The Topeka state journal., 1905-12-12
Thomas F. Ryan So Character
ICES the Conversation
Which He Had With Hartman
About the Equitable.
HE TELLS COMMITTEE.
After ApOIogizing for His Pre-
vious Refusal.
President of Union Pacific Tried
to BuIIdOze Him.

New York, Dec. 12.-Thomas F.
Ryan, who purchased the Hyde stock
of the Equitable Life Assurance So
ciety, was the first witness before the
committee today. He said to Mr..
Hughes, counsel for the committee,
that he had meant no disrespect by his
declination to tell what E. H. Harri-
man had said to him at the time that
Mr.. Hartman sought to obtain q
share in Mr.. Ryan's purchase of the
Hyde stock.
Mr.. Ryan said. ''I did not mean any
disrespect to the committee. I wish
to preserve harmony. I did not wish
to answer the question until I was
satisfied I was obliged to answer. The
district attorney has determined that
I shall answer the question, and I
shall give my best recollection Of the
conversation.
What did Mr.. Hartman say to you
about sharing the Hyde stock?" asked
Mr.. Hughes
Immediately after my purchase of
the stock said Mr.. Ryan, "AEr- Har-
riman called on me. We had several
conversations. Mr.. Hartman said
that I should not have come into the
situation without consulting him and
that I ought to let him have an equal
share in the Hyde stock [ declined.
He objected to the trustees and want
ed to name two of them. He said he
did not think I could carry out my
plan without his aid. I said I intend
ed to divest myself of control of the
Equitable and I regretted very much
to have his opposition, but I was go
tn mn ra1an 147n
had his opposition or not"
The purchase of the Hyde stock
Mr.. Ryan said, was made on Friday
June 8. Mr.. Ryan first heard from
Mr.. Hartman on that day Mr.. Har-
F1man said the witness suspected that
he (Ryan) was in on the deal and had
a talk with him on that day. Mr..
Hartman saw him again on the fol-
lowing Monday or Tuesday in COM
pany with Elihu Root and Paul Cra-
Fath. Most of the things said were
said at the second interview Mr.
Ryan told Mr.. Hartman who the
trustees were to be. Hartman then
said that he had given much time to
straighten out the EQuita BILE. The wit
ness then said that Hartman gave nc
other reason than that for demanding
snare IN the purchase of the Hyde
stock
For what reason did Mr.. Hartman
want half the stock2" asked Mr..
Hughes
For the reason that he had been in
the Equitable as a director and was not
satisfied that the stock should be in my
hands, replied Mr.. Ryan. He said his
whole influence would be against me.
He said his political influence would be
against me- But he did not mention
my name. He said the legislature
would probably take action, but I don't
think he mentioned any Investigation
I think he said the legislative action
would probably result and that his in
f1uence would be important. Mr. Har-
riman did not say anything about leg
| islative action in the event [ acceded
to his request. He did not say how his
actions in the matter would be import
ant"
In reply to a question by Mr.. Hughes,
Mr.. Ryan said that Mr. Hartman did
not say in so many words that his
political influence would be against
Ryan, but the witness understood Har-
riman to mean his entire influence
whether political. financial or otherwise.
The witness understood this to include
the possibility of legislative action. The
witness was not willing to allow Mr..
Hartman to name two trustees. be-
cause te did not want anybody as a
partner in the enterprise. The witness
talked with Mr.. Hartman over the tele-
phone and finally Mr.. Ryan said to Mr..