New-York tribune., 1905-11-28

For the first time in the legislative insurance
investigation Charles E. Hughes yesterday laid
aside his cool and deliberate Isethod of pro-
cedure and he treated George W. Perkins to the
fiercest and bitterest cross questioning that any
witness has yet faced First Mr.. Perkins tried
to make a speech. This the favorite device
employed by him on former occasions. Yester-
day he was met at the start with d prompt COM
mand to answer questions. not to orate. iheh
he waxed indignant and pounded the table,
waved his arms and uttered protests rms was
met with cool directions TO address bf1r1seit 10
pending affairs Finally he essayed long e&-
plantations, and at the climax of one he was met
with such a pointed comment that the WhoLe
audience burst into boots and jeers and even
hisses Of derision Nothing In the whole prog
ross of the investigation has compared with TINS
manifestation of aninosity which met MI Fer-
kins.
Moreover the grim comment of Mr.. Hushes
which provoked this unexampled demonstration
will long be remembered as summing up 81
much of the existing insurance situauoh- III an
unhappy moment Mr.. Perkins sought TO explain
that the reason he was unable to trace the as
nosition made of the $4,000 profit made for
NyIic ard banked to his own account was that
he handled all the Nylic money together. with
out reference to individual items mixing it with
his own money and with that of other accounts
of which he trustee.
Mr.. Hughes" he illustrated stretching out
his arms and starting a fluent period. It's
just as 1t is with the fees you have received dur
ing the present year. You couldn't say ofhand
what you had spent each for. could you?''
Mr.. Perkins, came the answer. deliberate
but unmistaking in it's biting sarcasm, Il am not
a trustee for my fees"' Then the audience ex-
pressed it's feelings
From the point OF view of the spectator, Mr..
Perkins's progress from fuency and good humor
to 1alting and almost unntegbe phrases and
almost uncomfortable passion q striking
tribute to the ability of the cross examiner.
From smiling and interject1ng comments to
stenographer6 and reporters, Mr. Perkins slow
Iy changed du attentive and lseonie witness
Frequently he paused to wipe the per5piration
from his forehead. and his eyes ranged round the
ROOM taking in the crowd and the ceiling at
once He gave every evidence of exhaustion
when the grueIling five hours were over.
In the morning little that was really signif-
cant occurred to disturb Mr. Perkins. On the
question of rebates Mr.. Perkins modestly ad-
rnitted that he had taken only six on the whole
tventy-four policies he held, amounting TO
100000 but he believed in the right Of the in
surance official to take them. He admitted the
TarbelI rebates from the New-York Life. but
declared that he was not responsible for them
Mr.. Perkins patiently paIned JnaC the ColIl-
mittee could not see the distinction between this
and rebating but did not convince them
Mr. Hughes then began the first serious eX-
animation OF the day, dealing with the sub
cellar syndicate by which the New York Life
took part through the NeW-Tork Security and
Tr,,st Company. in United States Steel to the
Avfent of So 3I5G00. Right here Mr. Perkins
With a bland smile produced long statement
and in reply to Mr. Hughess first question, OF
fered TO read ii.
"Just answer my question. We haven't got
+t7,,e for speeches was the grim rejoinder. This
,,ria,ed Mr.. Perkins who explained that he had
,ee7 criticised for his share In this transaction
and tbought he really ought TO have chance -
explain the whole affair
..Yor.U have A chance to make full explana-
tfor was MT Hughes's calm assurance MI
po-l,tns nounded the table and MADE an in
.e,a+,,sJ ,,rotest Then he took up the questions
re 4o,d the story OF the trust ComDanys 5000
oon gnare 50 225 600 of which was allotted 10
Tho Neu-York Life without any risk 70 the
ta,..~ .ononanv. In consideration for letting the
0eu-YorE5 Lie In the trust company received
tb of7ee of register for all the stock and % per
cent of the New~ToTk Life pront' MI PERKINS
.4,tai,,ad that ne engineered the whole transac-
+tnn r.. this time he was lingering his state
re.rt again and asked permission TO read IT,
1.ti< vyas denied and there we're more protests
7-iare vas no written agreement. he was sure
40 that--the understanding vas just verbal All
81 Perkins knew about vas the S3,0G0.00o. IN
fact h. sid not hnsH about all of this. but for