New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1905-10-11
RATHER POOR MEMORIES.
Mutual Officials Hay on Campaign
and Legislative Funds.

The Developments Regarding the $4,000 paid by the
Mutual to three successive Republican national
committees and the blind drafts in blocks Of $4,000
upon fund for "conhdentiar legal expenses. which
constituted the features of the morning session,
were dragged from the various vice-presidents of
the Mutual only after tbs most severe cross-exan-
nation MR. Hughes has yet employed Time ano
again he was confronted with apparently impos-
sible failure Of memory. lack of knowledge or alb
sence of definite appreciation of responsibility which
made further progress along that line hopeless,
and he had patiently TO reconstruct his attack In
the course OF this work he had a tilt with VICE
President Robert A Granniss. which for bitterness
on the part of a witness far exceeded any similar
incident In the Investigation During this entire
session an apparent intention OF the officials OF the
Mutual TO evade all possible evidences OF inforrn-
ton marked the proceedings and also further MUS
trated the policy this company alone has pursued
of continued reticence.
The argt witness to be examined was Robert Oily
plant whose signature chairman was discovered
appended to the various $3.50 transactions shown
in the record of legal expenses" of the MUTUAL
last week. Mr.. ELEPHANT declared that he was
trustee of the Mutual and that his special service
was connected with the committee expendi-
lures" Mr.. ELEPHANT testified that he drew money
from the Mutual his voucher as chairman. and
then volunteered the information that large COR
porations have to maintain what you might call a
confidential legal fund for the payment Of services
in legal matters" Further pressed for anpllhca-
ton, he added:
'-I understand that throughout the country there
are many cases where counsel employed that do
not appear and for the money used to Day them
they prefer not to give receipts" AL this Mr. oily
phant knew only by hearBsy, and the payment OF
these sums he believed, never fully explained
TO members of the board. He also believed the
transactions were carried out In cash
MR. ELEPHANT GUEssEs
Mr. hughes then took up the first item OF $4,000
under date of January 30, 1904 Mr.. Olyphant
yentuyed the guess that this money was turned
over to q president or to the solicitor. He
knew that he had been informed that the money
was used for the legal expenses necessary to the
protection of the polcyholders. All this, he Thought
DR. Gillette might have told him. since the latter
had charge of the vouchers that before the
expenditure committee, but beyond this he knew
nothing Mr. Hughes then through three other
similar payments Of s25 000 for which the witness
advanced the Same explanation. as well as the ad-
mission that similar payments had been made In
1908 apparently as quarterly payments. Mr. Hughes
read a bylaw of the company requiring report to
the committee on expenditure OF all expenses, and
then again sought explanation. but got none,
save the suggestion that campaign CONTRIBUTORS
might have come from this source
Mr. Hughes bounced this suggestion and de-
n,anded Mr.. ELEPHANTS reason for this notion
The latter responded that it was result of his
talks with Dr. Gillette and the need OF protection
AGAINST pending legislation. So far as he knew,
cenpaign contributions were only charged to this
fund Then he said on questioning that this
nractice probably stretched back of his trne that
is before 1903 and that the need OF the was
brought to his attention by either Vice-Presfdent
Cranniss or DR.. Gillette, but never by MIR. No
Curdy All the vouchers for this class Of expenses,
he declared were signed by one of the vice-presi-