Northern Wisconsin advertiser. [volume] (Wabeno, Wis.) 1898-1925, 1906-04-19
PRESIDENT PALMER OF NORTH.
WESTERN MUTUAL ON STAND.
TAKE UP REINSTATEMENT
Witness Says Reference to Residence
in Milwaukee, Used in Back OF
Blank Forms, Is Unfortunately
Expressed-Do Not Have To Live
in That City, However.

milwaukee,, April 1S.-Ine statement
on the back of the blank proxy forms
of the Northwestern Mutual Life In
surance company, that the officials OF
the company are obliged to select
Milwaukeeans as proxy holders, was
admitted to be unfortunately expressed
and misleading by President Henry Z.
Palmer, at the initial session of the
legislative insurance committee. The
examination was conducted by James
l.. O'Connor, counsel for the commit.
tee.
President Palmer admitted that the
statement was unjustifiable, but
claimed that there was no intention
to mislead on the part of the com
pany. He stated that in the future
that form would not be used and that
it would not have been used in the
past If his attention had been called
to it. He admitted that he had never
noticed the exact wording of the state
ment.
The wording is as follows, particular
attention being directed by the at.
torney to the phrase in regard to the
citizens of Milwaukee, he claiming
that under the charter or bylaws of
the company, the voting of proxies is
not necessarily limited to Milwaukee,
| ans:
The officers and trustees OF the
company always desire to have full
vote OF the members OF the company
at each annual election and would pre-
fer to have all the members attend
the annual meeting and vote in per-
son, but as that Is impracticable they
| are obliged to furnish the names OF
citizens resident OF Milwaukee va
may be authorized to cast limited
| number of votes each for absent mem.
| bers.
| Trustees, officers, agents and EN-
ployes are prohibited by the charter
from casting the vote of absent mem.
! bers.''
Secretary j. w. Skinner was exam
ined in the afternoon.
The Investigating committee con
sisting of State Senator James A.
Frear of Hudson, chairman. Senators
julius e. Roehr and Jacob Rummel
of Milwaukee, Assemblymen w. 8.
Braddock of Mather, G.. w. Beedle OF
Embarrass, Herman l.. Ekern Of
Thempealeau, and Barney Potter OF
| West Bend were seated about long
table at the south side of the room.
| The witness occupied chair at the
east end of the table and Mr.. O'Connor
and Miles H. Dawson of New York,
actuary for the committee, who acted
In that same capacity for the Hughes.
Armstrong committee of New York,
and who assisted Mr.. O'Connor
throughout the hearing with frequent
suggestings, occupied the other end OF
the table. Stenographic reporters
and newspapermen occupied seats at
tables leading from the main table
and dozen or more insurance men
and attorneys dropped in during the
hearing and occupied seats In the
club room.
With Mr.. Palmer were Judge George
H. Noyes, chief counsel, and George
G. Markham, first vice-president OF the
company, but they did not say a word
during the hearing George p. Miller
was also present at the hearing.
Stenographer w. j. Buckley took the
notes for the committee, and Henry
ID. Goodwin for the Northwestern
Mutual Insurance company, r. c. Fall
coner, the sergeant-at-arms OF the
state senate, will act as sergeant-at
arms for the committee.
Hours Of Hearings.
Chairman Frear in opening the ses-
sion announced that at preceding
session of the committee at which the
Wisconsin Life Insurance company
was investigated, the resolution OF
the legislature and the statute provid.
ing for the investigation had been
read into the record and so was
part Of the proceedings He stated
that the hearing would be held each
day from 10 a. m. until IL m. and from
o'clock until 5, which he said were
| the hours Of the sessions of the
Hughes, Armstrong committee in New
| York.