The Wichita tribune., 1898-10-01


for in the afternoon OF the day he fin
ished his examination he went to our
secretary, told him he had finished,
and bill was presented for $780, al
though no service could have been
rendered either his commonwealth Or
our company by his call. His bill was
paid"
Mr. Thomas Bates, of Chicago, |
was sent out as the representative OF
some 20 companies which had been |
forbidden by McNall to write tornado |
insurance in the state. Mr.. Bates |
malzesthe following affidavit: ''Thom-
as Bates. being first duly sworn, de-
poses and says that in the month of
May, 1897, he was cons ulted by sever
al insurance companies regarding the
action of Webb Men all, superintend'
ent of insurance for the state of Kan
sas, in notifying said insurance COM
panies that they must at once cease
writing tornado insurance in the
state of Kansas.
"Afiant further says that about May
5, 1897, on behalf of said insurance
companies he went to Topeka, Kan, to
consult with said McNal1, in which
consultation said McNall insisted that
said insurance companies must cease
writing tornado insurance in the state
of Kansas, although this atfiant
showed him that under the authority
conferred upon said insurance COM
panies they clearly had right to
issue policies of insurance against loss
by tornadoes.
"Affiant further says that being
wholly unable to convince said McNan
that said companies had right to
issue said policies, he consulted men
engaged in insurance business in
/ Topeka, and was advised to go to the
! firm of Ouinton 81 Quinton, attorneys
at Topeka and this affiant did go to
said firm and stated to man he sup
posed to be the senior member of the
firm his business, and was informed
that he believed the matter could be
arranged so that said insurance COM
panies might continue the business OF
writing tornado insurance in Kansas,
and thereupon this affant made con-
tract with the said firm of QuintOn q
Ouinton, providing that if they sue
ceeded in getting decision from the SUI
perrin tendent of insurance in favor OF
the companies in said matter, that said
companies were to pay said attorneys
certain sum Of money, the exact
amount as this affiant now recalls, be-
inc $l0O from each company
"Affiant further says that on the
next day after such arrangement was
made he was notified by said firm of
ATTORNEYS that they had secured a
favorable decision from said superin-
tendent of insurance, and that the
companies would not be molested ia
transacting their tornado business in
Kansas"
In view of the fact that McNal1, a&s
cording TO his own statement, is great
constitutional lawyer, ti1i sudden
Conversion by firm of lawyers who
had Just been promised s., 200 fee is
probably the most sudden and re-
markable since that Of Saul Of Tarsus'
Who has the Money?
When last checked up Judge Foote
had examined f23 companies. His
. charges ran all THE way from $115 per
visit up to $685. in the case of the
Springfield, Mass. Fire & Marine In
surance company. In that case par
Of the Judges bill was $50 for q lady as
: sistant. This would indicate an average
, for the Judge of about $400 a company
or a pleasant total of SO, 200 for the
summers work. McCrary and Tatman
: McNalPs other examiners, have
E been rather more Industrious than the
: Judge and have examined some % com
: panies Assuming that they have KEEP
up the Judges average in the matte
nj CHARGES in the matter of fees, thei
, combined charges would amount &
2ls. 900, making d grand total for th
I trio of S27, 200 collected for maklnI
: fake examinations which could be
no possible benefit SO far as giving II
$ formation in regard to the solvency
\ the companies is concerned.
q Speaking of these hold-ups the Kan
sas City Journal says: 'And the end
not vet. McNalTs examiners are stl
y on the turf Every day brings add
r tional information of their blackmal
ing Operations. Before the people
{ Kansas can rid themselves of the pre-!
:. ent commissioner his examiners WI
+ have ext0rted at least S75, 900 from th
Insurance companies Not a cent {
a this GOES into the Kansas treasury.
l. Is pnre velvet for the insurance d
q p&rtruent. There is no record
t. NcNalPs Office of the work performed
H. the results obtained or the fees co
,e gcctad. The Gully way the people
re Kansas can become informed OF tE
IT transactions of the insurance depar
nent is throug gh the dragging OF u
e. wiling witnesses into court whe1
a. t]iey are made to testify that they pa
d tribute to avoid the penalty Of beir
N thrust from the state.
,"And now what has been and wilt
N the result Of this wholesale extortiol
10 One Of the results has been the dr1Vlr
ne of a number of the strongest insuran'
,p companies in the world from the sta
a. companies that refused to pay trl
ute or forego their constitution
re RIGHTS. Another result has been
es substantial increase in the cost
farm insurance all over the state of Ia
ne sas. The SIS, 900 which goes to line
en- noclzets of the officials of the inst
of ance department must be made go
ed by the people of Kansas. Inc Fal
in was made on farm property because
,lv is a class Of insurance that previous
Of had been reduced very low and 1t
of fered the best opportunity for raj
sas among all the classifcations 1t Il
resulted also in turning the eyes
es- every wildcat company in the wol
led upon the insurance field in kans
He AS the old and substantial co
in nanies are driven out Tn
RS nlaces will be taken by less respt
pre- sible organizations which do
ate object to paying back-door tri b.
TIE in purchase Of a thriving business ="