Rensselaer Republican, Volume 18, Number 32, Rensselaer, Jasper County, 15 April 1886 — He Had Consulted His Directors. [ARTICLE]

He Had Consulted His Directors.

. A large proportion of the cotton-mill properly in Spindleyille is, as every-' body kpows, in the hahdsof the Haughton family, who got it through the marriage' of one of the daughters of tho family to the man who started the mill business there. When he died, the property, through a series of perfectly natural steps, paused into the control of the Haughtons. Daniel Haughton, the - head of the family, was a man of great natural shrewdness and strength of .character. His two brothers, Jacob and Jehiel, were always associated with him; but, while 'his business proceedings were understood to, lie with their 'advice and consent, Darnel always had a sort of veto power over his brothers, and nothing was ever passed over hia veto. He is dead now, but the story of the way in which.he used to “consult his directors” is still told in Spindleville. One day a cotton broker called at the office of the mill of which Haughton was Treasurer, and offered him a big lot of cotton at a certain price. “This is so large a contract,”, said Haughton, “tha| T really oughtAo suit my directors about it. They’re inside, and I’ll just step in and consult them. ” Jacob and Jehiel were in the inner office. Daniel went in and explained the proposition to them and said: “Well, Brother Jacob, do you think" we had better bny that cotton?" “No, I don’t think wo had, Brother Daniel; not at that price.” “Well, Brother ’Hid, what do you think we had better do about it?” “I shouldn’t buy it, Brother Daniel; not by any means. ” ' “Oom!” saidJDaniel. Haughton went back to the outer offieer- -where the cotton broker was waiting; “Well, sir,” said he to the man, “I’ve consulted my directors, and I’ll .take the cotton at the price you named!” There is a story of a similar touch of nature in the case of the senior partner of the cotton-mills at, call it Boothby, Connecticut. After his death one of the executors found it necessary to consult some of the directors. He accordingly asked Mr. Parks what action the t)oard of directors were accustomed to take under certain circumstances. » “I do not know, ” said the director. “Why, yes,” said the puzzled lawyer, “you must be able to tell me something. A director for many years, you of course attended the meetings and assisted in the proceedings.” I Growing momentarily more embarrassed, the director leaned forward at last and frankly explained: “All true; I ought to know, but the fact is I usually got notice of a directors’ meeting the day after it had taken place!”— Exchange.