Business: Man Who Sued Coolidge

"The Man Who Knew Coolidge" (by Sinclair Lewis) was a talkative gentleman apt to buttonhole you in the smoking car. The Man Who Sued Coolidge—Lewis Tebbetts of St. Louis—is 48, 6 ft., 170 Ib. His hair is thinning on top. He has been married 17 years. He likes colorful ties, and flashy suits. He likes to take his wife to a roof top, study the stars. He also likes to invent things, has sold some. He is a free lance in the insurance business, being helped greatly by his aggressive personality and eloquence. He considers himself a leading advocate of "term insurance." In 1930 a number of companies sought to have him barred for what they considered unethical practices. He filed suits, still pending, asking $200,000 in damages from 31 companies and 33 agents. One day last October, The Man Who Sued Coolidge tuned his radio to hear a speech on insurance by the former President of the U. S. His blood boiled when Mr. Coolidge nasally warned: "Beware of the so-called 'twister' and 'abstractor' or any agent who offers to save money for you by replacing your policy in another company." Saying his reputation was injured, Agent Tebbetts filed a $100,000 libel suit against Mr. Coolidge.

Last week Mr. Coolidge wrote Mr. Tebbetts a letter of apology, assuring him "no personal offense was intended." His attorney, Everett Sanders, sent Mr. Tebbetts a check for $2,500 to cover legal expenses, and the case was dropped. Newshawks. marveling at this turn of events, could elicit from Attorney Sanders, Agent Tebbetts and Mr. Coolidge no explanation of the check, could only conclude that Mr, Coolidge deemed it worth $2,500 to escape the publicity of a trial. Gloating grimly, Mr. Tebbetts prepared to sue big New York Life of which Mr. Coolidge is a director.