Perth Amboy evening news., 1905-12-16
DID THREATEN
RYAN, HE SAYS.
f. H. Hartman on the Stand at
Armstrong Inquiry OdeIIs
Power.

NEW YORK, Dec. 1G.-After e. II.
Hartman, f%inancier, had contradicted
Thomas L. Ryan before the legislative
insurance Investigating committee the
committee was forced to take a recess
when Hartman refused point blank to
reveal the names of members of the
legislature and others at Albany with
whom he admitted having communicate
ed last winter in reference to legisla-
ton he feared would be instigated by
the so called James w. Alexander
faction in the society.
Mr.. Hartman agreed TO reveal the
names to Mr.. Hughes or to the COM
mittee privately, but the chairman in
sisted that the names be given public
ly from the witness stand. Finally
the witness declared he would be oblig-
ed to have a consultation with his at
tOrneys, Judge Leavitt and Paul ID.
Cravath. eff my attorneys recommend
that 1 give the names," said MI. Har-
riman, 81 shall do so, for / believe
can get the consent of the parties after
ward"
Ten minutes later Mr.. Hartman re-
turned TO the witness chair and re-
vealed the names. He said:
'The men ] referred to were Mr.. Nix
ON, speaker of the assembly, and Gov
ernor Higgins.
II merely asked them whether there
was any legislation preparing in regard
TO b situation. | regret | have been
compelled TO drag these two names
into this matter, especially that of Mr..
Nixon, who has since died, and as their
position in this matter, although en-
tirely pure and blameless, might be
misconstrued, | appeal to the members
of the press to at least leave those
names out Of the headlines
Hartman fairly grilled his enemy,
Ryan, owner of the Equitable. who had
sworn that Hartman tried to sandbag
him into dividing the Equitable stock
which Ryan had bought from James
Hazen Hyde.
The imputation that he had threaten
ed to use his influence with Governor
Odell to defeat Ryan's plans with re-
gard to the Equitable Mr.. Hartman
met with the following statement:
ut is not l who have political in
iuence through my relations with Mr..
Odell, but Mr.. Odell who has political
influence through his relations with
me-
This was delivered in n tone of au.
thority and with a naughty wave Of
the hand. the manner being that of a
man who felt sure Of his ground-the
manne of an emperor conscious Of his
power.
Later the witness said Mr.. Odell
might resent the statement, but he
qualified 1t only to the extent that he
thought any man in politics should
appreciate having the friendship OF
men of prominence.
Mr.. Hartman said he was not In
politics, but that he had political in
iuence.
Inquisitor Hughes asked him II he
had taken any steps to thwart the
| plans of Thomas +. Ryan in the owner
ship of the Equitable Life
ANOl Ntls l'lll'i VA ihhNhi
with Il quiet force that was a sermon
in itself.
Although he gave the lie to nearly
all the statements sworn TO by Ryan,
Hartman did not deny that he had
threatened to use his influence to crush
Ryan, just as he had crushed other
enemies, unless Mr.. Ryan proved the
purity and sincerity of his motives in
buying the Equitable stock by sharing
it with me-"
"He entrcated my cooperation" adj
ded Mr.. Hartman, land said that he
had taken this step in order to do
something conspicuous. as he had not
done anything conspicuous in all his
life"
1t certainly was Harriman's hour OF
triumph and he wore n complacent
smile TO show how he appreciated 1t.