Los Angeles herald., 1905-12-31

emergency before the legislature as
sembled on Tuesday next. After ad-
journment the committee held an exec
GtiVe session.
Equitabe's Actuary Testfies
Joel G. Van Cise. actuary of the
Equitable Life Assurance society," was
the first witness today. He had been
with the society for SO years, and. an
swering Mr.. Hughes, said that he was
responsible for the actuarial methods
of the society. He was asked if any of
the management interfered with him,
and replied:
Henry b. HYDE attempted to make
me figure dividends declared on de-
ferred dividend policies higher than I
thought advisable. That was about fif-
tenn years ago. I reported it to Vice
President James w. Alexander and ex-
planned the doings of this plan. and he
persuaded Mr.. Hyde to give way"
Mr.. Van Cise's examination was given
over to the description of the various
policies issued by the Equitable, the
manner of computing the dividends on
the participating business and the
method o arriving at the estimates Of
the loadingS on the premiums.
Continuing Mr.. Sickles' examination:
Did you and Mr.. Tarbell talk about
rebating?' asked Mr.. Hughes.
Yes. we did. / understood 1t was
not legal and asked him how it could
be done" said Mr.. Sickles.
"And he told you how?"
Mr. Tarbell said to collect the whole
premium and, for instance, in one case
l remember, he said to then buy five
letters of Introduction from the man
at $100 apiece"
And you We're to use them as YOU
Go, i,,- .
"Yes"
Did you give rebates, Mr.. Sickles ?"
why, don't think it fair question
Mr.. Hughes"
Yes [ think it is"
Chairman Armstrong was appealed
to and he said: "This happened in
1898, so any offense is outlawed and
you are not discriminating yourself"
Mr.. Sicltles replied then: Yes, !
gave rebates"
Did you buy the letters?"
mo"
Mr.. Hughes announced that Gage E.
Tarbell was out of town. and as he
could not be reached his testimony re-
garding the statements of Mr.. Sickles
as to rebating could not be taken.
Mr.. Hughes suggested that MIR. Tar
bell be permitted to submit deposition
under oath If he cared to do so after
adjournment, and Chairman Armstrong
said that this would be allowed.
Hill Could Not Appear
Mr.. Hughes. continuing, said that
counsel for the committee had COM
municated with David B. Hill. with a
view to having him appear as a wit
ness and testify in relation to his $4,000
retainer for the Equitable Life Assur-
ance society. Mr.. Hill replied that he
was too i'll to do so. Later Mr.. Hughes
said, the committee telegraphed to Mr..
Hil and he replied saying that he
was confined to his house and was un-
able TO attend. Mr.. Hill recorded a
protest against the adjournment Of the
committee before he had a chance to
testify, or at least without appointing
subcommittee to take his testimony
Mr.. Hill declared that he had been
ready at any time since the appoint
ment of the committee to testify, and
was desirous of doing so.
Chairman Armstrong said that It
would be impossible to have Mr.. Hills
testimony before the committee as was
desired. He said that he understood
Mr.. Hill was i'll at his home and that
no motive could be attached to his
absence. IF 1t was in any way prac-
ticable to get Mr.. Hlll's testimony be-
fore the committee it would be done
Almost the entire afternoon was taken
up by Mr.. McKeen, associate counsel
of the committee. in reading for the
record the statements of companies
incorporated in other states, but doing
business in this state the officers OF
which had been asked by the com
mittee for statement of their condi-
tion and management. Among these
statements. that of the Provident Life
and the Trust company of Philadel-
phia declared that in 1896, at a special
meeting Of the board of receivers. a
resolution was passed authorizing the
expenditure of $25,O0O for contributions
to the campaign for Sound money"
OF this money $4,000 was given to
the Republican national committee.