The Ocala evening star. [volume] (Ocala, Fla.) 1895-1943, 1913-07-16
SOMEWHAT SEVERE

Albert NJ. Williamson. who runs
the Floridian just about as he blame
pleases, is an independent and out
spoken man. Unfortunately he ruins
a great deal of his best work by de-
nouncing many men and measures
simply because they do not suit him
personally, thereby causing the pub
lie to doubt his judgment. tho it sell
dom questions his honesty. In the
Painter case, however, We don't know
Of any reason why Mr. Williamson
should be prejudiced, and as he says
in print what hundreds of men are
saying to each other, We reprint the
following article from his paper, not
Lhat We unqualihedly endorse all its
suggestions, but because a number
OF its statements apply directly to
several of the most serious defects in
the life insurance business-defects
by the way, which the insurance COM
panies had better remedy soon, or the
state will do it for them. Mr. Will
iamsou's article follows:
The Case of f. o. Painter
We have refused to say anything
about the case Of the late E. o. Paint
er, and the insurance companies for
1he reason that this matter will
doubtless 90 to the courts, and these
tribunals ought not to be handi-
capped by newspaper expressions.
An EDITORS opinion ought to be
based upon his sworn obligation, if
sitting upon jury and such opinions
when published too often bias some
member of that jury, and for this
reason, we have thus far refrained
from any expressions.
From the evidence in these cases,
one is naturally imbued with the i'm
preston that Mr.. Painter had some
premonitiOn Of an untimely death;
and that he became literally crazed
over leaving his family and associates
in business free from financial en-
barrassment.
He was incapable of chlorofOrming
these poor little insurance companies
and forcing them to issue these poll
cies.
1t is a we'll established principle of
law that He who doeth a thing
through another, doeth it himself"
These doctors or medical eXamin
ers'' were regularly in the employ of
these insurance companies, and were
their accredited representatives.
The companies had abundant re-
sources for all information concern
ing the habits of an applicant for in
.suTance and the amount of insurance
already carried or applied for by such
applicant
Every man familiar with life in
surance, knows that a very large per
cent if not the preponderance of the
income of these insurance companies
IS derived from ''lapses."
The facts in this case are some
thing like these: These companies
believed E. O. Painter to be a good
risk His habits were exceptionally
good They played on him for an
easy mark" They knew he was
applying for more insurance than he
could keep up. But still they tor
mented and harassed and logged his
Footsteps for more.
There is only one solution to the
Droblem-they thought they were go
ing to beat the game" They played
and lost They wanted lapses. and
they got death instead.
They have lost a lot at their own
game. Hence this howl They have
gone to every extreme that money
CORPORATIONS only will, go. They have
invaded the sanctity of his home,
bumiliated his loved ones, desecrat-
ed the grave, and mutilated the body
of a dead man.
We have more sympathy for the