New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1897-10-30


FROM Mr.. PI.ATT.
n &. q common saying that the bosses are In the
habit OF levying upon the great corporations IN
this city for the benefit of their respective po-
ntical machines. and in this campaign 'he SUD
iect has been referred TO on many piatiorms' Out
the FIRST man to give definite shape 10 such cha'ee
to set forth names and tigures-has been
John Brooks Leavitt the lawyer woo, IN speech
at Citizens Union meeting on Thursday nisht IN
Longacra Square made an exceedingly explicit
stateme . concerning Senator Thomas e. lIatt on
the authority OF another man. whose name ne ulu
not at that time make public. The chdree was j."
effect that while the late Mr.. Beers was pTesideh
OF the New-York Life Insurance Company. Mr.
Plat made a demand upon that corporation lot
$50 co. that Theodore NJ Banta. then as now
cashier Of the NewYork Life refused TO ray inc
money that the directors Cabled the situation 10
Mr. Heers who was then In Europe that Nj Beers
cabled back instructions 10 Mr.. Banta 10 pay Mt.
Plat the money and that on Mr.. Bantas refusal
TO make such payment the money was sent 10 MI
Platt through some other channel than the cash.
ior's Office.
II such a payment as that alleged to have been
made 10 Mr.. Plat had been made since MI McCdi'
became president the duty OF making OUT 'he
check would have fallen 10 the treasurer But IN
the administration Of President Beers. when tns
transaction is alleged to nave taken place. there
was no such Office that Of treasurer, the func-
tons OF both the Offices of treasurer and cashier
being umed by man. That man was Iheo-
dore ". Banta. who Is si cashier OF the com
pany Mr. Banta Yesterday issued the following
denial OF the statements OF Mr.. LeSvitt:
The statements this day published. purportng TO
have been made by John Is Leavitt at publ
Plat with making demand upon thls company
for money and detailing Incidents connected theTs
with and the payment OF such money are wnoiiy
tcular. THEODORE NJ BANTA.
MIR. Banta also. in answer to questions by Trib
tl,a. no had not
and had never had any communication Of any sort
with him. and again denied positively that any
thing in any way resembling the alleged occurrence
referred to by Mr.. Leavtt had ever taken place
NOT FROM PERSONAL KNOWLEDGE.
Mr. Leavitt found at his office. No. Ill Broad
way. He said that in his speech he had been care
ful to explain that he did not make the charge
against Mr.. Plat from his own personal knowledge
OF the incidents. His information. he continued
had been derived from acquaintance. Miles NJ
Dawson whom he had every reason 10 believe 10 be
trustworthy In his statements. In May, $780, sdlo
Mr. Leavitt. he received notice from the twilight
Club, Of this city of which he was MEMBER thal
at the next meeting the subject OF discussion wouo
be- What do you think of ex-senator Ihomas =
Patt?" II occurred 10 him that he might get some
interesting Information for the club by Appearing 10
Mr. Platt himself, so he wrote letter TO the eX-
Senator He began by saying that ne might DC
asked TO speak before the Twilight Club at the next
ways treat public men fairly. and that many ru-
mors affecting Mr. Plat were ahoat' noped tha'
Mr. Platt would not regard as lmperunehe certain
questions which Mr.. Leavitt desired TO ask him.
with a view to dsproving those rumors. lie oe-
sired 10 know whether or not 1t was true that
money was paid by corporations tor the purpose VI
,reuenc,np legislation; TO whom IL was PAID. II al
all and inst what disposition was made OF H. MI
Leavitt didn't think he would get an answer 10 MS
letter but Mr.. Plat did write him NOTE saying
that II Mr. Leavitt would call on MIN he "ouiu oe
nanny to talk on the subject. Mr.. Leavltt CAMEO
che dav after the evening Of the Twilight C!uo
meeting but Mr.. Plat said, u m very SOFT! 'ndt
can't talk with you to-day
AZ the club meeting Mr.. Leavitt had read his
letter TO Mr.. Plat and the iatiers response anu
MIR Dawson, who also present sad TO MN,
demanded $4,000 from life Insurance COMPANY , On
Nr, IN ,he fa he wrote to MI Plat. remind
inc him of their previous Correspondence anu an
Ing MI Plat 10 se1 20 his note he says and
awhile thereafter again wrC o sent r back Word that
Mr. Loavitt had not sigaed ais ieteer anu ,"r
himself had in fact anwereT e en latter returned
brief response which closed the correspondence
NJ NJ. DAwsoN's LETTER.
About the same time he sent note to Mr. Daw-
sen who replied follows
"J nots what YOU say concerning $4,000 check and
will here put in writing all recall that was sd'o
of the New-York Life. In the first conversation
understood him 10 say that Mr.. Plat called tor
go zoo: and Mr. Banta blocked the game by reiusiHs
sign the check ana tnat te conversatoD he
carried the idea that ne did not know whether AR.
Pa5. gH Se Inc demanded udse Beyond
that Mr. Banta probably cou!u no, aSo,, eo or
way this happened several years ago aoou' ~ Vi
81. [ should think ..,.,. ..,,r,o, n,,ose
Mr paw;Sn; N T inc Bow fS Grees Buding No ii
Broadway was seen me- Iso,.a' - whcb he
Inc TWO in his letter to Mr. Levitt had both
,sken mace in the New-York Life Insurance Com
p pans S or Vconhdena for he would not PERM!
tell 10 him as conhoenGe any ,bree or fo
months before The Twilight cub meeting Mr.
B Snt ihe WAS sA about $50 Or r Plat demandec
S6CS nom the company a. contribution 10 IN,
r,dent was in Europe and Mr.. Banta refuse
% nav the money but mat Mr. Banta believed tn
money was on in ca a2I o oder from President
The second lax 100" p,adG air Ba.ta reafiirmeC
,s fermer sIaemenI with the thi
time .Hai n a ra the money MIR Dawson ex
nTes,eu his arnazenent at MIR. Bantas denial INA
isfSs CUB meeting he added after several mem S
beers had spoken IN reiefenTe 10 nv ne had re-
Gently had with the ex-senator az ne men "a'
MIR Dawsons mission was 10 ASK I'm M Once Of n
superinrendent OF Insurance. Mr. Fierce, agalns
whom he said he e NE pawsen says IS the mos
fIn1ona;ic nan he over met. becaus" he is so can
dd~candidly said that he would nor 90 any thin
scainst MIR Pierce because the insurance con.
CANES did not want him disturbed. AS matte
Of fact Mr.. Dawson asserts, some CT the companie
did want pierce removed. Mr. Dawson could nc ne
remember whether or not Mr. Banta spoke OF IN
money az having beea requested w1He cain npS
one reason for MI. Banta,s refusal to pay wa
the, ;he New-York Life had at that time DemS
cratic cashier and Republican president As I
Mr. Banta's reported ADMISSION that SoVVo or {
Count con Of John r Smyth, then Superintendent
Insurance the Implication being that The statener
raSardinr Mr. Fatt had its origin in that transa'
;on Mir Dawson thinks there is nothing in IT, 70
that occurrence is fifteen or twenty years old, an
Nc Davson saws he has a pretty vivid recollecuo
,ha, Nr Ranta set the date Of the matter whC
was the subject or tnoT TWO CONVERSATIONS as III
further back than 1890.