The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1905-04-20
HYDE WON'T RESIGN.
Committee Which Called on Him
Stayed Only IL Minutes.

New York. April Acknowledgements in
the Equitable Life controversy includ-
ing the engagement of Joseph H.Choate
as counsel by James II. Hyde, the de-
mand OF the organization of general
agents for Mr.. Hyde's resignation and
the institution of proceedings in Louisi-
ana, asking for a receivership for the
society under the Louisiana law engag-
ed public attention today almost to the
exclusion of other topics
Mr.. Hyde made an appointment yes
terday to meet. today the committee
OF general agents appointed to demand
his resignation. This committee was
made up of Joseph Bowes of Balti-
more, w ]. Roddy of South Carolina.
Frank G. Levy of New Orleans.
charles Jerome Edwards of Brooklyn
and Charles Wake of New York. While
Mr.. Hyde agreed to receive this COM
mtttee, he declared that he had no in
tentton whatever of .resigning and that,
he regarded the action of the general
agents IN making such request las
impertinent. extraordinary, insulting
and most preposterous.
The demand for an investigation
and the action inaugurated in Louisi-
ana were regarded as making critical
condition which alreadys was ex-
tremeIy serious.
When the committee called at Mr..
Hyde's home at No. 9 East Fortieth
street they were met by Mr. Hyde and
w i44idIl H. mcintyre GIldElSS Alex
ander, w G. CULVER and Alvin
Kreeh, his advisors.
The committee remained in the house
u minutes and returned to the Hotel
Savoy without giving any intimation of
what occurred. A representative of Mr.
Hyde announced, however. that a stem
ographic report of everything said at
the meeting had been made and that an
official statement would be issued by
Mr.. Hyde later in. the day.
Official Statement.
The official statement given out by
Mr.. Hyde of his meeting with the
committee follows:
Mr.. Bowes, as chairman of the COM
mittee, said:
It am charged, sir, with a some
what disagreeabIe task, the bearing to
you of a request from a convention of
managers and agents now assembled
in the Hotel Savoy, that you yolun-
tarily resign your position as vice
president of the Equitable Life. Fol-
lowing is the request of the conven-
ton;
James H. Hyde, vice president of the
Equitable Life Assurance society of
America:
1--WE, the general agents and man
ayers of the Equitable assembled in
convention from all parts of the
United States and Canada, are per-
sonally and through our agents in
close touch with the people, and
of the policy-holders, and deeply de-
ploring the necessity for our action,
therefore sincerely and earnestly ap-
peal to you, on behalf of the Equit-
able, to the creation and upbuilding
of which your father devoted his life.
and for the sake of It's policy-holderse
and its agents, to set aside all personal
interests and now voluntarily retire
from the vice presidency.
HENRY J. POWELL,
*ttIhafTT1an.
.sF. A. AIcNAMEE.
FRANK L. LEVY,
SIX. w. ESTES
Secretaries.
Mr.. Hyde's Reply.
Mr.. Hyde's reply to the committee
IN the first place, I have no inten-
ton of resigning the office of the vice
presidency of the Equitable. Such
course I would consider cowardly
and disgracefuI to the memory of my
father. Second, it is evident from
your extraordinary request and from
the report of the proceedings at your
meeting that you have not the re-
hottest conception of this unfortunate
controversy or the motives behind the
selfish struggle for the control of the
society. I think, however, that you
are entitled to know something of the
real facts on which my attitude is
based, and I will therefore write you
in this remarkable communication.
Il think, however, that your request
might have been far more justified
had it been made to those having no
interest in the society who precipitated
this unfortunate controversy and are
keeping the agitation alive to serve
their own selfish purposes. You will
hear further from me tomorrow.
"Of course you gentlemen must
know that the questions at issue are
now in the hands of the department
of insurance and Mr.. Tricks commit
tee, who, I think you will agree with
me, are the ones to Judge 1t is but
fair to them to say nothing further.
II appreciate how greatly you have
been afflicted through the misfortune,
but I tell you again that the best way
to bring about a satisfactory conclu-
sion for your men is to remain loyal
to the Equitable and not to do any
thing before the report of the investi-
eating committee. On reflection /
think that you will be able to see i'm
partially and to judge these matters
which are now the subject OF contro-
versy in our society.
Mr.. HYDE and his secretary received
the committee alone, his lawyers and
advisors having left the house just as
the committee entered.
E. A. Woods, general agent of the
Equitable in Pittsburg, said today, it
was not true as reported that ne had
been offered a vice presidency IN the
society in return for support of Mr.
Alexander and Mr. TaTbell. Mr..
Woods also said:
ut has been claimed that Mr.. Alex
ander in his efforts to bring about
naturalization was Influenced by the
fact that he would control the proxies
of the policy holders. The public evi-
IDENTIFY does not know the proposition
Mr.. Alexander made to the so-called
committee of IL. Mr. Alexander told
them he would agree to have the
proxies of the policy holders sent to
and deposited with President Roose-
welt, Grover Cleveland or the presi-
dent of any six American universities
Tn the presence Of Mr.. Alexander Mr..
Tarbell announced 1his from the plat