New-York tribune., 1905-10-23
WILL CALI DIR. ODELL.
Insurance Committee Decides Nor
ton Changes after Investigation.

! The legislative life insurance committee, it
was learned last night. has decided that ex-
! Governor Benjamin B OdelI jr.. shall testify
| before it.
! Paul Morton, president of the Equitable, has
| decided, so a Tribune reporter learned yester-
! day. TO base a further reorganization of the
Eol1jta BILE on the legislative life insurance COM
! mfttees investigation of the society This ex-
| plains for the first time that which has puzzled
! insurance men for many months. to wit, why
| the Equitable's management has permitted
certain criticized officers and directors of the
old regime to retain their positions without even
a suggestion of forthcoming removals
The Obvious advantages of this postponement
are that IT entails instead of two one reor-
rantzation only and that evidence presented be
fore the committee will be free from every
nossible faint Of bias on the part of the hqul-
ia bIe's new management
In other words. Equitable witnesses will have
the opportunity either to convict or acqulI
themselves on the legislative witness stand'
With the Frick and Hendricks reports ana the
Hendricks preliminary testimony ALREADY
marked for identification by the committee II
fs NOT believed possible that any Equitable
officer or director who has been justly crltlcised
already will be able to testify in such manner
nc % aronerate himself. The resignation OF
laae+ ono officer who was strongly condemned
=, tba E,rick report but whom the Hendricks
ronor+ IN the surprise of many, appeared com
rIatel,, to exoneraIe is expected 10 follow tnls
oaicar,s testimony before the legislative COM
mittee President Morton's plan OF permitting
the 1acisIatiye committee to indicate who else
shall Iaava The service of the Equitable mas
ul,evy;sa the advantage of keeping the present
ornner,. agency and other forces virtually
intact uptH Mr Morton has had leisure 10
adjust himself to his new ONCE ana funy 10
find his feet
ybetber or no the legislative committee VIII
ba ab1e N revert to the Equitable before al
io,r,i,.r over election, at least five EqultaoIe
officers or directors, il was learned nave oeeh
told t hold themselves in readiness to testiTy
this week ,oilod ,bat tho com,
- .ilau adjourn on Wednesday or even
Tbtrede,- over election. and II would surprise
'l'' 7NIs - Mt ire committee will continue its
session next week. WIthh me 't c1it'iii''0' a.
present opinion is divided on lHis poI,': r-,,,.
Charles p McClelland one OF A FleluS :
y,,ssts at the Mutual Life's "House or Mlrth at
4IbaT,,- is expected home in DobDs FeTry iate
tonight from q visit To the WeSt, Iuu ~ Wv
C,eIland ia addition 10 James Hazeh 1tyae OF
a. I@a,,itsbIs and John r. Hegeman president
of the Metropolitan lSlIe, wiz ' = ~
able If need be, this We'h- ;z-f ~
rrla legislative committee IS considering me
c,,astion as Ia whether. in view or last weeks
,ag,i,,,,n,,' rae,a riding the Mutual Lies Albany
@ .Iii"i!S y! y isea subpcenas for all the mem
- - .fi I,e,1rance Committee of both the
ee,ote ~ t1a Assembly for the legislative ses-
sion of ta05 No decision has yet been reached,
however. r,- =,
frlintocI ~ WI5tIal Life's actuary. will prob
ably faI-a tba stand when the legislative inVesti
cation committee resumes It's sessions TOMORROW
morning