davidaulloa/AmericanStories huggingface dataset:
The independent. [volume] (Lincoln, Neb.) 1902-1907, 1905-10-12
Mccurdys Made Rich

1t was brought out that Richard A. |
McCurdy, president Of the Mutual
Life Insurance company, together with
his son and sonin-law, had profited
to the extent OF $2,000,000 in commits
sions from private syndicates In
which they We're interested and which
bought and sold securities for the
Mutual Life.
w +. Thummel testified that he
paid to the chairman of the republi-
can congressional campaign commit
tee $500. Mr.. Thummel was asso-
ciated with Judge Andrew Hamilton
in looking after legislation for the
New York Life, Mutual Life and the
Equitable.
Robert II. McCurdy, general man
ager of the Mutual Life, testified that
there is constant effort in his COM
/ pany to reduce expenses. This testi-
mony created no little surprise in
view of the fact that a little later
when the payroll of the company was
produced II showed that the salary
Of President McCurdy was Increased
from 100000 to sl50000 In 1900. Tn
der the account of salaries 81 .002 900
appeared MS having been paid out in
1904. Among the salaries were. Two
Vice presidents, $4,000 each: second
vice president si7,5OO, third vice pres.
ident 10000, general manager u.s..
coo, treasurer, $4,000.
Puts Cutting Question
Recalled 10 the stand, Robert Me
Curdy testified that until the books
were produced In court he ala not
know what salary his father drew
It's Quustinnur caused considerable
} laughter hs asking
ma the increase Ia the assets re-.
sui IN a. much benefit 10 pollc, hold
ets as y dW 10 the onlccfs 81 The eaas
panyf Mr MeCardN however was
mot required 10 reply
The independent. [volume] (Lincoln, Neb.) 1902-1907, 1905-10-12

braska legislators, He replied that
he got into touch with them, made
himself liked and demonstrated that
the proposed revenue law would re-
dueo railway taxation while raising
taxation on all other property.
You were dealing with intelligent
men, were you not?' the witness
was asked by Mr. Hughes, the eXamin'
ing attorney,
~ was dealing with legislators" re-
piled Mr. fhummcl
Al this reply a general laugh went
round the court room,
That John r. Hegeman, president
Of the Metropolitan Life Insurance
company. borrowed $4,000 from the
New York Life Insurance company al
~ per cent interest, rate below the
market rate, was one of the disclos'
ures. President Mccall of the New
York life testified that Mr.. Hege'
man rccprocated by lending him $685.
900 NJ the same rate,
The independent. [volume] (Lincoln, Neb.) 1902-1907, 1905-10-12
Low Rent for the Family

Edwin Il. Deylin real estate man
ager for the New York life, lestl-
fled that the company acquired an
apartment house In New York and
the cost, with necessary improve.
ments, was $2o3 ,056. The income from
the property was only 1923 per cent on
the investment. II was brought out
that three sons and a sonin-law OF
President Mccall were permitted to
rent apartments in this building at a
very low rental.
President Mccall enliyened proceed.
lngs by admitting that the $l50,00O
contributed 10 the republican cam
paign committee was not recorded In
the books Of the company. When
Mr. Mccall was questioned with ref
erence TO the large sums expended
by Judge Hamilton 10 influence legis-
lators he testified that Judge Hamil-
ton could obtain all the money he
wanted without giving vouchers to
show what his expenditures were. He
said that II Hamilton wanted money
to aid In the election Of legislatoror
to defeat an obnoxious candidate he
could obtain II from the New York
Life without the officials of the com
pany In New York knowing anything
about It. Al that Hamilton had to
do was TO apply for any sum he want
ed Mt the agencies In the states where
he happened to be.
The independent. [volume] (Lincoln, Neb.) 1902-1907, 1905-10-12
@@q2asn@ @R@@@@@l

The Independent guarantees the reliability
81 the advertisers using tfit depa riment The
Real Estate and Farm Land Directory has Just
" rs regular feature OF u is Taper. The adj
ycrtkeA wi oate making use OF this section
would like 10 know u AZ Independent readers
are taking ~ interest init When you write
20 them on any subject please mention The
independent
The news & observer., 1905-07-16
THE E.MBRACERY SENTENCE.

