Norwich bulletin., 1920-02-25

the Middletown National Bank, call- ing his attention to efforts that were being made to bring about a closer relationship between banks and far mers so that short term loans might be provided them to improve the az I ricultural conditions in the county, taH of which would tend to greater
 development of farming in Middlesex
 county. It was a war measure for l the purpose of increasing farm pro- l duetion as well as ultimately in-
 creasing business for the bank. l Upon this suggestion the bank vot- 1 ed to appoint a committee of three directors to be known-a the agricul- tural committee, of which MT. Hazen 1 was chairman as stated above. On Feb. 1st. 1918. MT. Hagen, as
 Chairman of the committee, recom-
 mended that special man be pro
 cured for the extension of the agri-
 cultural interests and the interests of l the Middletown National Bank. l On Feb 15, 191S the bank voted | to appropriate a sum not to exceed 1 $400o for the extension of this work. On March 1st, 1918, Mr. Frederick, s. Chapman of Old Saybrook was i hired by the agricultural committee
 as agricultural agent of the bank, for 1 one year. at a salary of s2o00, his work to be entirely under the super i vision of the agricultural committee. In the Report of Committee on
 Plans for Securing Agricultural Ac- counts (which was laid in as evil | dence as Exhibit Al it is found that the bank had in mind employing a f special man who should study care fully the conditions in each commu- 1 nity and town outside of the city of
 Middletown, to get acquainted with
 and close to those individuals in each
 community to whom he could give
 advice or assistance in any way along a great variety of agricultural lines, and to also instruct them i wherever possible along the line of .seeuring financial assistance from the bank and of opening accounts with the bank.
 Briefly the function of MT. Chap
 man as agricultural agent was to procure deposits and discounts for the bank from the rural districts, to 1 promote the agricultural and com
 mercial interests of the surrounding community to make the bank well and favorably known among the in fiuential citizens and those liable to have business of value to the bank,
 to assist in the promotion of the pro- duetion of food and to aid in all other patriotic enterprises in which the bank was interested from patri-
 otic motives.
 There were other exhibits laid in as evidence, marked B and c. which purported to show the wide scope of the duties which the claimant was
 expected to engage in as agricultural agent of the bank. He could do al-
 most any work which, in his opinion, would be looked upon with favor by
 the person for whom he was doing the work. It was left entirely with
 the claimant to use his own judg- ment as to what9he should do, when | he should do it and in what manner
 it should be done He had no regu- lar hours. lis activities were made
 known to the Agricultural committee were rather in the form of a diary. and which are a part of the evi-
 dence, marked Exhibit e.
 He did all kinds Of work, manual
 and mental, he was advisor and help
 CT to the farmers Of The county. His
 business was to create an atmos- phere of friendliness toward the bank
 and to keep the name of the Middle
 town National Bank continually be-
 fore the people of the county. Direct
 Y and indirectly he was engaged in
 doing favors for the various farmers
 both in an effort to increase farm
 production and improve agricultural
 conditions, and also to enlarge the
 business of the Middletown National
 Bank. His own judgment was the guide as to what he should do and
 how far he should go in these vari- : GUS and diversified pursuits. The
 bank in hiring him practically told him to go out and make himself good with the rural communities, after they had thoroughly advertised theil plan in the newspapers, suggesting
 the use of his services by the people
 He made daily reports to the agri. cultural committee, which reports
 were approved, and they were at al times well informed as to his activi.
 ties. were satisfied with his work ant
 his methods, and had never curtailet
 him In any way as to these activitie. or methods, but had rather com.
 mended them.
 Many acts of purely manual labo, [ were also done by the claimant as al accommodation to his neighbors O.
 farmers in the county in the further . ance of his functions as agricultura agent of the bank, such as:
 Assisting in binding oats (Aug. S) raising potatoes (July g, 11). helpinj . remove an automobile from a ditcj (Aug. PSI.
 On frequent occasions claiman a used his own Ford truck, either be f cause the banks car was laid up fo q repairs. or because his own truck wa f better adapted for the special wor q which he desired to accomplish. in ', stances of these are May 24, Aug. 2. f Aug. 26, Sept. 20. Sept 23, and Nov l. 22.
 q Besides the many acts specific I above, claimant was doing innumer n able acts of accommodation for va a rious persons in the rural communi Q ties about Middletown. which th Q bank could not directly receive an ,f benefit from, but they were a part if the program which in the ultimat 70 would bring good feeling and result e to the bank.
 ije On Aug. 10th and 18th cIafma, nn nn used the power attachment on h n Ford truck for demonstration pul
 poses while interviewing farne along agricultural lines, and this ar I9 pears in his report made to the aer n cultural committee. The particul, d act in which he was engaged at u ,e time of his injuray was of no diffel "a ent order from that of the many otl '0 CT acts of accommodation which
 was performing continually for il ; residents of the rural districts of u i, county.
 ,,- On June 18th the claimant made ,, report to the Middletown Nation 7 Bank in which he showed as resu . of his various activities up to tn ;s date twelve new accounts brougf .l5 into the bank.
 - On Aug. 18th he reported that I te was using his own car and was ab