The Morris County chronicle. [volume] (Morristown, N.J.) 1877-1915, 1905-09-26
THE INSURANCE TANGLE
Astonishing Admissions Made by
President Mccall.
Says Money Hasn't Been improperly Used.
But Admits That Hamilton
Got s2s5.oOo.

New York City.-John A. Mccall.
president of the New York Fife Insur-
ance Company. was on the rack Of the
legislative investigation for nearly two
hours and a half
He denied that the New York Life
ever had made political campaign con-
tributions during the period of his
I presidency, except in the three in.
stances which Mr. Perkins had al
ready detailed, and he could not ex-
plain to what account these donations
had been charged to.
He volunteered the additional state
ment that Alton B, Parker, when Dem
ocratlc Chairman in this State, had
never missed a chance to collect cor
poration money for campaign purposes
and that even during the National cam
paign Of last year the Parker mana
gers-among them some OF the very
men recently quoted as his critics
had been source Of continual annoy
ance to him, DIGGING him with their
solicitations for money
Mr.. Mccall denied with vehemence
that dollar of the New York Lifes
money had ever been used, with his
knowledge. in the effort to influence
legislation in this or any other State,
but admitted that hundreds of thou
sands of dollars of the company's
money had been advanced solely on his
order to Andrew Hamilton. of the New
York Life's law department. and that
Mr.. Hamilton represents the company
in Legislative and taxation matters
in the various States of this country as
well as in Canada.
Mr.. Hughes brought out admissions
that $235. 900 thus advanced remains
unaccOunted for, and tnat it is custom
airy for Mr. Hamilton to report his ex-
penditures exclusively to Mr.. Mccall,
who takes Mr.. Hamilton's receipts as
vouchers. The witness admitted that
the company has on record no vouch-
ers for any of these expenditures made
by him and has not had since the be-
ginning of "Judge" Hamilton's con-
nection with it.
Sums aggregating this amount, $780,
900. were charged to the home Office
annex account with the exception OF
$4,000 which was carried in the "sus-
pense account" The payments to An
drew Hamilton. aggregating 1896. 900.
were made between December, 1903,
and March, 1904
just as Mr.. Mccall was about to be
excused for the day he asked the priv
ilege of correcting the popular impress
sion as to his large wealth. He said
that he is not in the millionaire class;
that the greater part of his estate, il
he were to die to-day, would consist of
his life insurance. and that he had
never personally participated In one of
the many underwriting syndicateS Ill
which the New York Life had realized
large profits.
During the entire portion Of the ses-
sion District Attorney Jerome was an
interested listener.
President Mccall in his testimony
took the question Of political contribu-
tons boldly by thehornS. He defended
his three contributions of $4,000 each
to the Republican national campaigns
of 1896, 1900 and 1904 on the ground
that he was working for the success of
the gold standard Mr.. Mccall adj
mitted he did not consult the policy
holders about contributing to the
Roosevelt campaign fund, adding, II
didn't care what they thought"
In answer to Mr.. McCalI's charges
that he had been worn out" with the
frantic appeals of the campaign man
ayers of ex-Judge Alton B. Parker to
contribute New York Life Insurance
money to the Democratic campaign
fund, former Judge Parker says: ut
is evident Mr.. Mccall was laborlng
under great excitement in making his
reply. for it is very incoherent. But
If his answer is intended to convey the
impression that in the campaign of
1904 T. either directly or indirectly, so
licited from him or his corporation. or
any other corporation, any money or
valuable thing. his statement is abso-
lutely false"
President Roosevelt called to a con-
suItation in Oyster Bay Secretaries
Root and Cortelyou, Senator Lodge and
Joseph III. Choate. They discussed
the use of corporation money In cam
palgRs, and it Is declared that Presi-
dent Roosevelt believes that to avoid
far reaching scandal the $4,000 coll
lected from the New York Life in the
last campaign should be restored.