There is a variety of opinion in Raj
eigh as to the wisdom Of the sentence
imposed upon Rogers and Sorrell who
plead guilty of the crime of embrac.
cry.
There is large element holding that
they are the mere agents of those
"higher up who believe they should
were the real authors of the attemp,
to subvert justice. Some of these
men, taking that view, think they
have been punished enough and sign
ed a petition to the judge to reduce
the sentence of six months in Jail
There are others who strongly be-
lieve that the maximum penalty ought
to have been imposed, not so much be-
cause Rogers and Sorrel personally
will not be punished enough by
another six months in Jail, as because
they believe two years sentence
would compel them to give evidence
that would implicate the head men IL
this crime to pollute the stream OF
Justice at it's source. They say that
Rogers and Sorrell, or at least Rog-
ers, could give evidence that would
startle the state by showing the "high-
er up powers that inaugurated tht
schen~ of corruption which Rogers
and Sorrell sought to carry out. Inc
evidence shows that it was far-reach-
ing conspiracy of embracery, and that
it looked to dominating the jury in the
interest of Mr.. Duke and DR.. kilgo
The exposure of these men and then
punishment, together with their agents
would be the best thing that has hap
pened in North Carolina court this
decade. Are our courts impotent tc
probe to the bottom of this conspiracy
against their purity and fairness?
The news & observer., 1905-07-16
"HOT AIR" AND GAMBLERS
QUARRELS.''

'It Is nothing but hot air." declared
Postmaster General Payne when the
newspapers discovered the wholesale
graft in the Post Office Department
which landed Machen in the peniten-
tiary.
This is only quarrel among
gamblers" said Secretary of Agricul-
ture Wilson when confronted with the
proof of the manipulation" of the
crop reports which cost the farmers
millions of dollars.
But there was a change in the Post
Office Department and the head graf
ters sent to the neutrality-suspicious.
to a courageous press that showed the
"hot air. was reeking with corrup-
ton, and in spite of the attempt of the
higher up officials who sought to sit on
the lid
In the Department of Agriculture,
where the Secretary seeks to dismiss
the reeking scandals with a statement
that 'it is a quarrel between gam
blers," the press will agitate aggres-
sively until the rascally Of
ficials have been sent to keep
Machen company and there is a
change in the Department Of Agricul-
ture.
= OF course the newspapers are guilty
of pernicious activity in demanding
punishment, and squeamish judges
and antiquated lawyers and red-tapc
officials will give the newspapers rap
for seeking ''to make public sentiment
by its insistent demands for the pun
ishment of the guilty. But the press
voicing the demands of all honest
men, will Wini
The news & observer., 1905-07-16
A, DESERVED HONOR.

The people of North Carolina were
greatly gratified at the election Of
Prof. Edward Mckee Goodwin, Of
Morganton, to the presidency of the
American Association of Instructors
of the Deaf. 1t represents all the
American States and Canada, and en-
braces the ablest and wisest men and
women in the profession. 1t is great
honor to be chosen to the head Of
that organization and one richly de-
served by Mr.. Goodwin. He has de-
voted all of his life to this noble work
and has risen to the top by ability
and whole-hearted devotion. 1t was
his leadership and zeal that caused
the erection of the splendid state
School for the Deaf and Dumb at
Morganton, and it's success and excel
lence are due to his progressive
methods, knowledge and practical sa-
gacity North Carolina is proud OF
the work he has done, and rejoices
in this deserved honor that has come
to him.
The news & observer., 1905-07-16
Spirit of the Press.
"LoOt and Graft"
New York Herald.

New York Herald.
To every man of average morality
perusal of the testimony taken py Su
perintendent Hendricks in the case OF
the Equitable Life Assurance Society
is simply disheartening.
That the greed of gain and plain
dishonesty lies at the basis of the de-
fective administration of public affalrs
has been shown in recent scandals,
national, State and municipal-the
latest being the betrayal of his trust
by Mr. Holmes. of the Department of
Agriculture, in selling the secrets of
his Office to spectators i'm cotton.
In the causes of recent bank fail
ures the same lack of moral sense,
the same disregard of the obligations
by trustees have been brought to light
and in the EQUITABLE case it is the
same story in exaggerated form. The
damning statement published by Su-
perintendent Hendricks three weeks
ago was issued as a preliminary re-
port and the testimony shows that the
expected supplementary report should
The news & observer., 1905-07-16

