New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1883-05-12
ARRESTED FOR PERJURY.
AN INSURANCE PRESIDENT IN TROUBLE.

ANDREW j. SMITH, OF THE MANHATTAN COMPANY,
CHARGED BY SUPERINTENDENT MCALL WITH
SWEARING TO A FALSE STATEMENT.
Insurance Superintendent John A. Mccall, jr.,
came to tue city on Thursday. aud after an exam
inaIon of somc books in the Office of the Manhattan
Fire Insurance Company, at No. 1872 Broadway
went TO the office of DiStrict-AtOrney McKeon TO
secure the arrest of Andrew j. Smith the president
of the company, on a charge of perjury. Mr.. Vim
cent. of the Dlstrict-Attorneys Office, advised the
Insurance Superintendent to make complaint be-
fore police justice in the usual way and to have
Mr. Smith arrested and held for trial at the Court
of General Sessions. With the assistance given him
in the Distrct-Attorncy' Office, Superintendent
Mccall prepared an affidavit upon which
Police Justice White issued warrant
for the arrest of Mr.. Smith, and 1T was
placed in the hands of Detective Won Gcrchten to
serve.
Mr. Smith had some knowledge of the purpose of
the Insurance Superintendent. and he sent word
that he would be on hand at the court whenever
required. Yesterday morning he went with his
sister aud somc friends to the Office OF William +.
KlntAng one OF his counsel, where they met tho
detective and proceeded to the Iombs Police Court.
They taken into tho private examination
room, where Mr. Smith was aTralgncd before JUS
tIce White on the charge of perjury and pleaded
not guilty. Bail was fixed at 1000 and Charlotte
j. Smith, sister Of the accused man, was accepted
as surety Sho lives at No. 40 West Twenty
thrd-s in tho same house with Mr.. Smith who IS
a bachelor, fifty years of age.
The affidavit Of superintendent Mccall upoA
which the arrest was made charges Mr. Smith with
perjury in swearing to the report of the condition
Of the Manhattan Fire Insurance Company for the
year 1850, which sent to the Insurance De-
partmcnt. The alli avit sets forth that "sald
statement il false; that the item of unpaid losses
returned at $43 $50 was understated to the extent
Of at least SO OOO that the item known "a No. 20.
under the head OF liabilities reported at $4,000.
was undcrsta'cd 10 the extent Of at least S2j 600"
II is also stated in the ai law, that The secretary
of the company, Louis T. Cauman, has puriolned
from the asset, the sum Of $50, 1876 that the books
were altered Ia an attempt 20 conceal the cmbellle-
mcut, and frequent erroneous entries were m1do IN
the journal AMI cash-books by Carman for the pur-
pose of dcccvng the stockholders and the policy
holders a. to the true condition of the affairs of the
company Appended to the company's annual
report sent to the Insurance Department in Jan
uary. 1Sel. was a du!y-ycrldel affidavit made by
President Smith and Secretary Carnan. This aii
dayi' read as follows:
Andrew smith president. md Louis p. Carman, score
tary. ot iLc Manhattan Ere Insurance Complny being
duIg drrOsr and Tor Nlllstu AVS
thar tlcy ar" m" aooyed,sr~'I officers OF tIo rd'I
company and that thc 3i,f tar Of December last all
the foregoing d-cp a--rt- were thr np,o.utc prop
riY"i ui" SAN conn ih5 Ir', 1ll '''i '','ll -
or claims thereon except us herein before stated ana
that the foregoing statement wth the sc1'dlic5 ana
explanations hrrtnio ann, ,Krl 7 ihi aHd orr 't Z
mon oi n t.r .iah - aui o tI" Income ana eXpendi,
ad o thc general condition aud 1rt OF the SAID
company TIE 3lst daj OK December i7-J.
It's ON thi. auillyIt Of Mr. Smith That the charge
Of PERJURY Is brought by the Insurance Supcrin-
tcudcut. In Mr McCalrs affidavit filed in the
court Yesterday. he says:
The l,-- books OF the company, kept by the president
at the date of said s'em"nt of at least $4,000 more
tiaa the amount returned unpaid
Louis T. CarmAu, the secretary Of the Manhattan
COMPANY abscoudcl several weeks ago. His books
were then examined by an expert and the amount
Of the cmhcll.cmcnt, was discovered. Arrange
mruts had previously been made to wind up the
affairs Of the company. and rs policies were rein
surcd by the Fhunx ire Insurance Company
Warrants for both perjury and cub"ll.cmcnt were
issued against Carman, but he has uoi been found
He is Young man and nephew of President
smith His wife the first 10 report his disappear
auce a' .he bccam" alarmed because oi ms absence
from homo and called n Police Headquarters to
make Irqurics IN regard To him.
Mr.. smith Is wrli-knOwn among insurance men
and has been connected with the Manhattan Fire
Insurance Company for about thirty yeats. lie was
icsurcsi,,rnt m tIe time ol the CLlcaCo fire after
which. owing to heavy losses, the company was re.
organized and hc was made president His counsel
said yesterday that he had advised Mr.. smith not 10
make any statement for publication lie said It
was quite evident that president OF an insurance
company could not be expected To max" an exaInl-
nation OF every item upon the companys books ~
order to know whether or not statement prepared
from those books IN every respect correct.
NubOrdnates, he said had 10 bc trusted TO that ex-
tent. and that the foundation OF the complaint
against Mr.. Smith.
The sister of Mr. Smith, who became the surety
on his baal bond, was very indignant 1t the charge
She sad that neither Mr smith nor Mr. Carman
was capable of doing any wrong.
1t rumOrcd that Insurance superintendent
Mccall. who returned 10 Albany IN the afternoon.
would aEply for receiver Tor the Manhattan Com
pany. But ~ IL has rcInsurcd all ITS risks and is
not now dong any business, the report was gcncr-
ally discrcdlted.