The Madison daily leader. [volume] (Madison, S.D.) 1890-current, 1905-11-22

Moneys in the e.ection or reglslatorsy-.
"Oh, could not say that"
"Isnt that the way it really comes
about, senator, that the use Of these
contributions in the election of candi-
1ates to Office puts the candidate more
Or less under a moral obligation not to
attack the interest supporting them?"
THAT is what naturally would be
involved"
isn't that really what is involved?"
II should think so.'
Explains Letters to Depew.
John A. Nichols, lawyer and quar-
lntine commissioner of the port of
New York from 1880 to 1892, who
grote the letters to Senator Chauncey
N. Depew In behalf Of his friend "who
Usually gets around at this time Of the
rear" and who he wrote was getting
'rambunctious" and needed help, was
The first witness before the insurance
Investigating committee. Much inter-
sst has been aroused by the reading of
Nichols letters to Senator Depew on
Friday. The senator was not able to
remember who Mr.. Nichols friend was.
Mr.. Nichols testified that he had
been employed by the Equitable soci-
sty for twenty to twenty-five years un-
Ter an annual retainer of $1,000 and
Iaid he Is still under that retainer.
Recently he was employed by the Mu-
Mal Life Insurance company. He said
he was consulted by the officers Of the
Equitable society on matters not con-
nected with the legislature in 1904.
One of the matters entrusted to him
vas that Of w. s. Manning of Albany.
The witness said that Manning. who
had been an actuary, was employed by
certain people to bring charges against
the Equitable society that the reserve
was not SO large as it ought to be.
Manning was paid $3.50, Mr.. Nichols
said, so that he would be favorable
to the company" Witness later said
this was paid to keep Manning from
being employed against the company.
He thought these payments had been
made over a period OF fifteen years.
Sometimes these payments reached
$3.50. Other payments were made to
man named Kerr, correspondent OF
New York paper, now dead. Kerr
was paid certain sums for two or three
years, but the sums were not men.
toned by the witness.
Letters Referred to Manning.
The vouchers signed by Mr.. Nichols
were produced. A payment of $4,000
July 1. 1889, witness could not remem-
ber, but answering Mr.. Hughes he said
he thought it was to enable him to pay
somebody else. Vouchers dated Oct.
l, 1883, for $6,714 and July /, 1890, for
$4,000 witness was also unable to ex-
plain, but thought he could remember
later when he had refreshed his men,
ory. The letter of the witness to Sen.
ator Depew dated December, 1896, rela.
tive to "our friend who gets around at
this time of the year" was read to the
witness and he said it referred to Mr..
Manning. He wrote to Senator Depew
because the senator was on the finance
committee of the Equitable society
and that he expected the senator to
turn the letter over to the executive
officers. The letter of Dec. 4, 1902,
relative to "our rambunctious friend
from up the river" witness also said
referred to Mr.. Manning. Mr.. Man
ming, he said, wanted to know whether
the arrangement of yearly payments
by the Equitable society was to be con-
tinued. Witness said Manning went
into this arrangement under his Mich
ols) persuasion. Mr.. Nichols said he
induced Manning to give up his bust.
ness as an actuary because Manning
had been antagonistic.
The names of Pierson, Brooker, Bal
derson and numerous others on vouch-
ers on which payments were made,
witness said, were false names, used
to protect Manning and keep his name
out of the matter. During this same
period witness was employed by the
Mutual Life In looking after Man.
ning," as Mr.. Hughes termed 1t, and
paid Manning for the Mutual sums like
those paid for the Equitable. The
same system of using false names to
protect Manning was followed in his
dealing with the Mutual.