The semi-weekly messenger. [volume] (Wilmington, N.C.) 1897-1908, 1905-11-17

, 900 loan.
The instructions of Mr.. Jordan tn A
{. Fields, the Legislative generalissi-
mo, rs Mr.. Hughes referred to him
today, Mr.. Hyde knew nothing about
he SAID ne never consulted with Mr.
Jordan about legislative matters. and
that none Of the legislative measures
affected him Or his interests In aay
way.
The syndicate operations of J. p.
Hyde and associates was gone into
very thoroughly, and it was shown
that in twenty-three syndicates Mr.
HYDE sustained personal losses of s2S.-
615, Mr.. Hyde ascribed the apportion-
ment Of the Eduitable's allotment of
bonds in syndicates to officers of me
Equitable Life to the customs and US
ages Of Wall street.
VI the formation OF the J. Fl. Hyde
and associates syndicate, Mr.. Hyde
said Mr.. Alexander suggested it for
the convenience Of bankers. He did
not/refnemDer that any apport1onmens
or an allotment to this syndicate had
ever been made to individuals who
were not officers of the Equitable Life.
Mr.. Alexander decided who should
Al ~ l1dlIdIc anu rs Utc4S-
ion was final.
Of the $500 0 900 Union Pacific
pool Mr.. Hyde said Mr.. Hartman IN
stigated it, and explained it was to
be a holding syndicate for five years.
1t was understood this was for he
purpose of controlling the Union Pa.
cific. MIR. Hyde signed the syndicate
agreement at Mr.. Harriman's sugges-
ton. and talked only with Mr.. Harrl-
man on the subject. The executive
committee was not informed of this
operation. as Mr.. Hyde said that Mr..
Alexander did not think it necessary,
and that Mr.. Hartman requested that
the committee DC not Informed OF it
He said that Mr.. Hartman ever re-
fused to give i statement Of the pur-
chases of the pool to the superlnten-
dent Of insurance when he was "clan-
oring for it" last spring.
EcIinsing all this sensational test
mony, however, were the statements Of
Mr.. Hyde concerning former Governor
Odall and Mr.. Hartman. relative to
the settlement OF the shipbuilding COM
pany suit by the Mercantile Trust COM
pany. Mr.. Hyde said that Mr.. Harri-
man came to him and advised the set
Element of Odells suit, as he feared
that powerful influence at Albany
would oe invoked in retaliatory mea-
sures. Mr.. Hartman suggested as il
Of these measures the revocation Of
the charter Of the Mercantile Trust
Company. Mr.. Hyde knew Of no &C
tual steps that we're taken, or of any
bill that was introduced, but he was
beset with rumors that such steps We're
about 20 be taken by legislation. The
Equitable Life, he said, was not inter
ested beyond the connection 1t had
with tie Mercantile Trust Company.
Mr.. Hyde was under the Impression
that the Mercantile in settlement re-
tanned the bo1ds, and paid Mr.. Odeli
about STE, 900. The original claim OF
Odell was about $50, 200. The bonds
subsequently melted about so cents on
the dollar. Mr. Hyde said Mr.. Harri-
man suggested the settlement Of the
suit, and that the counsel and mem
bers Of the executive committee Of the
Mercantile Trust advised it. and he rec
commended it.
Charges of conspiracy to get him out
Of the country were made by Mr.. Hyde
against Henry c. Frick and E., H. IIar-
riman in connection with the reported
aspiration of Mr.. Hyde to become am
bassador to France. He said Mr..
Frick inspired the idea and witness
took it as a joke at first, but when Mr..
Frick brought it up later, Mr.. Hyde
was f1attered and both Mr.. Hartman
and Mr.. Frick promised to use their
influence to secure the appointment.
Again Mr.. Hyde waxed bitter in his cx-
PLANTATION of the extraordinary interest
these gentlemen had in his absence
from the country. He said he thought
their idea was That they would acqIit
themselves of their friendly steward
ship with great profit to themselves
and added that The nature Of their in
terest had since become very obvious.
Mr.. Hyde charged Mr.. Prick with
breach of faith in leading him to be-
lieve that the Prick committee was
friendly to him and with doing al
he could to dissuade witness from sell
ing his stock at the same tin,e,'
as Mr.. Hyde said, doing everything on
that committee he could to injure he
and destroy the value of that stock
Mr.. Hyde explained that he used
friendly in the just sense of the
word, and that if there was anything
for which he could be criticised he was
wiling to take whatever criticism came.
Mr.. Hyde said he did not think the
report was at all fair and that the
committee posed is his friends, while
he was attacked on the other side by
Mr.. Alexander and his friends under
the sham of naturalization. Mr.. Har-
riman, he said, asked him to move che
adoption of the Prick report at the
meeting of the board, but Mr.. Hyde
said he absolutely declined as it was
condemnatory Of everything that had
ever transpired in the society, and he
was advised by counsel that such a
step would throw the Equitable Life
into the hands of a receiver.
Mr.. Hyde was excused until tomor-
row when his examination will be re-
sumed.