The Mankato free press. [volume] (Mankato, Blue Earth County, Minn.) 1879-1924, 1915-06-18
Agents Hunt Cases
Plying Their Trade
From thursdays Daii,.

OF securing legislation tnat Wouiu
prevent ambulance chasers from car
rying on their work was the keynote
of an address made by Judge Lorin
Cray at the opening session OF the
thirteenth annual meeting of the Sec
ond district group OF the Minnesota
Bankers association in the new
Knights OF Columbus hall last even
ing
Judge Cray deplored the fact that
many, many law cases were brought
TO Minnesota from other parts OF the
United States. and tried in this state
at the expense of the taxpayers OF
this state. because certain Minnesota
law firms had their agents in all parts
Of the country. looking up personal in
juries and inducing those injured to
come To Minnesota 10 be cared Tor
here and have their suits tried here.
This put railroad and other companies
Ia great expense for the Transports
ton of witnesses. II was unjust In
many respects lie said the district
court sessions in Blue Earth county
cost $500 tn $3.50 day and this money
was paid by the taxpayers OF the
county and there was no justice IN
this time being spent by the court in
irving cases brought here from the
south Such cases were costing Ram
sey county alone $1,000 year. At
tempts had been made TO pass laws
i'm Minnesota to prevent tire practice
AZ bringing personal injury cases from
other states 10 be tried in the Min
nesota courts. but these bills were
defeated by lobbyists acting in the
interest of the ambulance chasers.
Critic Of Liability Law.
Judge cray criticized the employ
els liability law. lie said the su
preme court recently held that under
that law the family OF the driver OF
an ice wagon was entitled To compen-
sation from the ice company because
the driver was struck by lightning
while seeking shelter under tree
during a storm. Judge Cray said the
company could not be held to blame
for the storm or for the fact that the
ice man sought shelter under the tree
or for the fact that the lightning
struck the tree. yet. rs the ice man
was killed in the performance OF his
duty as an emplOye of the company
ihe cImpanv WAS liable. This was
-. Paul case. This law should
cured Of the rature of inhict;ng such
Injustice.
The meeting was opened with an
Invocation by Rev. Edward Constant.
pastor of the Congregational church
and then the bankers and others who
were in attendance were welcomed
on behalf OF the city by George NJ.
Palmer. Mr. Palmer declared that
the bankers should be and were the
commercial advisers OF the commu-
nifty in which they were located. They
were public spirited men and much OF
the benefit of their knowledge and
Judgment was given away To the pub
lie without compensation.
Glad Hand at Mankato.
Replying TO the address OF Wei
come, J. Burr Ludlow, cashier OF the
Rushmore State bank, said Mankato
had already established its reputation
as city where conventions would
receive the glad hand and the best OF
treatment received by the visitors
lie spoke Of MankatO as the first city
in the district in the progress of its
municipal improvements
Mr. Ludlow stated that there were
in the state of Minnesota 1859 banks
and OF these all but about n hundred
had Joined the bankers association
He said the second district included
1919 banks and OF these there were
hut twelve or thirteen that had not
joined, and he hoped the number Of
banks still outside the association
would be still further reduced during
this convention. W. ID. willard.
cashier of the First National bank of
MankatO. interposed the remark that
one was going To join that very night.
Mr.. Ludlow spoke at some length ON
the up-tO-date, full-tiedgad banker.
lie said the banker was not born, but
he was made. II required years Of
hard work and experience. There was
no excellence without great labor.
NJ. s. Dossett. cashier of the State
Bank of Madelia, secretary and treas
urer of the group. read the report of
the convention that was held by the
group a year ago at Fairmont Presi-
dent Ludlow announced the appoint
ment OF two committees: Nomina-
tons committee-Emil Hage. New
Ulm; Adolph Sucker, Lewisyille, and
J. II. Thro, Mankato. Resolutions
cOmmittee--F ID. Lindquist. Fulda;
Hans Mo. Sleepy Eye: L. n. Poppitz.
Jackson; J. J. Maloney. Heron Lake.
and r. II. Davis. Blue Earth. The
president stated that arrangements
had been made to have Hon. John
Lind. who recently returned from
Mexico, address the convention that
evening OH the subject of banking
conditions in Mexico. but Mr.. Lind
had been suddenly called away to-
Washington on some business con-
nected with the government
w. ID. Willard of Mankato stated
that he had visited many OF the other
groups at their meetings. but he never
observed In any OF these meetings
that the bankers took so active q part
in the discussions as In the meetings
of the second district group.
Reception for Ladies.
Judge Cray announced that the Wis
iting ladies would be given a recep-
ton at the home of Mrs. +. X.
Naneher on South Fourth street at
2:30 o'clock on the following day :.
Later. II they chose, they would be
taken In automobiles out to Rapidan
dam. together with other visitors In
the city. who were here on the occa-
sion OF this convention. This auto
ride was to start at four o'clock ON
Thursday afternoon, that was, today
Those from outside the city who
registered last evening were as fol