Omaha daily bee. (Omaha [Neb.]) 187?-1922, 1906-07-21
WISCONSIN JUDGE UNDER FIRE
Justice Earshsll Of Supreme Court Asks
Favor Of Insurance Company.
CORRESPONDENCE IN THE CASE GIVEN OUT
Jurfst Requested that He He Allowed
CommissIOn on His Annual Pre-
mIum for RemittinE
Direct.

Direct.
MILWAUKEE. July 2o-The proceedings
before the committee Of the Wisconsin legis-
lature engaged in investigating life insur-
ance conditions in this state, State Manager
]. G. Albright Of the Union Central Life
Insurance company OF Cincinnati yesterday
produced correspondence showing that a
supreme court official asked that the life
agents commission for collection of the
premium on his (the supreme court official 81
policy be paid to him. The letters were
written by Chief Justice Rouget D. Mar
shall. Justice Marshall late this afternoon
vouched for the authenticity OF the corre-
spondence. The justice. however, said ,he
thought there was nothing Irregular in any
of the letters.
Letter from Justice Marshall.
The original correspondence was produced
by Mr.. Albright late today The letters
soliciting the commission for collection Is
as follows:
STATE OF WISCONSIN SUPREME
Union Central Life Insurance company,
! Cincinnati. o. Gentlemen: hold policy
No 232OO9 in your company on which
there falls due the 18th day Of this
| month the annual premium, S61l 20, l
am not at present advised as to whether
|
office. Not knowing that you have any
agent in this city and supposing that II you
you for percentage for the COLLECTION of
! my premium, ! suggest that you send my
receipt to the First National bank of Madi-
| son, Wis, with a draft attached for the
| $61l. 40 and instruction to deliver the receipt
| upon payment OF the draft on or before
the due date OF the premium, and that in
| such case you permit the bank to take the
usual agents commission for the collection,
| with permission to pay the same to me.
outside of my circle of business acquaint-
ances / see no reason, myself, why can
the manner suggested, but II there are
| reasons, of course you will write me sug-
gesting where to send the money: Very
truly yours, r. d. MARSHALL
Reply of General Agent.
The above letter from Justice Marshall
was referred by the home office of the in
surance company to State Manager Al
bright of Wisconsin who IN turn wrote to
his superior officers as follows:
MILWAUKEE,, Wis, Oct 6, 19O2.-E. P.
Marshall, Secretary Union Central Life In
surance Company. Cincinnati o.: Dear
sir-I am today in receipt OF yours of the
Sd inclosing a letter from a judge Of the
supreme court OF Wisconsin, Hon. r. D..
Marshall, asking that you grant him re-
judge Of the supreme Court Of this state
makes an appeal for a rebate and does it
direct to the home office, is 1t not time that
science OF the people in high places before
Il we can hope for much change for the better
among the rank ard file on the rebate ques-
tion7 This gives you an idea OF some of
the difiiculties we are obliged to contend
with in this state. RespeetfulIy yours
tN State Manager.
Mr.. Albright also wrote to the justice
informing him that rebating was forbidden
by law in Wisconsin. The final answer OF
Justice Marshall was written to Mr.. AL
, bright as follows:
MADISON, Wis, Oct H. 1861 @. AL
bright Dear Sir: Here is the draft for pay
ment on my policy. ] am not acquainted
with the law to which you refer. on re-
Election you will probably see that there is
nothing In the law to prevent your company
: from paying to any bank any collection
charges you may see fft. do not take your
letter very seriously. 1t would not be out
! agency outside OF Milwaukee,. Yours.
r r. d. MARSHALL.
p. S.-Send receipt to Madison, Wis.
. Statement by Judge Marshall.
II wrote the letters which were read
before the life insurance investigating com.
mission Thursday" said Justice r. d. Mar.
shall, over the long distance telephone
> from his farm In Kilbourne. late this aft.
I. ernoon. The Judge continued:
, wrote, as the letters will show, thai
the company had no local agent In Madison
e that / did not know where to send the
the general office OF the company the pro
priety OF allowing me TO pay the premium
y into the bank ana receive the usual agent
a collection fee back, suggesting that they
SO direct the bank If IL seemed proper tC
e them.
I They evidently did not deem it proper
| and L sent the money in full. That is al
, there is to 1t. ] defy anyone to read into
e my letter any demand or request for any
h rebate or allowance other than the regular
. | collection fee allowed agents VINO handle
| premium renewals.
I submitted the question to the compan,
n whether or not It would be proper TO afiov
: me such fee in the absence Of an author
{ ized agent in the vicinity. II is as plain al
s the MONDAY sun and no other meaning car
4 be placed on any sentence In any OF M!
: | letters / wrote for information and al
s soon as / got 1t | acted upon 1t and re
mitted my premium in full. l added tina
n in my opinion the company would DO wei
TO appoint agents at other places thai
8 MilWaukee with the idea that II woult
= tend to convenience in collections. That
= all there is to the matter
Il No Ground for Criminal Action.
z The disclosures were the subject OF con
versation very generally today. Impeach
ment proceedings were hinted at in som
D quarters, but the members OF the investi
n eating committee scoffed at any sucl
proposition
d 'aThe very worst construction that ca
h. placed on the incident" said one Of tn
committee, lis that a judge attempted t
hnd a lawful way in which the law Nigh
be evaded and suggested it to the agent
'e There is absolutely nothing on which an
l. criminal action can be based"
n The Legislative committee this afternoo
he wrote letter to Mr. Albright instruetin
he him TO submit TO the committee at it's mex
s. meeting the original correspondence whiel
il of course, contains the signature OF th
i'll writer.
IN The committee will meet again on July 9
1
Nashua. N. H., and came TO Wisconsin !
TO 1854. He has been on the supreme benc