Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1900-01-15
DIFFERENCES OF OPINION
Lively Annual Meeting of Mutual Fire In
suranee Company Stockholders.
The Chairman Takes PrecautiOn to
Have Policemen Present-Contest
Over the Management.

The annual meeting of the policy holders
of the Mutual Fire Insurance Company of
the District was held this morning at the
office of the company, 902 Pennsylvania
avenue. At previous annual gatherings OF
this company there were differences of
opinions manifested in regard to the man.
agement of it's affairs, and today the same
state of affairs speedily became apparent
The president of the company, Mr.. Samuel
II. Walker, acted as chairman. and mount
ed upon platform, which enabled him to
look over the railing which divides the
office separating the section of the room
cupied by the officials and clerks of the
company from the passageway for the use
of the public. II side and outside of this
railing the policy holders were thckly pack
ed this morning. the ma jority being Oh hand
promptly at O'clock, the hour named for
the meeting to begin. The chairman was
no less prompt in calling to order, and the
secretary of the stockholders meeting. Mr..
j. T. Petty, read the minutes of the last
meeting. 1t was decided not TO read the
Annual report. but printed copies of it were
handed about. which showed the usual
promising condition of the affairs of this
prosperous company.
These preliminaries being disposed of,
the crowd made ready for the struggle
which everybody. seemed to know was
coming. They had not long to wait.
Mr.. L. NJ. Saunders opened the ball by
making some inquiries to the notices
sent out to policy holders in regard to their
proxies, and especially warning those that
had given their proxies to the company
not to comply with requests that We're be-
ing made by other persons for the right to
represent them. He asked whether the
beard Of managers was responsible for
these notices, and the chairman stated
that the board had decided not to ask for
proxies. and that this decision had been
adhered to. He also added that the notices
referred to had been sent out without the
knowledge of the beard Mr.. l.. Pierce
Boteler, the secretary of the company, said
he had sent out notices on his own motion,
his purpose being to preserve the peace of
the company and prevent outsiders from
carrying out their schemes of collecting
proxies to be used as they saw fit.
Policemen Present.
This information served to arouse feel
ing on the part of some of the policy hold
ers present and it was apparent a number
wished to express their ideas, and also that
they had no intention of deferring the priv
ilege until some one else had a chance to
speak. The result was a confusion of
voices, so that at times it was difficult to
distinguish what was said. The volume Of
sound was such that the policemen who
had taken up their stations downstairs
came up. The chairman. in the lulls that
came now and then observed casually
that while he was the servant of the pol
icy holders and was acting in the capacity
of chairman solely in their interests, yet
those present might as well know that he
had taken the precaution to have two po-
lice officers detailed to attend the meeting.
He did not suppose. he added drly, there
would be any need for their services still
they were present. This explanation from
the chair elected a good deal of laughter
and also sarcastic remarks from a portion
of the audience. However, the methods
of conducting the meeting We're not chang
ed. and the proceedings continued to be
marked by u great deal of confusion.
wrangie Over Proxies.
1t was soon evident that the opposition
to what might be called the present man.
agement had come to the meeting with the
fixed determination to get rid of the sys-
tenn of proxies which some seemed to think
enabled the officers to perpetuate them
selves in Office. A resolution was offered
and received with shouts of approval pro-
hibiting the voting of proxies at the pres
ent election which had been dated prior to
the LIST of January, 1900. There was quite
a wrangle over this resolution, and finally
vote was called and the chairman. being
unable to determine the viva voce vote,
asked for a show of hands, which
suited in large majority in favor of the
resolution, and 1t was declared carried. The
opponents demanded that they have the
right to vote proxies on this question, which
was not granted.
What might be termed a supplementary
resolution II the above was carried by an
equally large vote and forbade the officers
or employees of the company from voting
proxies. The action on these two resolu-
lions seemed to be looked upon as setting
the preliminaries Of the contest, and what
is known as the Wilson party. headed by
Mr.. Jesse 3. Wilson, a former president Of
the company, was regarded by some as
having won victory. The chair appointed
teliers and the voting began. The result
will be made known this evening when the
polls close and the ballots are counted.
Two Tickets in the Field.
There were two printed ballots in use, one
containing the names of the present board
of managers, follows: Matthew G. En-
cry, George r. bearing. William A H.
Church, Timothy w. Murphy. Samuel H.
Walker. George c. Walker and R. Harrison
Johnson.
The other ticket. known as the Wilson,
was as follows: NJ. G. Emery, Jesse r.
Wilson, Samuel II. Walker, Andrew Archer
Peter Latterner, L, Nj. saunders and Frank
Hume.
There was also considerable scratching
the names Of some Individuals being marked
off and those of others substituted.