Never Let Go

WHAT follows might be subtitled "The Business Mind at Work," "The ALUMNI MAGAZINE at Work," "Dogged Pursuit," or, perhaps most appropriately, "Patience."

At issue is the sum of $43.12 (or is it $34.45?) in unpaid advertising. The principals: the Arrow ("real collection") Service, Schenectady, New York; the DARTMOUTH ALUMNI MAGAZINE, Hanover, New Hampshire; and a Dartmouth alumnus, Boston, Massachusetts.

Poor Mr. Quarton (the name has been changed to protect a man of admirable restraint) — beset by the War, worried by the re-election of F.D.R., chased by lawyers, turned on by his alma mater, hauled into the Poor Debtor Court. Small wonder he was feeling edgy.

Having recently discovered these letters in our files, we now raise a belated salute to Joseph Quarton, epitome of forbearance. Fie on the Arrow Service! Boos and catcalls to the ALUMNI MAGAZINE" coldly pious, violator of every rule in the alumni relations bible, and fomenter (nearly) of riots in Boston.

January 20, 1939

TO: Arrow Service

We have just decided to give your collection service a try-out and inclose two small overdue accounts. We will be pleased to have you go to work on these and advise us of what progress you make.

Your recent card does not disclose your rate charges and we request that you send these to us at once.

Very truly yours, Dartmouth Alumni Magazine

March 6, 1939

TO: Dartmouth Alumni Magazine

The enclosed statement is your introduction to real collection service. Our success with this unusually difficult account, typifies Arrow Service efficiency.

Frankly, with such a solution at your disposal, is there any reason for having collection losses?

Those accounts that you could once safely "carry along" for six months or more . . .

Today become dangerous.

So, use the enclosed listing sheet to check those potential "uncollectibles" —

NOW!

Sincerely, Arrow Service

March 7, 1939

TO: Arrow Service

If you have anything to report on the Joseph Quarton account, we would be very pleased to have you advise us of the present situation.

Sincerely, Dartmouth Alumni Magazine

March 30, 1939

TO: Arrow Service

We have had no reply to our recent letter to you inquiring what, if any, progress you had made in collecting the account of Joseph Quarton.

If you have been unable to make any headway, kindly let us know at once and we will try elsewhere.

Sincerely, Dartmouth Alumni Magazine

April 4, 1939

TO: Dartmouth Alumni Magazine

Your inquiry received. He will not pay amicably. The account has been turned over to an attorney for further procedure. We will report any developments promptly.

Very truly, Arrow Service

May 22, 1939

TO: Arrow Service

In view of the conditions reported by Joseph Quarton in the enclosed we will temporarily suspend collection efforts until he is given a chance to rehabilitate himself and his business.

Mr. Quarton is a Dartmouth alumnus and for that reason we do not want to seem unfair.

If we receive a check direct from him we will notify you and pay you for your services in the matter.

Very truly yours, Dartmouth Alumni Magazine

March 26, 1940

TO: Dartmouth Alumni Magazine

Some time ago, your Boston attorney entered suit to collect money owed for advertising. This suit was brought against me personally and not against the corporation.

I telephoned his office about this mistake and I understood that this error would be corrected. It was not only not corrected but a default judgment was secured; and last week he had me in the Poor Debtor Court.

I think that this has gone far enough. I understand that I have legal recourse against you for damages.

Sincerely yours, Joseph Quarton

April 2, 1940

TO: Joseph Quarton

As you no doubt recall, under date of May 15, 1939, you wrote us a long letter of explanation as to why you were not able to pay for the advertising you had placed in the Dartmouth Alumni Magazine in 1937-1938.

Consequently, under date of May 22, we wrote the enclosed letter to our collection agency and since that time have done nothing further in regard to having the Arrow Service press the matter, as we understood from the spirit of your letter to us that when you were in a position to pay you would do so.

This action by Arrow Service is independent of any direction from us and we cannot understand how action was taken against you personally unless your corporate title is the same as your name. In any event, we had no foreknowledge of this recent action.

Sincerely yours, Dartmouth Alumni Magazine

August 9, 1940

TO: Joseph Quarton

For more than three years we have carried your account receivable of $43.12 representing a schedule of advertising in the Dartmouth Alumni Magazine during the publication year 193637. [Come on, ALUMNI MAGAZINE, which was it—1 936-37 or 1937-38?]

