The Montgomery advertiser., 1905-04-21
LIKE GLUE
 HYDE STICKS Has No Intention of Giving
 Up His Job. NOTIFIES THE COMMITTEE Both Factions Employing
 Eminent Counsel. Former Attorney General Knox Will Aid Alexander, While vice-President Adds Cheate to His Stan
 oi Attorneys

New York. April 2o.--After Vice President James H. Hyde of the Equi- table Life Assurance Society had in- formed committee of managing agents this afternoon that 1t would be impossible because of previous engage ments for him to address them today, the agents convention which has been in session in this city for three days adjourned without delay.
 This committee did not see Mir. Hyde but telephoned to him at his office and was given the information that the first vice president of ths Equitable was glad to receive the invitation but could not accept: that. however. he would prepare statement and transmit it to the committee covering the situation as he conceived it. This statement. it is understood, will be circulated among l the agents when received.
 The invitation to address the agents followed a call by a committee on Mir. Hyde this morning with a request that he resign as an officer of the society. This Mir. Hyde declined to do in an ad dress in which he said he would consid- CT such an action unworthy and dis graceful to the memory of my father" and he added further:
 Tt is evident from your extraordi- nary request and from the report Of the proceedings at your meeting that you have not the remotest conception of the unfortunate controversy or the motives behind the struggle for the control of the society"
 Hyee Will Write. Tn this same address he promised to write the agents tomorrow in reply to their demands.
 Mir. Hyde's speech had followed one by Joseph Bowes of Baltimore, chairman of the agents committee, in which MT. Bowes recited that the re- quest for the resignation was practical ly unanimous.
 These were the principal develop ments of the session of the agents which began at the Hotel. Savoy this morning and continuing until after D. m Permanent organization was ef- fected and officers chosen and. shortly before adjournment it was decided that the committee of seventy-two named yesterday towait on State Superintend- emf of Insurance and upon Governor Higgins to urge Legislation favorable to naturalization should proceed to Syracuse tomorrow morning and see Superintendent Hendricks at his ofhee there and return to Albany and meet Governor Higgins.
 The Executive Committe of he Equi- tahle also met today in President Alex
  nouncement of the demand for MT. Hyde's resignation was discussed, noth- ing was given out. ., os
 Tho committee of investigation Of which H. c. Prick is chairman "Fs III session in the course of the day and unanimously agreed to employ former United States Attorney General Knox as counsel. yestigation would be pursued with all possible speed and thoroughness. It was understood tonight that many or the agents were leaving for their homes Public Interested.
 Developments in the Equitable Life controversy, including the engagement of Joseph H. Choate as counsel py James H. Hyde, the demand of the or- ganization of general agents for MT Hvde's resignation and the institution of proceedfngs in Louisiana asking for a receivership for the society under the Louisiana law engaged public attention today almost to the exclusion Of other topics. MT. Hyde made an appoint ment to meet today the committee of general agents appointed to demand Sis resiRnaticn. The committee was made .up of Joseph Bowes of Baltimore, w. J. Roddy of South Carolina, Frank C. Levy of New Orleans, Charles Je- rome Edwards of Brooklyn and Charles Wake of New York. While MT. Hyde agreed to receive this committed, he declared that he had no intention whatever of resigning and that he re- Rarded the action of the general agents in making such a request as "imperti- nent. extraordinary, insulting and most preposterous."
 The demand by the agents for an in- vestigation and the action inaugurated in Louisiana were regarded as making critical a condition which already was extremely serious.
 When the committee called at MT. Hyde's home at No. 9 East Fortieth Street. they were met by MT. Hyde and w. H. Mcintyre. Charles Bate Alexan- der. w. C. Gulliver and Alvin Kreich, his advisers The committee remained in the house twelve minutes and re- turned to the Hotel Savoy without giv- ing any intimation of what occurred. A representative of MT. Hyde an- nounced, however, that a stenographic report of everything said at the meet ing had been made and that an official statement would be issued by Mir. Hyde later in the day.
 The official statement given out by MT Hyde of his meeting with the com mittee follows:
 MT. Bowes, as chairman of the com mittee. said;
 'l am CndEBGug SIT WAth d disaRreeable task, the bearing to you of a request from convention of man agers and agents now assembled in the Hotel Savoy that you voluntarily re- sign your position as vice-president of the Equitable. Following Is the re- quest of the conventions:
 Conventions Request.
 James H. Hyde. vice-president of the Equitable Life Assurance Society of America:
 we. the general agents and man agers of the Equitable, assembled in convention from all parts of the United States and Canada. are personally and through our agents in close touch with the people and knowing the deepseated convictions of the policy holders and deeply deploring the necessity for our action. therefore sincerely and earnest ly appeal to you on behalf of the Edui- table to the creation and upbuilding of which your father devoted his life. and for the sake of its policy holders and It's agents to set aside all personal in terests and now voluntary retire from the vice-presidency.
 (SiRned.l Henry J. Powell.