Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1905-11-21
PLATT ON THE STAND
Feature of the Insurance In
quiry Today.
MONEY FOR CAMPAIGN
WRITER OF LETTERS TO SENATOR
DEPEW A WITNESS.
Interesting Testimony Submitted
Throwing Light Upon Certain
Vouchers Paid by Equitable.

the insurance investigating committee in
New York today He said that the Equi-
table Society contributed $4,000 year to
the republican state campaign fund. The
contributions were in cash and were sent
by messenger to his office. and he turned
them over to the state committee. They
were unsocilited, he said.
Senator Platt said that $4,000 was fire.
quently paid as an annual contribution to
the state campaign fund, but that 1t was
not regular thing. and that he could not
remember the years in which 1t was paid.
The New York Life Insurance Company, he
said, also contributed, but not nearly so
much. No other insurance companies con-
tributed so far as he knew.
Senator Platt said he was expected in re-
turn for the contributions to influence legis-
lation when any measures were hostile to
the Insurance companies. He added that
he does not know Andrew Hamilton, nor
anything about Hamilton's activity before
the legislature. He knew nothing about An
drew c. Fields, who represented the Mutual
Life Insurance Company at Albany
Senator Platt said also that he had re-
ceived frequent contributions of $4,000 each
from the Mutual Life Insurance Company
NEW YORK, November 2t-John A.
Nichols, lawyer and quarantine commits
sioner of the port of New York from 1850
to 1852, who wrote the letters to Senator
Chauncey NJ Depew In behalf of his
friend who usually gets around at this
time of the year" and who he wrote was
getting ''rambunctious" and needed help
was the first witness before the insurance
investigating committee today.
Much interest had been aroused by the
reading of Nichols letters to Senator De-
pew Friday The senator was not able
TO remember who Mr.. Nichols friend was
Before Mr. Nichols was placed on the
witness stand Mr.. Hughes, counsel for the
committee announced that the examination
of George H, Squire of the Equitable So
ciety. which was conducted by a subcom-
mlttee on Saturday. had not been COM
pleted. owing to Mr.. Squires' Ill health and
that II was deemed expedient to withhold
the publication of Mr.. Squires' deposition
until 1t was completed.
Nichols Received Retainers.
Mr. Nichols was called. AS shown by
vouchers under observation by the commit
tee on Friday, Mr. Nichols received retain
ers from the Equitable Life Assurance So
ciety. When he went before the committee
today he testified that he had been en-
ployed by the Equitable Society for twenty
to twenty-five years under an annual re-
tainer of $1,000 and said he is still under
that retainer Recently he was employed
by the Mutual Life Insurance Company.
He said he was consulted by the officers
of the Equitable Society on matters not
connected with the legislation in 1904
One of the matters intrusted to him was
that of w. S. Manning of Albany. The wit
ness said that Manning, who had been an
actuary was employed by certain people
TO bring charges against the Equitable So
ciety that the reserve was not so large as
II ought TO be. Manning was paid S45o
Mr. Nichols said. so that he would be
favorable to the company"
Witness later said this paid to keep
Manning from being employed against the
company lie thought these payments had
been made over period of fifteen years
Sometimes these payments reached 1850
Othr payments were made to man named
Kerr. a correspondent of New York pa
per. now dead Kerr was paid certain sums
for two or three years. but the sums were
not mentioned by the witness.
Vouchers Produced.
The vouchers signed by Mr.. Nichols were
produced. A payment of $1,000 July l. 1889
witness could not remember but answering
Mr.. Hughes he said he thought it was to
enable him to pay somebody else. Vouch-
ers dated October 1883, for s6.Tl4, and July
j, unable
to explain, but thought he could remember
later, when he had refreshed his memory.
letter Of the witness TO Senator De-
ne dated December. 1896, relative to ''our
friend who gets around at this time of the
year" was read TO the wtness, and he said
q. ..4etTen 10 MIR. Manning. He wrote to
Senator Depew because the senator was on
the finance committee or the Equitable So
ciety and that he expected the senator to
turn the letter over to the executive offi-
GERS. The letter of December 4. 1892 rela-
tive to "our rambunctious friend from up
the river" witness also said referred to Mr..
Manning. Mr.. Manning, he said. wanted TO
know whether the arrangement of yearly
payments by the Equitable Society was to
be continued. Witness said Manning went
into this arrangement under his (Nichois)
persuation. Mr.. Nichols said he induced
Manning to give up his business as an ac-
tuary because Manning had been antago-
ntstic
Could Not Recall Threat.
Witness thought Mr.. Manning was con-
neeted with the investigation of insurance
companies in 1877, but he did not know in
what capacity. He did not recall that Man
ming threatened to publish results of that
investigation that had not been made pub
lie Manning claimed, according to Mr.
Hughes that he had Information of that
investisation which II published would se-
riousiy affect the Equitable Society and Mr.
Hughes asked Mr.. Nichols If that was not
the reason this money was paid to Man
ming. witness SAID he had no recollection
OF this point.
The names or Pierson. Brooker Balderson
and numerous others on vouchers on which
payments We're made, witness said. were
false names used TO protect Manning and
keep his name out of the matter
During this same period witness was en-
ployed by the Mutual Life looking after
Manning. as Mr.. Hughes termed it, and
paid Manning for the Mutual sums like
those paid for the Equitable. The same sys-
TEN OF using false names to protect Man
ming was followed in his dealing with the
Mutual. Witness said he received S1o0D
annually. For a time he received 81 600 also
from the New York Life Insurance Com
pany. but they discontinued 1t about 1899.
Witness said Manning wanted Ito follow up
the New York Life" but he "quieted him
without the of additional money"
Nichols said he does not know where
Manning is now He could not recall that