Owing to the small margin which our self-supporting organization operates on it is extremely necessary that we secure payment of every possible account owed to us.

In any event I should much appreciate a candid statement from you as to your attitude in this matter so we will know where we stand.

Sincerely yours, Dartmouth Alumni Magazine

April 29, 1941

TO: Dartmouth Alumni Magazine

The account has been sued and placed in judgment last year. To date, it has not been possible to enforce the judgment. It was prevailed upon the court to order an assignment of some stock owned by him, but the stock is worthless.

We are continuing to press the matter, and will report again when we have something better for you.

Very truly, Arrow Service

May 2, 1941

TO: Arrow Service

We have received your letter of April 29 concerning the account of Joseph Quarton, Boston, Massachusetts. As long ago as May 1939 we requested you, upon finding certain conditions, to suspend your efforts temporarily to collect on that account.

I would urge at this time again that you please take heed of our request and do nothing further toward trying to collect this account until you hear from us. We have a very valid reason for choosing this course and will appreciate your consideration.

In the event that we receive a check direct from Mr. Quarton we will not fail to notify you and to pay you for your services in the matter.

Thank you very much for your attention to our request.

Very truly yours, Dartmouth Alumni Magazine

May 2, 1941

TO: Joseph Quarton

We have just received word from the Arrow Service in connection with your delinquent account with us. Some time ago we requested them very definitely not to continue their efforts and apparently this request has gone unheeded. We have written them again today repeating our request and want you to know that whatever action they have taken since May of 1939 has been purely on their own initiative and contrary to our request to them at that time.

I have been over all of the correspondence there has been in regard to your account and am very sorry that you have had so many personal difficulties. I hope that now things are going better for you and that at some time before too long we will be able to credit your account. I would appreciate hearing from you at some time in the near future.

Yours very truly, Dartmouth Alumni Magazine

May 6, 1941

TO: Dartmouth Alumni Magazine

Your letter of the 2nd received.

The account has been sued and is in judgment. Any settlement must include the costs, and must be made to the attorney in Boston. The court has rendered the judgment, and we cannot alter the situation.

Should payment be made to you, be certain that the costs are included — and report to us promptly. We have invested our time and money in the account and do not expect it to be withdrawn at this late date.

Very truly, Arrow Service

May 6, 1941

TO: Dartmouth Alumni Magazine

I appreciated very much your letter of May 2.

Conditions in [this] field recently have been far from satisfactory. The president's election interfered with business, and since then the war conditions have been troublesome. It is almost impossible to get men for the war industries, and the companies which are shifting over to war basis are releasing salesmen.

I have told several of my creditors that I will try to pay them some money on or before May 20. I don't know what I am going to be able to do, but I am putting your name on this list and I will be in touch with you again on or before that date.

Sincerely yours, Joseph Quarton

May 10, 1941

TO: Arrow Service

This will acknowledge your letter of May 6 with reference to the account of Joseph Quarton in Boston, Massachusetts. I am not certain that I understand what you mean by your last sentence in which you refer to our withdrawing the account "at this late date."

I have here a copy of a letter written to you, dated May 22, 1939, requesting that "we will temporarily suspend collection efforts until he (Mr. Quarton) is given a chance to rehabilitate himself and his business."

This was written to you two years ago and I see no reason for our assuming responsibility for your actions after that time. I merely call this to your attention in the event that you consider my letter of May 2, 1941, as the first request that you suspend activities on this account.

Yours very truly, Dartmouth Alumni Magazine

January 19, 1942

TO: Dartmouth Alumni Magazine

This man has been sued and the account placed in judgment some time ago. The officers and attorney could never enforce the judgment, because of the fact Quarton was so heavily involved.

He offers to borrow $34.45 and $5.55 costs to settle the matter.

We certainly recommend acceptance of his offer and ask you for your authorization to close the account on this basis.

Very truly, Arrow Service

January 20, 1942

TO: Arrow Service

This will acknowledge your letter of January 19 reporting on the account of Joseph Quarton of Boston, Massachusetts. If you will refer to my letters of May 2 and May 10, 1941, and also to an earlier letter of May 22, 1939, you will find that nearly three years ago you were asked to discontinue your efforts at collection on this account.

We are not interested in accepting Mr. Quarton's offer to borrow $34.45 and $5.55 costs to settle the matter. We do not authorize you to close the account on this basis.

