The Bourbon news. [volume] (Paris, Ky.) 1895-19??, 1905-02-07
January 24th, 1905.

am carefully preparing a state
ment to be published soon showing
why l am in this embarrassing posi-
ton. viii show in my statement
my connection with banks, individuals,
insurance companies and local insur-
ance agencies. I ask fair and i'm
partial decision at the hands of the
people in my native home. do not
expect to show that l did right in all
things, but | will show that | was
forced to take chances like men do
under the same circumstances to pro-
tect his home from disgrace. In this
letter | will mention a few small
transactions l had with a few of my
friends to show my financial condi-
ton and the advantage the people
took of me.
My first misstep was when my little
boy lay a corpse in my home. A
special agent from one of the COM
panies of which | represented came
to my home and sat in the room in
the presence of the dead, and told me
the company had sent him to Paris to
collect all balances due and take up
the supplies of the company. asked
him if he could not wait until the
next day. He informed me that he
would have me arrested unless 1
was compelled to leave by three UnaU
afternoon. In order to realize $240 l
went to one of the largest establish
ments in Paris and made them this
proposition, that l would write $780,,
600 of insurance for $240, covering
stock in one of their buildings. The
premium on the $500 of insurance
was 5000, and I lost in this transac-
ton $3.50. The companies that this
insurance was written in ordered it
cancelled. The firm who held these
policies claimed the $500 return pre-
MUM and refused to accept the $240
that they had paid for the insurance.
So was forced to pay 1850 more than
they had paid for the insurance.
A few months ago l renewed Mr..
w. E. Simms,' Jr., insurance. I
'phoned him to meet me in Lexing-
ton. I delivered to him insurance
policies calling for little over 81 200
in premiums for which he paid $3.50.
[ lost in this transaction $3.50. On
w. E. Simms', Jr., insurance in the
last three years 1 have lost 1886 in
hard cold cash. Part of this money l
asked Mr.. Simms for. He refused to
pay and l had no. money to cancel
the insurance so was compelled to
lose the above amount stated.
Some may ask why 1 did this. l
did everything to keep disgrace from
my wife. / will never forget one
beautiful sunshine morning l thought
1 would go up and see my good Chris
tan brother, J. II. Haggard. AS I
passed his window the sun was send
ing silvery threads through the iron
screens, and brother Haggard looked
like a spider waiting for fly to drop
in. DIR. Woods had just drove up in
front of his office and everything
seemed to indicate death. | opened
the door and walked in. Mr.. Hag-
gard woke up and said: "Well old
fellow, [ am glad you dropped in"
told him l was compelled to have
S15O before the banks closed that day.
And this is the way 1 got it. was
to give him back in twelve months,
or in other words [ was to pay $3.50 in
terest on $3.50. l have paid him
back S137. so, leaving balance due on
principal $3.50. I am told, but can
not believe it that he has attached
nv things for the interest and the
S12.5 balance due on the principal.
By being financially broke and no
friends to help me unless paid them
their own interest, l was compelled
in the last three years to lose over
81, OOO'in premiums in order to realize
money. l have had banks in Paris to
charge me as high as so per cent. dis
count on good notes. Some may
blame my wife for leaving Paris with
me. A verse in the prayer book
came to me and it contained these
beautiful words: 'To have and
to hold this day forward, for better,
for worse, for richer, for poorer, in
sickness, and in health, to love and
to cherish, till death us do part. "
will have my statement completed
and ready to be published by the first
of March. I will spare no one that
has taken the advantage of me. If
the people that owe me will come up
and pay me the difference between
which the policies call for and what
they paid me / can pay all owe and
have Sc, 600 left. 1t is easy to con-
denim but hard to help.
Yours truly,
Il. PORTER SMITH.