Waterbury evening Democrat., 1905-10-18
'CURDY ON CRIDDLE
1tual Life's Presid lent, An Igry, Refused to Answer.
CHES PROBING DEEP FOR GRAFT
snfed to Know Why Salaries In- eased While Dividends Decreased. OIds Paid Legislators to Lis
 ten to Him Talk.


 ten to Him Talk.
 LEW YORK, Oct. IS. President hard A. McCurdy of the Mutual E Insurance company was on the adle again before the legislative hmittee on life insurance, and, pur- nt to his policy not to become en- gled with Chief Inquisitor Hughes, refused to answer many questions lch the committee believed Sl50,-
 year officer ought to have been e and willing to answer offhand. file he was on the stand letters were u from prominent policy holders wing how in the last twenty years
 dividends to policy holders had adily decreased, while the salaries rapidly increased.
 president McCurdy would offer no glanation of this, nor would he ad-
 knowing anything about the money Il out to various persons upon the bmmendation of Andrew c. Fields, Ierintendent of supplies. He did not |n know, he said, that Fields for hy years had maintained house in Iany for the entertainEsent and eiif, htenment of legislators whose friend D the company wished to retain. W the time recess was declared one khe members of the committee had lched the conclusion that if "Presi- It McCurdy don't know any more In he pretends to know he wouldn't worth s25 g week"
 lhairman Armstrong was asked what
 committee intended to do about ksident McCurdy's refusal to give
 explanation for the large increase salaries with the corresponding de Iase of dividends to the policy hold ! and Chairman Armstrong said: fwhen the legislature is in session it lid punish for contempt any witness b refused to answer a question ma 6al to the matter under inquiry. It a misdemeanor to refuse to answer, h if we were not able to obtain the orEiation better from some one else | if we did not think that President ICurdy's refusal to answer was more lnificant than any explanation he lid offer we might lay the matter be- |e the district attorney and ask that McCurdy be tried for a misde- amor, as provided by law in such bes. But I am inclined to think that committee will draw it's own con lsions from President McCurdy's ret nee in these matters and that from ter officers of the company we will the facts, and the facts in this case n be far more eloquent than any uuisition by President McCurdy." fr. McCurdy became slightly petu- f once or twice and said to Mir. .ghes, You are trying to make a Il out of me" He charged the com ttee and its counsel with peryerting
 real purposes of the inquiry as con aplated by the legislative resolution .stituting the committee and aecus- Mir. Hughes of summoning his own -nesses solely to discredit them be- e the public.
 IT.. Hughes showed to Mir. MeCurdy 'oueher for the payment of S5.OO0 to IIiam A. Fricke. formerly insurance omissioner of Wisconsin. and a let
 from Charlton T. Lewis. an attor- of Madison. Wis. The letters stat that Mr. Fricke would accept re ner ssto see that the interests of the tuaI Life should come to no harm that state. MT. McCurdy approved
 voucher, but could not remember
 details.
 voucher for a payment in 1908 of 100 to s. s. Olds "for professional vices in matter of Michigan, one I'd of which was to be paid by each the thres big insurance companies.
 
 Et came up.
 fr. McCurdy said:
 sfr. Lewis told me be had spent one lter h educating the minds of the isIasoFs of either Michigan. wiscon-
 and Ohio with regard to certain islztion affecting the insurance com lies. He proceeded to the capital of
 state and discovered the residences political Eodparents. the relations I neszhhors of the legislators. It ant journey after journey up and ~n fhe state and the Inducing of n 10 60 who would expect their ex- lses and something else
 Then he went to Washington and .zf suus weeks gstfihE acquainted lh shs szzstors and cod ue<smsa a lkaf ktatz Hs gps ea 2 frss1dlT