Los Angeles herald., 1905-11-22
Tells of Gifts for
Campaign Funds
Admits Contributions by
Insurance Companies
Aged Politician Talks Of Sums De-
livered In Cash to Him--He
Was Expected to Use
His Influence
RY Associated Press.


NEW YORK, Nov. 21.--The identity
of Senator Depew's "rambunctious
friend from up the river" was disclosed
In the session of the state legislative
insurance investigating committee to-
day by the testimony of John A.
Nichols, lawyer under retainer by
the Equitable Life Assurance society.
Mr.. Nichols had written Senator Depew
letter referring to an individual in
the above terms, and this letter was
read at the session of the committee
Friday when Senator Depew was on
the stand. The senator was unable to
recall who was meant by the ram
bunctious friend" but today Mr.. Nichols
disclosed series of payments to w.
8. Manning of Albany, a former actuary
who had been connected with the in
vestigation of insurance companies in
1877. Mr.. Hughes inquired as to re-
port that Manning had been in pos
session of information that was sup
pressed during this investigation and
that would have been detrimental to
the Equitable. Mr.. Nichols could not
recall the the suppression of informa-
tion, but he detailed the payment of
sums of money over a considerable
period to Manning as an inducement
to give up his business as actuary, in
which capacity he believed Manning
was a menace to the Equitable COM
pany.
Aside from the disclosures made by
Nichols on the witness stand the fea-
ture of the day was the appearance of
United States Senator Thomas c. Platt,
who did not hesitate to tell of the con-
tributions of insurance companies to
state campaigns. The Equitable, the
Mutual and the New York Life were
the only insurance companies that made
such contributions. The Equitable con-
tributed regularly $1,000 to state cam
paigns the Mutual Life the same sum
frequently and the New York Life a
sum not so large and occasionally.
These moneys were always delivered in
cash to Senator Platt's Office by mes
senger and he turned them over to the
state committee.
The senator said he was expected to
influence the legislature when any leg
islation appeared that was hostile to
the companies. Senator Platt said he
believed he had asked President r. A.
McCurdy of the Mutual Life for con-
tribution when the needs were very
great. He had however, never been
asked to use his influence on any
measure before the Legislature, nor had
ne ever uOuG SO IIC hllSN iiONiiihS
about contributions to the national
campaign.
Gage E. Tarbell, the second vice
president of the Equitable, was also
on the witness stand again today. His
testimony Friday was interrupted by
the adjournment and today he con-
tinued his explanation of the agency
system of which he had charge, and
the manner of arriving at the commits
sions. One part of his testimony
caused much amusement to the COM
mittee, as we'll as to the spectators,
when he described a fight with the
New York Life over the taking of
agents. In this statement Mr.. Tarbell
told how he had won over a general
agent and 200 sub-agents of the New
York Life in this city without the
cost to the Equitable of so much az
one dollar. The only inducement offer
ed was that the agents could make
more on a commission basis than un-
der the salary of the New York Life.
Mr.. Tarbel detailed this deal with
the agent in its various stages, and said
that he closed the deal on a Sunday.
He thought it was Il good job, as it
was done on a good day.