J. E. Begert to A. R. Fisher on Retiring Edward T. Shanahan (1940)

A one-page confidential memo of February 16, 1940, from J. E. Begert, manager of Johns-Manville's Manville, New Jersey, factory, to A. R. Fisher, a J-M vice-president, enclosing a recommendation to move Edward T. Shanahan to the "Retired Payroll." Begert hoped Shanahan would be kept on the active payroll as long as possible and then retired at no less than $125 a month, since "Eddie is not improving." Once that was settled, the plant would apply to the Travelers Insurance Company to have him declared totally disabled under J-M's group life policy, at $100 a month.

In Johns-Manville's chronology

Johns-Manville's own chronology of what the company knew describes this document as follows:

J.E. Begert (Manville plant manager) recommends to A.R. Fisher, 2/16/40, that Edward T. Shanahan, who has not worked for a considerable length of time and is hospitalized at the Glen Gardner Sanitorium, be retained on active payroll for as long as possible and then retired at a rate of no less than $125 a month. Begert recommends filing an application with Travelers on behalf of Shanahan for permanent total disability under J-M's Group policy. Vandiver Brown, 5/13/40, approves Shanahan's retirement. A.M. Schmidt (J-M Insurance Manager) files an application with Travelers for PTD which he believes will be approved.

Editor's note: J-M's description says Shanahan was in the Glen Gardner Sanitorium; Begert's memo does not name his illness or the sanitorium. Vandiver Brown's approval of May 13, 1940, and A. M. Schmidt's application to Travelers, which the description also reports, are not in this file.