Warren sheaf., 1905-12-21
HARTMAN BLUFF
CALLED BY RYAN
OWNER OF EQUITABLE TELLS OF
RAILWAY MAGNATE's Eff
FORT TO SECURE SHARES.
Threatened to Use All His Influence,
Social, Political and Financial
Against Company-Ryan Refuses
Every Demand Thus Made on Him.

Ryan on Tuesday appeared before the
insurance investigating committee and
told what E. H. Hartman did and
threatened to do when he demanded
that Mr.. Ryan concede to him share
in the control of the Equitable Life
Assurance society last June. Mr..
Ryan assured the committee that he
had meant no disrespect by his formal
refusal to disclose their conversations,
and said he had determined to answer
tue questions to which he had refused
replies on Friday last because Dis
trict Attorney Jerome said he ought to
do So.
Harriman's Threats.
Mr.. Ryans version of what Mr. Har.
riman demanded and what he threat
ened to do upon the refusal of his de-
mands, was in substance as follows: !.
That Mr.. Hartman demanded one
half of the 502 shares Of the stock of
the Equitable Life Assurance society,
which Mr.. Ryan had purchased from
James H. Hyde, and which gave Mr..
hyan control of the property.
That Hartman threatened, unless
he was conceded this share in the con.
troll Of the society, to exert his polit-
ical and all other influences against
Mr.. Ryan and his project.
That Hartman declared there prob
ably would be legislative action, and
that in that event his influence would
be important
That Hartman demanded the right
to name two of five trustees to vote
the controlling stock in the election Of
directors of the society.
In reply to repeated questions by
Charles E. Hughes, counsel of the
committee, Mr.. Ryan stated that Mr..
Hartman did not threaten that there
should be legislative action unless he
was given a share in the Equitable
control. but said there probably would
be such action Neither did Mr. Har-
riman threaten any action by an officer
of the government.
Interview Was Strenuous.
1t was a strenuous interview, Mr..
Ryan said. and was held in the pres.
ence of Elihu Root, then Mr.. Ryan's
counsel, now secretary of state, Paul
D. Cravath, also Mr.. Ryan's counsel.
Mr. Ryan told the committee that he
drew the inference from 1t that Mr.
Hartman did not want anybody to
control the Equitable society unless he
had share in it. Mr.. Ryan stated
that he paid no attention to Mr. Harri.
mans statement that his influence
would be important in the event OF
legislative action and Informed him
that he wanted no partners in the en-.
terprise. Mr.. Hartman did not get
the coveted share in the stock. Mr..
Ryan declared that this interview took
place within few days after he got
control Of the Hyde stock.
Hartman Heard.
New York, Dec. 15.-Before the
legislative investigating committee an.
other chapter was added Friday to the
chronicles of what Thomas F. Ryan
called strenuous interviews between
himself and E. H. Hartman. On Fri
day Mr. Hartman recited to the com.
mittee his version of his relations
with Ryan. In substance, Mr. Har.
riman testified that when Mr..
Ryan bought the Hyde stock, car.
rying control Of the society, he
asked Mr.. Hartman to cooper.
ate with him in saving the
property; that Mr. Hartman agreed
to do it if satisfied that Mr..
Ryan was acting from pure and un.
selfish motives; that Mr.. Ryan did not
satisfy him as to the purity of his mo-
tives, and that Mr.. Hartman notified
him that he would use his influence
against him. The test which Mr. Har.
riman said he applied to determine
Mr.. Ryan's purity Of motive was an
offer to take one-half of the Hyde
stock and to name two trustees of the
society. Mr.. Ryan refused to agree
to that Mr.. Hartman testified that
Mr.. Ryan should not have assumed
that he (Harriman) would use his po.
litical influence against him. He was
not certain whether he said anything
about legislative action as warning
to Mr.. Ryan, but declared that he had
nothing to do with starting the pres.
ent insurance investigation.
Last spring, Mr.. Hartman said,,
when the management of the Equita.
BILE Life Assurance society was divid-
ed into two factions, the one headed
by President James W. Alexander and
the other by James H. Hyde, an at.
tempt was made by the Alexander fac.
tion to induce the legislature to mu.
tualize the society. Mr. Hartman
said he asked members of the legisla.
ture to watch out for any legislation
favorable to the Alexander faction and
to report to him If it appeared. He
was averse to disclosing the names of
the men to whom he made this re-.
quest, and only consented to do so
after repeated urging on the part OF
Senator William w. Armstrong, chair.
man of the committee, and by Mr..
Hughes, and after he had been al.
lowed to consult with his counsel He
then stated that it was Gov. Higgins
and Sneaker Nixon whom he had