Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1905-10-19
In Insurance Case, Witness
Denying Positive Proof.
MCCurdy Again On Stand and Hear
ing Grows Fast and Warm.

New York, Oct. 1S.-The district at
torney's office was called upon. today,
by the Legislative insurance investi-
eating committee because OF the testi-
mOny OF one witness and the question
of an arrest is now being considered
by Assistant District Attorney Rand.
The witness in question is George J.
Plunkitt. an 1S-year-Old telephone
operator in the employ of the station
cry firm of L. w. Lawrence & Co..
from whom the Mutual Life purchased
Il great deal of supplies.
1t was brought out in, yesterdays
testimony that among the vouchers
for money charged to legal expenses
was one for 1901, signed by George F.
Plunkitt. His identity was not dis
Chased until, today, when Plunkitt was
called to the stand. He testified as to
his employment, and when shown the
voucher denied that he had ever sign
cd it. He further denied that the had
ever received that amount of money
from the Mutual Life or that he had
rendered the company any service.
Mr.. Hughes asked Plunkitt to write
his name in ink on a piece of paper
which he did. This and the voucher
were then offered in evidence, and the
similarity of the signatures was called
to the attention of the committee.
Shortly after this incident the ser
geant at arms was sent to communi-
cate with the district attorneys office
and soon Mr.. Rand appeared. He was
escorted to a seat beside Chairman
Armstrong and for a time he critically
II
Rand would say was that he had been
summoned by Chairman Armstrong,
and when the chairman was question
ed he said the matter was now out of
the hands of the committee and was
ur to the district attorneys office"
Another feature of the days hearing
was the passage at arms between
Chairman Armstrong. Counsel Hughes
ard James NJ. Breck, counsel for Pres
idcnt r. A. McCurdy Of the Mutual
Life. Mr.. Breck accused NJ. Hughes Of
misleading the public by moth following.
out hns line of Interrogation to the end,
and asserted that he dropped a subject
before the witness was allowed to ex-
plain. Chairman Armstrong then said
that the work of the committee must
ilOI W lie ne
said. wanted all the information it
could get that would be helpful and the
witness had placed himself in the posi-
ton in which he found himself by his
continual evaSivc answers. Mr.. Arm
strong said further that every witness
will be treated with all possible cour-
tesy. Mr.. Hughes then said if he had
erred it was by showing courtesies
when circumstances justified an en-
tirely different course, adding that eva
sion would be held up to the contempt
it has always received. There was a
spontaneous outburst of applause when
Mr.. Hughes had concluded. which was
stopped only by threat to clear the
room.
William NJ. Carpenter, a clerk in the
supply department of the Mutual Life
made an excellent witness for the COM
mittee by his frank manner and appar-
ent desire to give whatever informal
ton he could. Mr.. Carpenter was I'M
der the direction of A. c. Fields, the
of this department and
was very close to Mr.. Fields in his
Legislative supervision at Albany.
Mr.. Carpenter told Of how house has
been maintained in Albany for several
years at the expense of the Mutual
Life. Mr. Fields occupied it only dur
ing the legislative session and on sew