The Birmingham age-herald., 1905-11-18
Has Been Important Week in
 Insurance Investigation
OEPEW AGAIN ON THE STAND
Another Mccurdy Tells of Big Expend- lures Made When California Com missioner Wanted an Exam
 nation of Affairs. z

New York, November 17.-with the end of the morning session today Senator Armstrong committee on insurance in- vestigation finished a week that for stren- uousness and importance has been eclips- ed by no one week since the investigation was inaugurated
 Besides being the week in which the most sessions have been held, the Wit nesses have been the most important in- cluding the "bg guns" in the financial world, as we'll as in the insurance busi- ness.
 Early in the week James Hagen Hyde was examined and made charges against E. H. Hartman and former Governor odell, who successively appeared and de- nied MT. Hyde's statements. and MT. Hyde being recalled affirmed his testl- mony Then Senator Chauncey M. De- pew was heard and when the session opened today 1t was expected that before the day was over Senator Platt would be called. He Is wanted to testify as to the collection of contributions to political campaign funds by the insurance com- panies. MT. odell having testified yester- day that Senator Platt collected all such moneys up to last year. It Is now ex- pected that the senator will be heard early next week, possibly on Tuesday. when the sessions will be resumed.
 Fathers Whereabouts Still Unknown, Frank B. Jordan. son of the former comptroller of the Equitable. who at a previous session said he did not know where his father was, or whether either his father or mother was living, was call ed again today and said that he had re- ceived letter from his mother who was ! in Canada. since he first testified; but that she said nothing of his father. He could tell nothing as to the amount of
 fire insurance business he had done for | the Equitable, or why he got 1t, but ia going to supply that information later.
 Samuel $. McCurdy, assistant regs- | trar, and not related to the McCurdys l of the Mutual Life. said he had charge
 of the vouchers for local service. From
 him was gleaned a story of trouble in l California in 1897, when the insurance | commissioner of that state demanded an
 examination. Thousands of dollars were spent by the Equitable In this matter, as accounted for by MT. McCurdy, and he
 justified the expenditure on the ground | 1t would have cost the equitable about | 40,000 had no defense been made hence | the expenditure for counsel. He seemed I to think the demands of the California commissioners were exorbtant.
 Depew's Knowledge Limited. | Senator Depew was called to give any
 information he might possess as to number of vouchers for legal services, 1 but his knowledge was rather limited. and many of the expenditures and sisners 1 of these vouchers he had never heard of. One voucher to John A. Nichols for | legal services was accompanied by let-
 ter to Senator Depew referring to "our 1 friend who comes around once year i and your rambunctious friend up the | river" The senator said he knew Nichols 1 has been retained at different times by 1 the Equitable but he did not know in
 what connection. MT. Nichols, he said,
 was once quarantine commissioner, and
 used to be active in politics.
 | Gage E. Tarbell was called just before recess, and had hardly got started in his l testimony when Senator Depew was called. When he resumed 1t was almost l time for adjournment, and Senator Arm strong announced that the subcommittee of Senator Fully and Assemblyman Cox
 would take the deposition of MT. Squier at o'clock, therefore no afternoon ses- sion would be held. Mir Tarbell told of his twenty-slx years connection with tho | Equitable and his activities in the inter- est of the polcyholders.
 | He was opposed to money being spent for legislative purposes. and thought the 1 poicyholders in body could defeat any | legislation inimical to their interests. l He said he had tried to interest the | New York Life and the -.-utual Life in an agreement to appoint a commmittee of I one to look after such matters. but the | officers of the Mutual Life said 1t was lm- practicable. Mir. Tarbell was on tho stand when the adjournment until Tuesday was I taken.