New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1910-11-16
PETIT AGAIN DIRECTOR
American Temperance Life In
surance Association Meets.
LONG AND BITTER DEBATE
After Defeat of Policyholders
President Delano Gives Them
One Director.

After a long and bitter debate betveso
the policyholders and the administration
factions Of the American Temperance Life
Insurance Association at It's annual meet
ing yesterday. the present administration
was supported by the election OF its can
didate for director, and then. a conces-
sion TO the other faction. agreed 20 mako
room for one rnore director on It's board
and to give the place TO the candidate OF
the policyhoIders' committee.
James T. Petit, who has been director
for the last twenty years. was reelected
by vote OF 1855 70 600 He was tbs adj
ninistration candidate. and though tins
poncyholders' committee made repeated
and vigorou, demands that new blood
should be put into the directorate. they did
not have the votes 70 accomplish IL
Frank DeIano. the president Of the asso-
citation, agreed after the election OF Petit
10 make room on the board OF directors for
one man to be selected by the policyholders,
and they chose Henry ". Wilbur.
The American Temperance Life Insur-
ance Association recently came IN for ths
criticism of the State Insurance Depart
uent. on the ground that they were con-
Quoting their business through the National
Surety Company. an organization in which
several Of the officials OF the life Insurance.
association were interested.
The department suggested certain changes
in this method Of doing business, which,
were acted on favorabIy by the directors.
and they came 10 the meeting yesterday
with a cleaned up sheet so far as the de-
partment was concerned
Petit. election concluded the business
for which the meeting had been called. as
the present officers. with the exception Of
one director hold over. II was originally
planned to hold the annual meeting at the
general Offices of the company, No 293
Broadway but on account Of the unusual
attendance OF poIicyhOlders IL was neces-
sarv TO adjourn TO No ) East 18th street.
the library OF the company
John D. Knapp. 10 whom the adu1inistra-
ton forces referred repeatedly as Dis
charged empIoye OF the company, headed
tho n1Iicvholders' committee. as secretary
When the time for the annual meeting was
approaching Knapp had a preliminary
brush with the officials when he endeaNoreu
10 secure the list of pOlicyho!ders IN order
10 inform them that there was serious
opuosition TO the continuation OF the pres
ent management He gained access 20 Ilie
records through the intervention Of the IN
su-ance Department, and yesterday al tile
meeting referred causticaly TO tho tro1o1s
10 which he had been put
1T is not question Of whether am
5iscbareed erupIoye Of this company said
Mr. Knapp. ct am not on trial here; this
management is on trial before the policy
holders.
E,d-,,,nd /. Mooney the counsel OF the
cornnauv advised the gathering that the
association had purged itself by conforming
IN -he suggestions in the way OF improve
uent made by the Insurance Department
and had abolished the method OF DONG
business through the National Surety COM
panv. AS that was the case Mr. Mooney
said The policyholders should support the
administration which had efficiently handled
the cou1pauy's affairs for the last twenty
years.
The OBSERVATION-DISCLOSURES of the company,
George W Godward. read his annual re
mort. which showed that the association had
something like S25O,000 cash assets Win
seven thousand members. carrying an aver
aee of 81, 900 policies. and an auditing COM
u,lttee was appointed To look it over
After the meeting the COMMITTEES OF pol
frvhoiders for which Mr. Knapp was
Spokesman admitted their entire defeat.
b11- said that their work would undoubted-
" have good effect upon the future man
- cement of the company's business
Tor the administration. Mr. Mooney de-
cIared that the present management nad
rectitfed all the errors complained OF by me
poficvhoIders IN response 20 the suggestions
81 the State Insurance Department before
the Knapp faction had made any complaint
at all.
The poIicyholders by large majority
i7dorsed the present management. SAID MT
Mooney. and the company will continue
doing business under its leadership What
trouble the company has been through Is
entirely internal. and that Is all clearer
auraz- nv tO-Cav'S action.