make an even worse exhibit of the ac-
tions of men who have been regarded
by the community as eminent citizens
and wealthy and reputable men of af-
fairs 1T is plain that the whole
shameful story has not even vet been
told.
When it is remembered that the
executive officers of this company
were trustees for the funds of pros
pective widows and orphans, their ac-
tions as narrated by themselves to
the Superintendent of Insurance and
their apparent unconSlousness of the
heinous character of these actions af-
ford astounding revelations OF moral
obliquity. What is the thought OF
millionaire directors who obtain a
great loan of trust funds to promote
an enterprise for their personal profit
and who ultimate become guarantees
of the Indebtedness and when their
scheme has failed take advantage of
legal technicalities and contend that
their guarantee is not legally binding
What of the man who for years has
drawn an enormous salary from the
society for his advice as an expert
enced and presumably astute lawyer
and financier who participates in this
| transaction, who as a member of the
Executive Committee votes for that
loan to himself and associates and
now holds that his guarantee was not
a guarantee in fact and who pleads
1.-The baby act" as to the entire trans
action? And this man, because of his
presumed wisdom and experience. Is
a director in more than three score OF
corporations! What a commentary
upon dIectorates which do not direct!
Here we have one of the banker di-
rectors of the Equitable fatty declar-
ing that his firm never sold to the
society certain securities which the re-
cord of the latter shows that it bought
from him. What does that suggest?
Simply that the operations of the
Syndicate" composed of all officials
of the Equitable Company were vastly
more numerous and extensive than in
dicated by the report Of the Frick
committee or that of Superintendent
Hendricks The syndicate" opera
tions mentioned by them-and the
profits of which they demand shall be
turned over to the society-are conf1n-
ed to those in which the Equitable
was concerned as participant or as ul-
innate buyer of the securities at high
er prices from the syndicate.
But how about the syndicate oper-
ations in which the Equitable does not
figure as a matter of record? With
the known fact that they had the
Equitable treasury behind them and
could if necessary turn the securities
over to il the members of such syndi-
cate would have unlimited credit TO
participate in underWritings and in the
rising markets of recent years the Sc
curities thus underwritten could In
nearly all instances have been sold IN
the market at enormous profit, They
would be unloaded on the Equitable
only in case they declined or the pro-
fit proved to be insignificant. How
many syndicates were there besides
the few that became a matter of re-
cord in the Equitable books? Super
intendent Hendricks should ascertain
the answer to this question and should
hasten with that supplementary re-
port. for the facts thus far made pub
lie show that the story has not one
half been told.
The news & observer., 1905-07-16
HARD ON LAWYERS.
(Rhamkatte Roaster.)

A lawyer, writing to the News and
Observer, says: "The crime of in
fiuencing jurors and embracery should
be broken up if it becomes necessary
to fill every Jail in North Carolina to
overfiowing,", and he intimates that
LAWYERS are at the bottom of most
OF the jury fixing and jury influencing.
Well, if we wait for honest lawyers to
prosecute dishonest lawyers. the Jails
will never have inmates. There is a
tie between lawyers that seems to
make. the good ones ready to stand
The news & observer., 1905-07-16
Free Rural Delivery Promotes Tenn
DePance.
E. City Carolinian.

E. City Carolinian.
One of the wholly unexpected re-
suits of the inauguration of rural mail
delivery is a very pronounced decline
in the consumption of intoxicating IL
quors. Wholesale liquor statesmen and
saloon keepers are quite unanimous In
the opinion that, the saloon business
has suffered TO the extent of 25--pc$
sibly so per eent-by reason of rural
mail delivery. Under the old system
farmers made frequent visits to town
for their mail, but having no occasion,
or excuse, to go to town for that pur-
pose now, remain at home and the
saloon-keepers who formerly had the
patronage of these men. now see them
but infrequently and in some cases,
hardly at all. That means poor busi-
ness and Mr.. Saloon-keeper has not
been slow to notice it and to locate
the cause. Probably no blow ever
struck the saloon business has inf1ict-
ed one-half the injury that the estap-
lishment of the rural mail routes have
And the joke of it is no, one ever
thought of this feature Of the case
It's an odd thing that system de-
vised solely to extend the benefits of
the postal department. should turn out
to be one of the most effective tenn
perance measures ever inangurated
The news & observer., 1905-07-16

by the worst, and that practically Sc
cures the acquittal of every lawyer
charged with crime.
Not long ago a boodler, who had
been sent to the penitentiary for TAX
ing a bribe, was asked by the prison
chaplain if he did not intend to change
his ways when his term expired.
yes" he said.
What are you going to do?" asked
the chaplain.
Il am going to get my license to
practice law said the convict, so
that hereafter when / take a bribe l
can call it a fee and escape punish
ment."
The news & observer., 1905-07-16

