The news & observer. [volume] (Raleigh, N.C.) 1894-current, 1905-11-17
Thus He Replies to State
ments by Hyde.
FLUSHED WITH ANGER
Asked if He Threatened to Revoke
Charter of Mercantile Trust Com
pany, He Cried: "Thcre is No
Truth in That Statement So
Help Me God"
CBy the Associated Press J

New YORK. NOV 1b.--FOfnGr ION-
ernor Benz. b. Odell, Jr. and United
States Senator Chauncey NJ. Depew
as witnesses before the Armstrong
Legislative Insurance Investigation
committee today, denied parts of the
testimony of James Hazen Hyde in
which their names We're used. Mr..
Odell in the course of his testimony
called Mr.. Hyde's statements base
calumny" and when he asked whether
he directly, or indirectly had made
threats to have the charter of the Mer-
camille Trust Company revoked, his
face flushed and striking the arm of
the witness chair With his fist, he ex-
claimed:
There is no truth in that state
ment so help me Cod
Mr. Odell was the first witness of
the day. He said no political pressure
was brought TO bear on the settlement
of his suit against the Mercantile
Trust Company and that it was set
tied the same as suits brought by
others He said he had been advised
by counsel that his claim was a Just
one and that the court would have
awarded him more than he received
IN the settlement.
He knew OF the introduction of the
Amber bill. which it is said, might
nave affected the Mercantile Trust
C0mpany's charter and While he did
not suggest IT'S introduction he-s s5tw no
objection 10 it, Mr.. Odell denied that
he ever made q statement TO T.. H.
Hartman or any one else that re-
taliatory measures would be taken
against the Mercantile Trust Company.
The witness said that he and Mr
Hartman were personal friends but
Hot tan.
He wrote a letter on behalf of Mr..
Hyde's candidacy for the post of AM
bassador to France. This was at the
request of VIM. H. Mcintyre, one of
the vice presidents of the Equitable
Life Assurance Society.
Mr.. OdelI said he had never solicit
- roliticaT contrihrrtiens hrIt poSSi-
bly, some moneys might have come
TO h.nl through the National commit
too or Senator Thos. G. Platt. as the
latter had always gathered together
the funds in New York State except
i'm the last year.
Mr.. Odell was asked to tell precisely
the facts about the irtr1auvtion oi
the Amber bill. He replied:
1 had prepared the introduction Of
that bill and brought the whole ship
building case before Mr.. Jerome, me
District Attorney of New York, and
stated that he had better look into IT
and see whether there was anything
in connection with the scandal which
should not be investigated by mis- Of
flee. He had the case for some time
and he said to me after several weeks
thar he had gone into it very carefully
and he came to the conclusion that
there were no grounds for cdiminal
prosecution In the meantime sucn
concerns as the lire company and the
Whiting Paper Company and Amer-
can Bicycle trust and some foufIeen
or fifteen others had been mentioned
rs having been projected by Alexan-
der and Green and presumably win
the approval and support of the Aer-
camille Trust all of which had been
failures. and it was suggested that
something ought to be done TO stop
that, and in talking over the matter
in conference with people who came
in If was decided that some remedlaI
legislation could be formulated ana
would prevent the unloading upon TIE
purpose of these securities. In the
meantime the papers had taken en-
tireiy different and antagonistic views
of the matter. whether they had been
inspired or not / do not know but
there was more or less talk about II
being q measure to get even Win
somebody; and then when Senator
Amber came iii TO see me ana taxed
with me about il, [ said to him that
under the circumstances he had better
let the whole thing drop"
Mr.. Odell said he told JAS. Fl. Hyde
at their first interview that the-Ana
bier bill would be stopped by him,
that there was no fear no matter.
what was done about his settlement,
of any retaliatory legislation. Mr. Odeil
then made a statement in which he
told at some length of interviews
which he had with Bainbridge Colby.
of Hyde's counsel. and Jas. H. iayde
with regard TO the suit against the
Mercantile Trust Company.
Mr. Odell said that Mr. Colby first
called upon him after the suit was
instituted in August 1904, and asked
him To drop it. Mr.. Odei declined.
In the following month +. II. Harri-
man told Mr.. Odell the Witness said.
that Mr. Hyde was anxious To settle
the suit
Mr. Oder said that AIR. Hyde told
him the suit was distasteful that he
had been in the habit of contributing
to the c @aign fund. He said that
he felt t; Odell's administration
as chai Il the State committee
was an &C TO him Hyde).
Mr. aid he replied that he
knew about contributions by
the companies. and that Il
neve aa eelty or indirectly solicited
a ST IN from the Equitable Life
or nr ler insurance company in
th' ttasa of New York. or in any