New-York tribune., 1905-04-19
TRICK BY ALEXANDER.
So Suspended Man Charges Or
dered ont of T0zcn zcith Body.

The charge was made yesterday that James
w. Alexander. president of the Equitable Life
Assurance Society, used the dead body of gen
eral agent cover for political wire pulling
and tried to get stanch Hyde man away from
town lest he use his efforts to prevent Mr.
Alexander accomplishing his purposes at the
meeting of agents. H. H. Knowles, the man in
question, is responsible for the charge. Mr..
Knowles, supervisor Of agencies, is now under
suspension by President Alexander on charges
Of characterization. That characterization, Mr..
Knowles declared yesterday, consisted in his
telling Mr.. Alexander he would not so out of
town, and any attempt TO send him would be
merely trick.
They wanted me to go to Montgomery, Ala.
to keep away from this conference and to
prevent from working among the general
agents in behalf of Mr. Hyde" said Mr. Knowles,
who then proceeded TO tell what he said was the
story of how the AIexander-TarbeH faction had
tried to use the dead body of Augustus Uhl-
fielder, general agent in Montgomery. as an ex-
cuse to get him to go South. and later TO COM
pei him to go TO Montgomery to take charge
of the agency left vacant by Mr. Uhlfelder's
death. He said:
Mr.. Uhlfeder came here to New-York to see
Mhat ile sl.uattoH W., i-iat NIoIludy ne ana
of the Equitable Building each TO send off a tele-
gram. l had written and filed mine and addressed
some question TO Mr.. Uhlfelder lie started to
reply, stammered, ana fell dead my feet from
heart trouble. had his body taken care of prop
erly, and of his death wired to Mont
gomery. a return message Informed me that Mr.
Uhltelder had relative in this city who
Woui4 take charge Of the body and that il was
shipped South The family also advised me that il
not necessary for me 10 accompany the body
to Montgomery. But the Alexander Iarbell peODle
wanted me 90 with the OOdy last Tuesday az
ternoon was not 10 be found until after the body
had gone
When I got home received a note from James
". Alexander, the president of the society in
Wednesday morning. ! was there time, and we
had a very heated interview. / told Inn his suP-
geston that l should go South the eve of this
conference of general agents in the Hotel Savoy
was thin IL made me smile. I also told him it
simply one of Tarbeus dirty tricks TO get me
OF The way. 4 don't want you TO talk about Mr.
Tarben," said Mr.. Alexander. and l also want
you 10 go 10 Montgomery and take charge of thai
agency until appoint manager TO succeed
Mr. Uhlfelder.
years; / knew what the game was, ana decided
refuse 10 CO. 1 had been forty years with the
company and somebody else ought TO do the travel
ling. / also told Mr.. Alexander there was no
/ temporzeo with Mr.. Alexander and told him /
would give him reply in the afternoon. I said |
had certain private affairs 10 attend 10. And /
also meet the general ulanageTs agents YOU
nave ordered to meet here on Aprll D. said
him Il am the oldest field man Ia the society, and
don't YOU think IL IS a little bit peculiar that
should be sent away, especially Whe1 more than
One-half of these managers, particularly In the
south and West are men OF my own appointment
and my particular friends. Gut OF lhein / may
agency"
BY way Of parenthesis let say that on Tues
day when / was al the railroad station assisting
IN the shipment OF Ar uhlfelders body, knowles