a pull They are, of course, honest,
but
If the officer be an executive, he
will arrOgate to himself to decide
what statutes he will enforce, and in
doing SO you will observe that he runA
along the line of least resistance. The
great corporation, able to do great
things, rarely feels the sting of the
law. The tax-dodger who lodges pay
ment of taxes on millions, does so
with impunity. The railroad that coll
lects more excessive freight taxes than
all the State taxes feels little fear of
being hailed into court for excessive
charges The man who runs a distil-
lery that makes him hundreds OF
thousands of dollars is easy. The
houses of disrepute flourish though
the law is plain. But, my! N.Y. How
the petty offenders are hailed into
court and made examples of! They
are of course honest, but
If the officer be, in the realm of leg
islation he is honest, but A
quire railroads to pay taxes upon the
same valuati that they claim when
making their freight and passenger
charges. He declares that the Legis>
lature cannot interfere with those
matters, but they should be passed
upon by the Corporation Commission.
Another colleague introduces a bill to
give the Corporation Commission
plain power to compel railroads to
make their tracks safe. He declares
that you are trying to prevent one
mans controlling his property and to
give the Corporation the power of a
tyrant. If a bill comes up that fixes
passenger rates at a lower rate, and
he gets red in the face at the affront
to the Corporation Commission. You
suggest an anti-free pass statute that
will get the lawyer as we'll as the lay
men, and he declares you have come
to be an anarchist. You wish to re-
duce over-large salaries and fees, and
you are a demagogue. Or,-and this
is the most dangerous sort of legisla-
tion-he fully agree with you in the
object at which you are driving, but
he wishes to have Incorporated lit
tie amendment that sounds as smooth
as butter but which cuts the marrow
out of your bill. Or, he wishes to
postpone, or he quietly leaves the
House when any measure that may
embarrass him as he thinks NIT the
people" and votes nit the corpora
tions," when he is compelled to vote
He is honest, but ---.
What the world needs in public Of
ficials is men honest enough to obey
their oaths and give their best service
to the public, forgetting their private
interests or seeking to make friends
by being bind ito the violations
of law by folks who have
pull" We want public officials, who
not only will be honest in what they
do, but who will enforce the laws fear
lessly-men who are honest, and not
honest-but! f-g.s
The news & observer., 1905-07-16

place to some younger and less trust
full official. The demand that crop re-
ports should be discontinued on the
ground that falsified reports are worse
than none is not altogether reasonable.
1t is based on the assumption that 1T
is impossible to prevent leaks in the
department or to insure accurate and
truthful reports. But when bank
employe betrays his trust nobody con-
tends that banking should be abol-
ished The demand is for more con-
scientious employees and more eff
cient supervision and management.
There is, however, much that is wor-
thy Of consideration in the sugges-
ton that the actual facts collected by
the agents of the Department of Agrl-
culture should be given to the public in
stead of giving out merely the deduc-
tions made from them in the depart
ment. Those nterested-farmers,
millers, spinners, exporters and the
entire manufacturing and trading COM
munity-would then be free to digest
the data and draw their own infer
ence.'
The news & observer., 1905-07-16
MUST HAVE NEW OFFICIALS.

