The Goodland republic. [volume] (Goodland, Kan.) 1891-1907, 1905-10-20
MGURDY JEERED IN COURT
DEMONSTRATION Is BARELY
AVERTED AT HEARING.
Information Brought Out During
Probing Of Legal Expenses Ac-
cOunt-8IcCurdy Defiant

NEW YORK, Oct 1S.-Before he
left the witness stand yesterday after
noon in the legislative insurance in
quiry, Richard A 8IcCurdy, president
OF the Mutual Life. was jeered by the
crowd that jammed the room There
was much excitement throughout the
day and only the repeated threats Of
Senator Armstrong, chairman Of the
committee, prevented violent demon
STATIONS The jeers came when Mr..
Hughes. the counsel for the commit
tee, asked questions that Mr.. Nc
Curdy was reluctant to answer, or
evaded. and were made by the crowd
that stood at the back Of the room,
which long ago proved inadequate TO
accommodate the counsel and wines
ses summoned, and the crowds Of
spectators that increase with every
hearing.
In Mr.. McCurdy's testimony a fea-
ture entirely new was disclosed, and
this was that the Mutual Life Insur-
ance company employed literary bu-
reau to send out to the press OF the
country news matter that was OF bene-
1T to the company This information
was elected during the probing Of the
legal expenses account. It came out
when a voucher for the payment Of
$500 to Joseph Howard, Jr., in 1904,
was produced Another voucher for
the same amount paid in May, 1905,
was marked 'Repayable on demand -
and For professional services" Mr.
McCurdy had vised the vouchers and
explained that Mr.. Howard was a
newspaper correspondent and that his
professional services consisted in syn
dicate news stories Pressed further.
Mr.. McCU dy said:
Where this important investigation
is going to lead, or where it Will end,
has caused no small amount Of con-
lecture and, doubtless, in some quar-
ers, anxiety. With the many threads
that have been taken up and dropped
before they have been followed to their
ends, in order that some new thread
may be taken up and with the addi-
tfOnal features that are disclosed with
almost every days hearings, the inter
est grows more intense.
Mr.. Howard was a correspondent
for the Boston Globe and several 9TH
er papers"
Mr.. McCurdy further said that he
paid Mr.. Howard about $4,000 a year
for these services and that the vOuch-
CT AOE May 4SD9r " d LGelAg d AOeAAL
or an advance"
During the afternoon Mr.. Nc
Curdy's demeanOr was much the same
as in the earlier part of the day. At
times McCurdy was so defiant that the
spectators bent forward to catch ev-
cry word and stood on uptOe, expect
ing every moment to hear him di-
rected by counsel to answer the ques-
ton His prefer of another witness
was all that prevented steps being
taken toward his Indictment
When Mr.. 1IcCurdy would not offer
the information himself, Mr. Hughes
started on another line Of inquiry
Late in the day Chairman Armstrong
explained that since the information
desired by the committee could be
obtained by another course, il was
agreeable to the committee to let Nc
Curdy place himseIs in the position
he did. Had ne. however, been direct
ed to answer and, knowing the infOr-
nation desired. then refused Mr.
Armstrong said steps would have been
taken to indict him for misdemeanOr-
which is the Offeuse Of a witness re-
fusing to answer questions before a
legislative committee while the legis-
Iature is not in session If the legis-
Iature were in session refusal 10 an
swer would have constituted con-
tempt