The Minneapolis journal. [volume] (Minneapolis, Minn.) 1888-1939, 1906-05-27
he MADE 4 SACRIFICE
!. :. To HELP AUDITORIUM
A. q. PAUL'S STATEMENT HAS
BEARING ON RoBERTsoN's SUIT.
he says He Took Up the Campaign for
the Auditorium On Advice Of Club
Officials and that His Remuneration
Represented Loss to Him. ~

Both Wallace G. Nye and A. 6. Paul
deny the truth Of the charge lnVolv-
ing them, made by James Robertson,
in his suit against former officers OF
the Northwestern National Life lnsur-
ance company. In his complaint. ne
names among other illegal diversions
of the company's money, the payment
of $4,000 to Messrs. Nye and Paul for
their efforts to secure for the company
the amount of insurance requisite to
assure the erection Of the Auditorium.
So far as Mr. Nye is concerned, he con-
tents himself with fiat denial that he
received any compensation whatever
for what he did in the campaign for
insurance. Mr.. Paul, who devoted
practically his entire time to the Audi
forum campaign for six months, un.
hesitating1y. admitted that he was paid
for his time, but exhibited the books
of his firm to prove that his remunera-
ton for this service was much less than
the average, income from his profess
sion for g. corresponding length Of time
"When the Auditorium proposition
was taken up by the Commercial club"
said Mr.. Paul, IT was appointed chair
man Of the committee selected by the
club to cooperate with the committees
appointed by the Philharmonic club,
and other organizations, to, secure the
this committee without thought of COM
pensatiop and to give to the work such
time as could spare from my sprofes-
sion. After the matter had been car
ried on for a few weeks and it became
apparent to those in charge of the work
Of securing insurance, that the required
amount was not going to be obtained
thru, the different organizations that
had promised to secure it, the president
of the insurance company came to me
and asked me to take complete charge
closing up the. insurance after the
pledges were obtained, and to devote
all Of my time to: that work until
the required insurance was pledged
and written, and said that if
would do this the company would pay
for my time. I declined and ques-
toned whether could, as member of
a Commercial club committee, accept
any compensation for this, work, even
tho I devoted all my time to it.
HThe matter was then submitted to
Mr.. Leslie, president Of the club, to
W. Y. Chute, chairman and w. G. Nye,
secretary of the Public affairs commit
tee. These gentlemen Expressed the
opinion that the insurance could not be
obtained unless some one took hold of
the proposition and gave 1t all of his
time, and they united, in urging me to
do so upon the basis urged by the insur-
ance company. I finally agreed to take
Fit up and give 1t all of my time! I mado
, q written proposition to- the insurance
company which was accepted. I put
Id all of nnyttime forqnehray six months
and a considerable portion of it fol
three months more in soliciting insur.
ance and in helping: to close it Up. :.
l"The total amount pledged was
$1,36O,OOO. About 100000 of this
was finally closed The Wolfe report
on the insurance company, Undoubtedly
inspired by the other insurance com
panies and circulated by them, made
my work much harder and prevented
closing good many pledges. After
the building was under way and it was
seen; that the company could not bu,
go on and complete it, quite a number
of patrioticCq) citizens repudiated thei
pledges, saying that it was too late TO-
the company to quit on the building.
2"'The amount paid me was not $40,
900 or anything like it. From tn,
amount that I did receive, I paid tw.
solicitors to assist me. Paid livery an,
other expense, and on the whole mad
less than one-half what 7 received TO
my services from my legal business i
any other six-months period since
have had an established practice.
was not at the time an official Of tn
Commercial club, and I am sure tina
neither Mr.. Nye or any other offcia
of the club ever received cent of com
pensation for any time expended on thi
matter''