Daily press. [volume] (Newport News, Va.) 1896-current, 1910-06-16

90 far as he knows, are members OF
the Southeastern Underwriters AS
ISOLATION He writes insurance at
tates made by the association and
none of his companies pay him more
than fifteen per cent. His firm writes
Sl50,000 OF the insurance on the
shipyard, which is divided between
;wo companies, one company carry
ing 100000 and the other $4,000.
The total OF premiums on the
100000 is S75670. The average rate on
The shipyard is 1857 cents. the rate
varying from 40 cents to $3.50. Mr.. Pat
ton received the pink slip" and has
abided by the Instructions contained
I In IT, Witness said he never went
70 Richmond TO loby for the repeal
ct the Wharton law or to lobby for
Z the Teenactment OF that law. He
reyer has spoken to any member OF
the legislature about any insurance
legislation.
Cross.examined by Mr.. Bachelor,
witness said that total of 81 ,296,500
insurance Is carried on the shipyard
with $4,000 additional on the piers.
The total insurance carried on the
Warwick hotel is S105. 900, the rate
now being $120 on the building and
Sl.S5 on the furniture. The rate has
been reduced several times, the wit
ness said, because the owners of the
hotel had made such improvements as
prescribed by the association. Fifteen
companies carry policies on the hotel
and the witness said that IL the com
bination of insurance companies was
Lot in existence the different com
panies would have to make rates
and this would be highly impractica-
bic.
Witness Suggested improvements.
Taken in hand by Mr.. Lett, MIR.
! Patton said that the rates on the
hotel could be lowered or raised. de
pending upon conditions existing in
the hotel. Witness said that fifteen
ron-board companies could carry the
insurance on the hotel and that there
are fifteen non-b0ard companies here.
The same number OF board compan-
les could carry the insurance. Mr..
Patton said that Ii was at his sug
gestion that the owners of the War
wick hotel made the improvements
whereby the rates were reduced. He
was not instructed by the association
10 suggest to the owners of the hotel
that improvements be made so as TO
secure the reduction of the rates.
Questioned by Captain Berkeley.
Mr.. Patton said that he had renewed
some insurance for the Old Dominion
Land Company, but there was a ques
ton of its acceptance by the land
company. Mr.. Patton had been in
formed by the land company that the
company will not carry any insur-
ance at the ten per cent. increase.
Sol Miller On Stand.
Sol Miller, a local insurance agent.
was the second witness. Mr.. Miller
represents three fire insurance com
panies. He received the "pink slip"
and followed the instructions in it.
Witness said that he does not know
whether all OF his companies are
members of the underwriters as
scciation. Mr.. Miller said he did
rot think he had entered into any
agreement with the association not to
charge more than fifteen per cent
commission. The local agents went
10 Richmond several years ago to
confer with insurance men about
commissions and he thought he at |
tended the conference. At this con.
ference the agents entered a protest
against the fifteen per cent. commits. !
sfons, but the protest did no good. The |
agents issued an ultimation to the as
sociation saying that they would not
take the companies for fifteen per
cent. commission and the association
said that II the local agents would J
not represent the board companies for !
hfteen per cent. commission the as
ISOLATION would open an Office here
and represent its own companies. |
Mr.. Miller was not oss-examined.
Judge Williams Testifies.
Judge Martin Williams, of Giles
county, brother of the attorne >
general OF Virginia, was the next
witness. Judge Williams Is a member
nj the legislature from Giles county.
being elected in 1905. In the session
lct the legislature of 1906. Judge
Williams introduced a bill in the
house for the reenactment of the
Wharton law, legislating the insur-
ance combination. out OF Virginia. and
the Dill passed the house of delegates
IN spite OF strenuous opposition.
Attorney Read, of counsel for the
oefense. objected strongly TO the State
showing from that source the
opposition to this bill eman-
ated, saying that It was not
proper to go behind the scenes in the
legislature ana ascertain Ito motives
o' the representatives who voted for
or against Judge Williams' bill. He
declared that the supreme Court had
ruled time and again on this point.
Made Themselves Obnoxious.
Captain Berkeley said that Col J.
=. West OF Suffolk. had testii.f that