The New York herald., 1878-02-22
INTERVIEW WITH DEPUTY SUPERINTENDENT
McAIL.

INTERVIEW WITH DEPUTY SUPERINTENDENT
M'CAIL.
The charges Of Comptroller Olcoit, made to Gov.
ernor Robinson. against superintendent John +.
Smyth, which were published in the HERALD yester-
day, were the subject Of general discussion In In.
snrance circles. Tho officers Of different companies
hesitatsd 10 express any opinion without careful
qualification The local insurance pauies specified
w the Comptroller "a having been charged large
sums for property appraisemsnt without the
bills bearing the audit oil Mr. Olcott are
the New York Life Insurance Company, Mun.
haitian Lie, Metropolitan, homeopathic, Globe
Mutual, Universal Life and others Il may be possi-
bic the reticence Of the companies In regard to this
delicate matter s caused by the sIrnaest section 2
Of chapter 5?3 of the Laws 1s73 which reads as o-
lows-'Said superintendent. examiner or any officer,
clerk or other empIoys OF any insurance company,
violating the provisions Of this shall be guilty
OF a misdemeanor" The portion OF the section
affecting the companies reads thus mo company
examined shall either directly or indirectly pay,
By way OF gilt Rratuity or otherwise, any other or
iurtnsr sum 10 said superintendent or examiners tor
services or extra services except those audited by the
Comptroer.'
Understanding that Deputy superintendent Mccall
was IN the CITY, HERALD reporter waited upon him
and received the following general iniormation:- -
1T seems 10 be delicate subject TO toucn upon
just now," said Mr.. Jonu A. Mccall, JE IL have
however less hesitation talking about tho matte ,er
tnan II mud been originally appointed by Mr.. Smyth
nave osen IN the department now tor about ten
years, and II 10 my conscientious convection that,
however much 1T may seem to the public that the
superintendent has acted irrcguiary, believe those
VINO know Mr. Smyth Will agree that personally
has never pronted one dollar by any charges made
upon the cOmDanies-"
"How about the charges against the Now York Lie
Insurance, Compsny; OF Waldo, Toby ana Grover.
$24, $40, upd OF William Lambcer, S., ,OU0?n
~ suppose the charges were IN accordance with the
LABOR performed, although do not speak from my
particular knowledgc"
How were the charges made by the appraisersg Is
there fixed sum, or IL 1t simply mattor Of CON nis
sion2r
II believe there is no stated amount nxed by law
"rhen can you not see where the grossest abuses
could be perpetratcd?"
..Perhaps. l have. however, converscd with real
estate experts ana others In regard ~ Mr. Laibcers
appraiseinent. As lar as my Information goes
he only charged SO so pcr piece Tor real exam
ined, whereas u was the opinion that such expert
examination was worth at least $40 per piece"
''1he names Of Harris and Ru0d appear frequently
among the list OF appraisers IN tho different COM
panies. What connection had they With Mr.. Smyths"
II 10 not know"
You hola your present appointment from Mr..
''Yes, aud mako my reports directly 10 him. As
! said before he merely confirmed my previous ap-
polntment. ! spend nearly ,he whole lime here in
New YORK, where ! have an office, and am constantly
.'Do you deem that politics have any bearing upon
the present attack oi Comptroller Oicott upon the
Superint tendentr'
II eannot say. pay very little attention to poll.
tics. and mud am kept busy with the insurance
'whal Is the general outlook In lie insurance mat
tany"
the country which would have survived all unaer
the blows that lile insurance has received. Conf
dencs has been shaken IN the institutions over The
whole country, and the damage Iusrefrom s almost
incaoulable.'
sAavo you spoken With Insurance men in this city
In regard 10 the smyth cnargcs; So, what opinions
have generally been expressed ?"
"rbat while Mr.. smyth may have acted irregularly
ouest,onedD