The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1906-09-28
SUTTON QUITS THE MUTUAL.
REFUSES TO WORK FOR THE AD-
MINySTRATION TICKET.
Charges Peabody with Making n Mandatory
on the Managers 10 El%ectioueer for
the Old Trustees Another Manager
Must Take the Pledge To-day or Go.

WI ~ "MuakCTb W FiNttiVFtCVN wv
the Old Trustees -AnOther Manager
Must Take the Pledge To-day or Go.
Edward o. Sutton, the Mutual LIES
manager at Springfield. Mass, and n OF
the best known life insurance agents in
New England, resigned yesterday rather
than pledge his allegiance to the admins
tration ticket. This makes the fourth
agency manager that has been lost to the
company through the policy OF the Peabody
management TO force the agents into sup
porting the administration ticket.
Mr.. Sutton ~oun his resignation
in a sharp letter to President Peabody.
He charges, among other things, that Mr..
Peabody informed him that it was manda-
tory upon the managers Of the company,
the managers paid by the policyholders,
to electioneer for the administration
ticket. actively and positively" This
his convictions would not permit him to do,
and he refused to ask anything Of his agents
which he would not do himself. Here is
Mr.. Sutton's letter:
DEAR SIR: Referring to your telegram Of
the 2Oth. in which you state that all persons
connected with this company are called upo
to sustain the administration ticket OF NOM
inees for the board Of trustees wholly and
unreservedly. and your statement in our
inter view OF the 25th. that it is mandatory
upon managers to electioneer for the ad-
ministration ticket actively and positively, ]
feel compelled TO inform you that such q
course il not in harmony with my convictions
as to the interests Of the company or my
ideal Of the position Of manager. nor my
conception of my rights as a polcyholder.
nor my understanding Of an honest election
by policyholders Of trustees to care for their
properly.
Reelection Of those trustees who served
with Mr.. McCurdy. now in nomination.
mainly by force Of su bordinates acting in
fear Of dismissal from their positions. would
harm the company more. In my opinion than
all that has gone before under their admins
tration. A manager paid with policyholders'
money to get business for the company would
belittle himself to use his time largely election
eering for trustees seeking to reflect them
selves by such methods.
] am unwilling to call upon my agents to
do that which | am not willing to do. When
I became manager. l did not understand
that 1 was to surrender my rights as a policy
holder in the selection of trustees, although
] desired in all proper matters to be obedient
and loyal to my superior Ofh GERS. | believe
policyholders have n right to expect from a
manager or agent his unbiased judgment on
matters pertaining to their welfare.
What other convenient avenues of informa-
ton has a policyholder II these are INSTRUCTED
with elf-interest? Why should the trustees
who served with Mr.. McCurdy present the
spectacle Of desperately striving to reflect
themselves unless there is some underlying
motive that units them for the position?
The discharge Of three of the company's
managers on account of their personal con-
~victiOns as to the best ticket TO support seems
wrong.
| had hoped for a different attitude on the
part Of the administration. My confidence In
the company (which. being interpreted. means
the policyhOlders) Is strong. l stood by the
company through the trials OF last year, in
the confidence that the ~policyhOlders would
set things right when election time arrived
and would have a clear opportunity to do so.
As my convictions bring me in conflict
with the course OF the administration in a
matter more vital to policyholders than any
other. ] tender my resignation as ger.
In accordance with the terms Of my appoint
ment. EDWARD o. SUTTON.
Mr.. Sutton had until this 400 to pledge
his allegiance to the administrator ticket.
II he had refused his head would have
been Topped of by the agency committee,
which is composed largely of old McCurdy
trustees, just a. were the heads Of the
other three managers who stood out for
the third or fusion ticket. Mr.. Sutton's
father. George II. Sutton OF Springfield,
is a member OF the proxy committee for
the fusion ticket.
At present there il one other Mutual
manager to be heard from. That is Biscoe
Hindman Of Louisville, KY, who is named
on the fusion ticket. He will have TO take
the pledge to-day or he will be dismissed.
Each Of the dismissed managers had a
large force Of agents under him. That the
men who nave been turned out do not intend
TO rest quietly is certain. They are going
to make all the trouble they can now for
the old McCurdy trustees, and they are
going to exert every possible effort to defeat
them in the coming election. The predic-
ton is made in insurance circles that there
will be more designations and dismissals
from the Mutual agency force before the
campaign il ove