Milford chronicle., 1905-10-13
MUTUAL GAVE TO
CAMPAIGN FUNDS
Contributed 100000 to Republican
Committee Since 1895.
$4,000 WAS GIVEN LAST YEAR

New York, Oct. 1.-THE sessions of
the insurance investigating committee
were terminated for the week because
Of the death of S. Fred Nixon. speaker
of the assembly of the legislature, Of
New York, at his home in Westfeld.
The testimony did not elicit any in
formation of a sensational nature he
yond what had been discounted in the
testimony of previous witnesses. The
feature was the presence of witnesses
of the executive officers of the Mutual
Life Insurance company. These were
President Richard A. McCurdy and
Vice Presidents Granniss and Gill
lette.
While 1t had been hinted last week
that some expenditures charged to le-
gal expenses might have been contri-
buttons to campaign committees, it
was announced definitely by Dr. Gil
lette that the Mutual Life Insurance
company contributed $4,000 to the
Republican national committee last
fall that in 1900 S35,OO0 was contrib
uted and in 1896 $4,000 was given for
campaign purposes.
An interesting statement was made
by Robert Olyphant when he was on
the stand early in the day Mr. Oily
phant is chairman of expenditures,
and he could not tell what the S25, 900
items drawn to his order we're for be-
yond that they were for legal ex-
penses. He said the company main
fufnnd q 81 F1r
lures for which no voucher was taken
and no receipt was received. These
payments were made upon the assur-
ance of an executive officer that they
were all right.
Vice President Granniss knew little
about the contributions to campaign |
funds, but justified them on the same |
ground as President John A. Mccall,
of the New York Life, that the free |
silver plank in the Democratic plat |
form was menace to the interests of
the policyholders.
When Mr.. Crimmins was called to
the stand he assumed the entire re-
spOnsibility for the terms of the con-
tracts with G. H. Raymond & Co. by
which that firm made such large prof
its When the method of the expendi-
ture Of the $25OOOO items was in
quired into Mr.. Granniss admitted that
the general solicitor could get $25,O0O
any time he wanted 1t without disclOs-
ing for what purpose he wanted it
and without rendering any account of
It. He further said that he never knew
where a cent of the money spent by
the general solicitor went.
In taking up q detailed list of the
cOmpany's expenses, DR.. Gillette said
that the company last year paid $72,-
900 for luncheons for the employees. It
Is a custom for the company to fur
nish their clerks with luncheon. This Is
at the rate of about $3.50 day.
President McCurdy made the start
ling statement that an insurance COM
Dany was not an institution founded
% make money for the policyholders.
1ut was, or should be, a great phiIan-
hropic enterprise founded to increase
md spread its benefits over the en- I
ire earth.
There has been a great mistake c
made" he said, about the real prov y
nee of life insurance companies in a
hese latter years. People have been Y
ed to believe that the main purpose q
vas to make money for its policy \
olders. In my view that is not the e
urpose of such companies. They a
lemOsynary. When man insures in h
company he should take into consid- Il
ration the fact that he has entered a "
reat philanthropic concern that is in
uty bound to spread itself, even
lough this growth prevents him from J,
9alizing as much as he expected"
Speaker Nixon Dies of Appendicitis.
Westfield N. Y, Oct lis. Fred II,
ixon. speaker of the assembly. died -
- his home here. He was taken ill a ~
lort time ago with appendicitis. Sim ~ ~
e methods relieved the trouble tenn u
,rarily, but a sudden turn for the - -
orse came, and an operation was n
The wound failed to heal, - -
)weyer, and a second operation was I'll I'll
yesterday From this he did n
It rally g
HUGHES HAS DECLINED re