out OF the state, it Is necessary that
the names OF the signers shall be certified to
by notary public or justice of the peace.
When the original bono, or copy Of IL, is
received from Portland. the name OF this
notary will appear and he can undoubtedly
give important testimony in tho case.
Tho local office Of the Union Mutual Life
Insurance Company is at present in charge of
a temporary agent, who knows very little
about former Agent Clarke, for he says he
was in the West on business for the company,
and was called by his company to take
charge Of the Providence office until another
regular agent was appointed. When seen by
n News reporter this forenoon, he said that
nAHI l..1 L. n.
about three or four years, but he personally
knew very little about him. About six weeks
ago MIR. Clarke was dismissed from the local
Office. and the company began TO 20 over the
books, with the result, the acting agent
claims. that irregularities had been found
IL was impossible to state at present how
much the companv's loss would amount to
because oil policy holders had not been heard
from. but in short time tho agent said he
believed the company would be in position
TO make q statement. No later than a day or
two ago man came into the office and pre-
sented n receipt from Mr.. Clarke for a pre-.
MUM he had paid, but which the company
had no knowledge of. The present agent at
once notified the home company and tho
policy holder received the company's receipt
for the amount he had paid.
Several local insurance mon were seen
about the matter and while many OF them
seem to have known Clarke they did not care
TO talk about him. One OF them, however,
stated that Clarke had been n very close
friend of local agent named Vars, who had
until about the middle of last January been
in the employ Of the Vermont Life Insurance
Company. Another stated that he had heara
that Clarke was Mt present somewhere in
Pennsylvania.