re: Reference No: 00636782
    Acct 53480000374
    Ernst J Meyer Cust
    Leah E Meyer
    Uniform Transfer to Minors Act-MA
    174 School St
    Belmont MA 02478-3547


Ms. Stephanie A. Leone
Columbia Management
Investor services Corporation
P.O. Box 8099
Boston MA 02266-8099

Dear Ms. Leone:
.PP
The attached copy of a confirmation of March 25, 2011
shows you on that date to have transferred, pursuant
to my directions, 3122.566 shares of Tri-Continental Common 
stock from Acct 08695880914 to Acct 53480000374.
.PP
Subsequently, in a letter dated March 30, 2011, you deny that
the transfer was made, writing: "We are unable to act, as the
Stamp2000 Medallion Guarantee provided failed a security scan
due to an illegible stamp."
.PP
You further write: "Please have Cambridge Trust Company reguarantee
your signatures." Permit me to ask why a single illegible stamp
should require the reguarantee of two signatures. I placed a telephone
call to your Client Services Department, and after being required to
listen to many minutes or recorded music, was finally informed by one
of your representatives that all three of Medallion Guarantee stamps which
you required failed the security test. Inasmuch as one of the stamps 
was provided by Cambridge Savings Bank as distinct from Cambridge
Trust Company, probability dictates that the technical failure should
be sought in your scanning equipment or in your scanning technique
rather than in the co-incidental failure of Medallion Guarantees
provided independently by two established Cambridge banking institutions.
.PP
Only a cursory inspection of the preprinted forms which
you require shows that when the Medallion stamp is placed in the 
designated location,
a printed legend:"Part 5 Return Instructions" impinges on the bar code to
be scanned, most likely severely degrading the optical signal and quite
possibly responsible for the scanning failure. Perhaps blame should be
placed not on the officers of Cambridge Trust Co. and Cambridge Savings
Bank but on the designer of your "Transfer for Request of Ownership
Form" who failed to leave sufficient space for the uncompromised display
of the critical bar code.
.PP
Trips to the banks for securing legible Medallion guarantees are no trifling
matter, not for my wife, who is significantly crippled,
nor for my son who must take off time from work.
It is conceivable to me that your imperfect
procedures cause unjustifiable inconvenience and hardship on a sizeable
class of your customers. Please consider the possibility that you have
made a serious mistake. Please consider rescinding the unauthorized
transfer from Acct 53480000374 to Acct 08695880914 which you have
fabricated create the appearance
that the original transfer from from Acct 08695880914 to
Acct 53480000374 had never been made.
.PP
In the event that you choose not to comply with my request, please
return to me the originals of the Medallion scans which you claim
to be unable to scan.
.PP
Thank you for your help.
.nf

Sincerely yours,


Ernst J. Meyer