The Birmingham age-herald., 1905-11-16
Testimony in Insurance InV,sti-
 gatiOn Cannot be RecOnciIed
BOTH ON STAND YESTERDAY
Hartman Says Hyde Came to Him and Asked for His Influence In Being Appointed Ambassador
 to France.

New York, November 15.-E. H. Harri- man. chairman of the board of directors of the Union Pacific railroad, former member of the board of directors of the Equitable Life Assurance society, and connected with many railroads and finan- cial institutions, the former friend or James Hagen Hyde, against whom the latter charged acts of an unfriendiy na- ture in his testimony yesterday, was one of the chief witnesses before the Arm strong committee on investigation today. MT. Hartman was called immediately af- ter recess and his testimony was series of denials of the charges made by Mr. Hyde.
 Contrary to MT. Hyde's statement. MT. Hartman said MT. Hyde came to him about a year ago and asked him to use his influence to have him appointed tm- bassador to France. MT. Hartman said he would speak to President Roosevelt when he saw him, but added that he did not recommend MT. Hyde for the post.
 Upon MT. Hyde's testimony relative to the settlement of the Odell suit being read to him, MT. Hartman denies that he had suggested to MT. Hyde any danger or repeal of the charter of the Mercantile Trust company, directly or indirectly and stated that MT. Hyde came to him ana asked him to use his influence with MT. Odell toward a settlement or the sult.
 MT Hartman explained that he wanted Mr Hyde's individual signature to the syndicate agreement of the $5o,0oo,oOO Union Pacific pool because no syndicate wants a corporation as member.
 Difficult to Guard Condolences.
 He justified this because 1t was difficult to guard condolences when more than one individual represented the same interest.
 He denied that he ever advised MT Hyde to sell his stock until after the re- port of the Prick committee, and said ne had offered to subscribe $500 900 to assist MT. Hyde in retaining his stock.
 MT. Hartman said the Prick report never was mentioned in the Union Paciic deal specifically, but included 1t under the general statement that MT. Hyde had committed the society in unwarrantable transactions without the knowledge of the committee. MT. Hartman thought 1t perfectly proper for the Equitable to buy Union Pacific under an agreement to hold 1t for five years. He did not know that it was MT. Hyde's personal money in thls deal and always supposed it was that Of the Equitable
 Witness also denied that he had request ed that the executive committee not be in- formed of this deal and when MT. Hyde's testimony on this point was read to him, he replied that he did not remember
 Through Thick and Thin.
 MT. Hartman said that early in the Equitable troubles he had defended MT. ..lra nta1 hA to move the adoption of the Prick reso- luton, telling him that he would stand by him through thick and thin
 Mr. Hyde was the first witness of the day He said he had four offers for his stock besides that of MT. Ryan, to whom he sold it. These offers wer emade by MT. Prick and Mir Hartman, by George Gould, by Gage E. Tarbell, representing a syndicate, and George w. Young. These were made verbally and the largest was made by Mir Young, former president of the United States Mortgage and Trust company who offered $7,0O0,000.
 Mir Hyde said he declined all these of- fers because he did not think 1t to the best interest of the society to accept any of them.
 MT Ryan made the only offer for the stock after the Prick report. MT. Hyde started to read a statement in reply to
 
 dricks on the Safe Deposit company's control by the Equitable, but it was marked for Identification and put in evi- dence without it's reading being finished. This will be considered by the committee in it's report if it Is relevant to the mat ter.
 Mir. Hyde was excused while George H. Sduier Jr. a stock broker and son of the former financial manager of the Equitable Life was called to explain some transactions of his father. He told how his firm sold stock of the Lawyers Title Insurance and Trust company for his fathers account to the American Deposit and Loan company.
 George H. Jenkins, formerly president of this company was called and said that George H. Squier requested that all of. this stock offered by his sons firm be purchased. This was done from time to time, and subsequently, sold to the Equi- table Life at an advance, the profits go- ing to MT. Squier
 Would Be Embarrassing.
 MT Hyde was again called and said this was the first he had heard of these transactions. He said in answer to Sen ator Armstrong that his powers of at torney were always destroyed when he returned from Europe, but that If an ob- ligation should turn up now purporting to have been made while he was abroad, the situation would be very embarrass- ing.
 After Mir Hartman had testified. Mir Hyde was called again and asked if he heard MT. Hartman testify.
 He replied that he reaffrmed his pre- vlous testimony and supplied data about several questions concerning which MT. Hartman was uncertain.
 Samuel Untermeyer, counsel for Mir. Hyde attempted to cross-examine MT. Hartman, but the committee after con sultation refused permission. whereupon Mir. Untermeyer asserted the examina- tions had been conducted in disorderly manner.
 During the day MT. Hyde threw the room into an uproad by an answer to Assemblyman Rogers, who asked MT. Hyde why MT. Odell was feared when there was no legislature in session. and the governor was soon to retire. MT Hyde replied rhat some men are more ire fiuential and powerful out of office than in.
 With today's session the examination of both MT Hyde and Mir. Hartman was completed and the next witness who is awaited with much interest is MT. Odel who has requested that he be s~- amined.