The exposure of the leak" in the
crop reports has created a profound
distrust in the. Agricultural Depart
ment as at present organized and no
body will trust its futura reports un-
til there is a new secretary and new
Wilson and Mr.. Hyde ought to have
Kept the reports accurate and permit
ted no manipulation" No matter how
honest they are-and nobody i'm
peaches their integrity-no men who
are so blind as to permit the scandals
and leaks to go on, and refuse to ad-
nit their possibility until outsiders
force the testimony of wrong doing,
ought to remain in high official sta
ton. Their place is in some quiet work
where their blindness does not cost
the farmers millions of dollars be-
cause their subordinates sell informa-
ton and manipulate reports. There is
need of a general shaking up and en-
tirely new men as chief and assistant
in the crop report work. The New
York Herald, which has led in the
good work of making public senti-
ment" against corrupt and negligent
officials, rings out clearly in the fol-
lowing editorial:
Secretary Wilson's Leaky Department
Further light is thrown upon the
operations of officials in the Depart
ment of Agriculture in a special dis
ltoh oh Inn Il
this morning.
Tt appears that on the day of last
December on which the cotton report
was to appear Mr.. Olmstead, then chief
of the Division of Domestic Crop Re-
ports in the department, paid a visit
to a brokerage office in Washington.
The visit is described by Mr.. Olmstead
and by the brokers as having reference
TO Steel shares in which he had in
vested, and he explains that he had
nothing whatever to do With the prepa-
ration of the cotton report.
Nothing was discovered by the Sc
cret service agents to implicate Mr..
OlmStead with transactions in cotton
and. that his explanations were salts
factory to Secretary Wilson is evident
from the fact that he promoted Mr..
Olmstead the other Gay to the position
of associate statistician, from which
Il. .. Holmes WAS ulSiillSSeQ. -N0Fertn0-
less, the fact that the new incumbent
visited brokers offices on days when
important crop reports were to be is
sued will not contribute to allow the
general suspicion that Holmes was not
the only official through which the
Agricultural Department leaked.
"Mr. Holmes, by the way, as stated
in our Washington dispatch, has not
been in the National Capitol since a
day or two before Secretary Wilson's
report appeared making public his
relations with spectators in cotton
and announcing his dismissal. The
suspicion that he was not the only
person in the department who knew
the bearing of it's reports upon the
speculative markets and was unscru-
pulous enough to turn to account the
information obtained in official capac-
ity is likely to be confirmed by the
new investigation instituted by Presi-
dent Roosevelt through the Depart
ment of Justice.
Confirmation of the conditions gen.
orally suspected to exist should induce
Secretary Wilson to retire and give
The news & observer., 1905-07-16

They are putting in big names as di-
rectors of the Equitable, but they
stand no higher than the old board.
How can people expect grating to
stop with Morton, of rebate fame, at
the head, and. traction interests in con-
troll?
The news & observer., 1905-07-16

While Rogers and Sorrell sweated
in Jail those "higher up shivered in
fear that the truth would out. So
far they have escaped, but as sure
as murder will OUT the sin of those
who conceived the crime of corrupt
ing the jury will be found our and
they will stand exposed in their naked
pacC
The news & observer., 1905-07-16
Each Church Needs a Gideon,s Band.

Ex-Mayor Gray, of Minneapolis.
The church must strengthen itself
intensively by searching out a Gid
cons band, each personally converted
to Jehovah, and ueyoted to his COM
mands, before it can wage yctoriously
any extensive campaign. The first
task of this nucleus will be the CON
version of the rest of the church. 1t
will have to convert the business man
who is willing to give some InoAey.
but no time, for church work; the
man who leaves religion to his wife
and politics to his hired man and who
balances the ledger and falls asleep
over the Sunday newspaper. 1t will
have to convert the pleasure-seeker
who spends Sunday on the excursion
boat or at the theatre. He is buying
recreation too dearly who exchanges
the realities of religion for the glitter
of the sensuous pleasure. When this
task has been performed then there
is work to do outside. At the present
there is a profound feeling in the
church that somehow it is not reach
ing the people. A united movement
was never more practicable than to-
day, for there is more gospel and less
doctrine preached than ever before. A
revival of religion means quickening
of the conscience in all directions.
The news & observer., 1905-07-16

Elizabeth City is after the pimps
who smoke cigarettes. Any minor
smoking a cigarette in that town on
the streets must pay fine of five dol
lars. The cigarette ruins more boys
than whiskey ruins men.
The news & observer., 1905-07-16

A signature for an election for
saloons" is to ask to put the saloon
temptation before the young men, and
to transfer the money that now goes
to reduce taxes, give good roads and
schools into the pockets of two dozen
in it.
The news & observer., 1905-07-16

If Mr.. Roosevelt would let the par
ents regulate the size of the families
without his advice, and devote him.
self to preventing grating and selling
of information by officials in Wash
ington, he would come near earning
his salary. He wasn't elected to end
or promote race suicide but give us
honest government.
The news & observer., 1905-07-16

A New York widow of bank presi-
dent worth four million dollars, has
married her coachman. There is no
accounting for taste. The coachman
might have married a young woman
with millions, but he doubtless argued
that an old bird in the hand was the
solidest "frenzied finance"
The news & observer., 1905-07-16

Alas. poor Chauncey! The New
Haven Register says that unless De-
pew resigns as a trustee of Yale when
his term expires next year. "it will
be necessary to relieve him from the
board of control" No man engaged
in "frenzied finance" ought to be
honored by a great educational insti-
tuition 1t is a baleful light to stu
dents,