Los Angeles herald., 1909-03-11
RIVAL SEEUTHS
BATTLE FIERCfLY
INSURANCE OFFICE SCENE OF
LIVELY ROW
WOMAN MEMBER OF FIRM SAYS
SHE is MADE VICTIM
Private Detectives Clash and Fire.
arms Are Drawn Following Dis
pute of Angry Officers
of Company

A broken window, a foiled detective
and a lone woman were the principals
in a fracas that nearly developed into
a riot and battle Of rival sleuths at the
offices of the Volney Howard Insurance
company, 300 Central building, last
night. The woman in the case was
Miss M. E. Mattice, the detective c. A.
Hausmann and the window that Of the
Volney Howard company, of which
Miss Mattice is secretary and treasurer
For several weeks trouble has been
brewing between Miss Mattice and the
other members of the insurance firm.
Volney Howard is president of the
company and Edward Brundidge is
vice president, and, according to the
secretary and treasurer, the pair have
been attempting to ouSt her from the
concern.
The trouble, Miss Mattice declares
arose when she refused to consider
proposition to invest $140O IN the nrm;
This sum Miss Mattice says she loaned
to Brundidge some time ago, taking a
mortgage on his furniture.
At a meeting of the three members
of the company held February 20, Miss
Mattice declares, Brundidge offered to
pay over the money which he had bof-
rowed from her several months pre-
vious if she would reinvest it in the
firm. When she refused to consider
this offer, Miss Mattice declares, the
vice president informed her that she
would have to whistle" for her money!
He told her also, SO she says, that 1t
would be no easy matter to get away
with any of his furniture. Since that
time the woman declares things have
been made more or less disagreeable
for her. This the others deny.
Troubles Reach Crisis
Troubles came to a crisis at meet
ing of the directors which was called
Monday. At this meeting Miss Mattice
declares that the president and vice
president of the company refused to
have the minutes of the previous meet
ing read. She also says that she got
hold of the minute book only after
considerable difficulty, and upon open
ing it found that the minutes of the
meeting about to be held had already
been entered. She says that Howard
and Brundidge attempted to vote her
out of office. In the meantime detec-
tives had been hired by Howard and
Brundidge for the purpose of seeing
that she make mo attempt to interfere
with the books of the company.
Following the Monday meeting,
which, she declares, was called illegal
ly Miss Mattice, through her attorney,
secured the services of John F.SCronin,
head of Nthe detective agency bearing
his name. Detective Cronin was en-
ployed to look after her interests and
see that nothing was removed from the
Office of the company. Cronin was
keeping a pair of sleuths on watch day
and night. The same precautions were
being taken by Howard and Brundidge.
Rival sIeuths at Work
Detectives from each side were kept
inside of the office. Hausmann, who
had been detailed by Cronin, was on
duty when the trouble of last night
arose He was made the victim of a
clever ruse, so he said. He was called
to the telephone and informed that
Cronin would meet him outside the Of
fee. When he went out Howard and
Brundidge, who were accompanied by
Detectives Devereaux and Mcclure
and Attorney Willus S. Mitchell, locked
the door, so Hausmann says. Haus-
mann found he had been outwitted and
attempted to get into the office, but
failed
About 7 o'clock Miss Mattice came up
to the office and found Hausmann wait
ing in the corridor. When he told her
that he had been locked out she or
dered him to break in the window.
When Hausmann broke through the
glass, it is alleged, Devereaux and Nc
Clure drew their revolvers and threat
ened to fire. Finding himself "cov-
ered," Hausmann attempted a retreat. |
About this time, it is said, Cronin
arrived on the scene and engaged in
hand-to-hand encounter with the de-
tectives hired by Howard and Brun-
didge. Detectives from the local police
department arrived about this time
also and separated the struggling pri-
vately hired sleuths. They remained in
the vicinity of the Office until the crisis
was passed.
Miss Mattice Complains
When seen later in the evening Miss
Mattice said:
Howard and Brundidge have at
tempted to GUST me ever since my re-
fusal to reinvest the $1400 in the firm.
/ had assigned the money to my moth
er, so that I was not at liberty to dis
pose of it through any other channel.
Neither Howard nor Brundidge has
ever put cent into the business. I
loaned Brundidge the $1400 so that he
could right himself with the Aetna Life
Insurance company and open the busi-
mortgage on his furniture, but was in
wouldn't be able to lay my hands on
anything in his house. I intend to bring
legal proceedings in a few days"
Mr. Howard was disinclined to talk of
the affair last night, further than to
state that all he and Brundidge wanted
to do was to protect the property of
the firm. He said:
1--WE are merely trying to keep a mi |
nority or stockholders out who are try
ing to take possession of our office.
This is a personal quarrel and we do
not think that the public is interested"