Reporter and farmer. [volume] (Webster, Day County, Dakota [S.D.]) 188?-1946, 1904-02-18
A Rotten Concern.

WATERFOWL Hail Insurance company
will be pleased to know that Judge Nc
Coy of the fifth judicial circuit has
called a halt on the methods used by
this concern TO force collections aud as a
result of this move justice may yet be
done to those who have not paid the
notes obtained through misrepresen-
tation and fraud. The following from
the Watertown Times gives n good idea
of the latest doings in regard 70 this
snide institution.
The old WATERFOWL Hail Insurance
company still goes marching on in its
work of robbery, Notwithstanding the
fact that it went into the hands Of the
receiver a couple of years Z NJ. II.
Kelly, of Aberdeen, was appointed
receiver at the request of the old gang
to still II the business aud it is now
liable to get him into trouble. The
notes We're all turned over to the Kerr
Collection agency of North Dakota that
was controlled rs we understand, by
Randall and some of the gang that
organized the old company, and some
of whom are now III the p~epitentiary in
North Dakota and some of the others
ought TO be with them. The notes
were turned over by the receiver to this
agency and they sent some of their
sharpers into this state to collect. They
have used every known and unknown
means of getting notes paid: When
they conld not accomplish thas, they
would have a summons sent Il farmer
and tell him 1t was simply a uoticv to
pay up within thirty days, and then
take ii snap Judgment OH him. Some-
times they would never even leave a
they did not get judgment.
In the Fifth judicial circuit where the.
receiver was appointed they adopted a
new scheme. The collector would 90
TO a farmer and tell him if he did not
pay up he would be 6ned for contempt
Of the court as the whole business was
~ fhO iHthhS VI viz SChits IItN shlb
Judge Nc Coy had sent them on and
urged them to make "a settlement as he
did not want the matter to get into
court Lest it might hurt his chances OF
reelection az judge. In this, way they
got many farmers to settle.
Some, however, refused and reported
the matter to Judge Mccoy. He inyes-
tigated the matter and found the state.
ments true and that the thieves, were
using his name to rob the farmers.
Judge Mccoy then issued an Injunction
restraining the receiver or his agents
from collecting any more of tho. notes
in this state until the matter was settled
mp.
After the twenty-five cases were
decided against the company recently
i'll the supreme court, costs TO the
amount of some $lS00.0O were taxed
against the receiver. When an execu-
ton was issued the receiver claimed he
only had $500. 90 cash on hand This
called the attention of the court again.
An order was, then made by Judge
Mccoy ordering the receiver TO deposit
all money, notesrand other property of
the defunct company with the clerk Of
the circnit court for Brown county, for
the purpose of getting at the real facts
and of removing the present receiver.
This brought the receiver 10 a stand
still and he soon. disclosed some $4,000. 90
in cash.
Some notes We're turned over but at
the last report we heard of there was. q
shortage Of some twenty two thousand
dollars worth of notes that had not. yet
been accounted for. The presumption
is that this amount was collected. by
this North Dakota collection agency
and converted. to their own use. The
court extended the time for them. to
make a better showing and if the cash
or notes are not forthcoming, there are
going to be more of the gang behind the
prison bars before many moons.
1t is moi thought by any one that
Receiver Kelley was himself personally
interested III the steal but his actions as
receiver were, to say the least, criminal
carlessness. 1t now looks as though
the gang will have tough Shedding in
the Fifth circuit and the round up may
be beneficial to the people OF the state.
This was one of the rottenest institu-
tons ever organized in this state and
the sooner the courts stamp the internal
robbery out, the better it will be for
the people. During the years 1899 and
1900 the company was out of the bust
ness and had no authority from the
state to insure and still they are trying
to compel the farmers who signed notes
for insurance during those years, to pay
although they admit that they received
no protection during the time and
received no consideration for their
notes. A number of farmers in this
county have been sued during the past
fall and there is liable to be something
doing around here before the show is
over.-Doland Times Record.