Once again we request you to heed our previous letters and discontinue your efforts according to our letter of May 22, 1939.

Sincerely, Dartmouth Alumni Magazine

January 20, 1942

TO: Joseph Quarton

We have received word today from the Arrow Service of Schenectady indicating that they are still making efforts to collect an old account from you for the Alumni Magazine. You will recall that last spring we wrote to tell you that we had requested Arrow Service to suspend collection efforts but apparently they have not heeded our request.

Their letter today indicates that you have offered to borrow the necessary amount to settle the matter. We enclose a copy of our letter and urge that you do not go to such lengths on our account.

I trust you will understand our peculiar position in this matter and further understand that we are not pressing it in any way and will not do so without first notifying you.

Yours sincerely, Dartmouth Alumni Magazine

January 28, 1942

TO: Joseph Quarton

For your information, the amount due on the judgment together with interest and costs totals $60.68. Please arrange to let me have this sum to close out the account before February 9th, the hearing date of the supplementary proceedings.

Yours very truly, M. D. Richmond

Attorney & Counselor at Law

February 3, 1942

TO: Dartmouth Alumni Magazine

If riots ever start in Boston, your attorney will be one of the causes. In this particular case, he sued me personally for an account owed by Joseph Quarton, Inc. When I notified him of what I believed to be his error, he told me over the telephone that he would correct it — and then went ahead and got a default judgment against me personally. After he did that, he has continued against your orders, to put pressure on me personally to pay a bill I did not contract.

I hope that you will pardon my bluntness, but it is hard to understand why the Dartmouth Alumni Magazine should be doing business with people of the character of your attorneys. Why you — and that means all Dartmouth men to some extent — are in bed with this crowd is more than we can see.

When this case comes up in.court, it hurts me with persons who do not know me. The inference is that I must be a terrible sort of fellow for the Dartmouth Alumni Magazine to draw me in the mud.

With people who do know me, YOU suffer. Frankly, what can I say to a Harvard man who asks me why Dartmouth does things like this?

In your letter you speak of your "peculiar" position. I am sorry, but I do not understand it. The Alumni Magazine hired this attorney. You write him letters which he can at least say are not clear and which he does not understand. You say to me, in substance, "We will tell this wolf not to bite you today — but we may let him at you next week or next month or next year — for something you did not do." It seems to me that if you feel you have made a mistake in the company you have kept, that what you should do is send me a letter or a release or something which will hold water legally which I can show the court and get rid of this situation NOW for all time.

It lies in your power to correct a mistake which is hurting several Dartmouth men.

You have not done this; and you have not said that you will do it.

Does this make sense to you?

I am hoping, in this personal letter, that you will not now takethis matter up with the Arrow Service.

Your Boston attorney is "on a spot" and it will be good for the people who are trying to straighten things like this out here and keep them straightened out if I may have from you a letter or something which I can use in court to have this case thrown out AND GET BACK THE STOCK IN MY COMPANY WHICH YOU HAVE A CLAIM ON.

If you wish to sue the corporation at any time you, of course, may do so.

But, personally, I should like to have something from you which cannot be misunderstood or twisted and which will FINISH this case.

And I must have this soon as the case comes up in court next Monday. Whatever you do must be done this week as I cannot get the mail on Monday and get to court at the opening.

Most sincerely, Joseph Quarton

P.S. I wonder if you have ever heard the story about the doctors who were having a convention. After an evening meeting, several of them went to the Grill Room and sat around a big table — a very large table. A couple hours later one doctor said to another, "Did I understand you to say that you can speak the animal language?" "Yes." "And the animals can understand what you say — and you can understand what the animals say?" "Yes." "Will you do something for me?" "Yes." "The next time you meet a skunk, will you please ask him, for me, what is the big idea." (No reflections on attorneys, of course, is intended.)

[And now the Alumni Magazine does what Mr. Quarton has been requesting for three years: it calls off the hounds.]

February 5, 1942

TO: The Court undertaking proceedings against Joseph Quarton This is to notify you that the Dartmouth Alumni Magazine does not wish to prosecute any case against Joseph Quarton.

Dartmouth Alumni Magazine

THE END (mercifully)

Promising action, "the kind that clicks merrily in yourcash register," this is the come-on that started it all.