The Marlboro democrat. [volume] (Bennettsville, S.C.) 1882-1908, 1903-07-17
TAKING PROPER ACTION.
wild Cat Insurance Companies to !,
Prosecuted.

i 1 =
Rcccntly~it Is alleged that several
wild cat insurance companies have
been operating in South Carolina and
Comptroller General Jones has been
besicged with letters from persons all
over the State asking about these
companies; !, and notifying him that
manyof them are operating without
q license. s
Of course this is directly in viola
tfOnsOf the law and will be treated ac-
cordingly. Mr.. Jones Thursday morn
ing issued circular letter which he
mailed to all persons asking as to the
right of these companies; to carry on
business without first paying license.
The letter reads:
AnSwering>y your request as to the
q company, L beg to say
that they are not AUTHORIZED and have
no license to do busincsss in this
State.
II any one is soliciting business for
tnen, you can swear out warrant
against him before Il magistrate of
Chis State, charging him with acting
as agent for foreign insurance com
pany without license, under section
601 OF the criminal code, which reads
Us follows:
Section GOT. Any person who
shall transact any business or insur-
ancc in this State for any company of
the United States or foreign state not
Incorporated by the laws OF this State
without having first obtained license
by law required, or after his license
has been withdrawn, or Shall in any
way violate the forcigoing provisions
in relation to license OF insurance
companies or agents thereof, shall up
on conviction In any courb OF cpmpc.
tent Jurisdiction, be fined for every
such otfcnsc not more than 800: pro.
vided. that nothing contained in this
section shall release such company or
companies upon any policy issued or
delivered by it or them
Upon your making the affidavit
before the magistrate, it is his duty
TO ISSUE his warrant for the arrest or
the party and bring him to trial be-
fore him. Each time the person
solicitS insurance and issues Il policy.
constitutes separate violation of
thIS law, and they can he prosecuted
lor each Scperate violation.
This is the only law for tl,e punish
mcnt Of the. individual soliciting in.
surance.
In addition to this proceeding in
The criminal courts, the company it,
self may be fined a sum not exceeding
81, 600 nor less than $500, to bc re-
covered In civil action by any party
suing therefor in the court Of common
pleas. This suit is to be brought
against the company issuing the policy
or insurance, and the amount recover
ed, is to be retained by the party suing
for same. The State gets no part Of
this penalty.
Section l793 of the civil code, Vol.
|, code Of laws 1903, reads rs follows::
Section 1193. Should any insur-
ance company or association violate
the provisions Of this chapter such
company shall be fined in a sum not
TO exceed 1000 and not less than
5000, to be recovered in any court OF
competent jurisdiction in this State,
to be recovered by any citizen of this
State having policy OF insurance in
said company; provided, that nothing
in this chapter shall release any such
company, companies or association
violating the provisions hereof upon
any policy issued by it or Them"
The inquiries have como from Green
vile, Charleston and other cities of
the State.