The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1905-06-24
JEROME ACTS ON EQUITABLE.
has TWO COURTS STAY OPEN IN
CASE HE NEEDS THEM.

AshN 10 Account Win the Others
A thorough investigation OF the old
arrangement fthe Equitable Life Assurance
Society is to be made by District Attorney
Jerome for the purpose of finding out il
any criminal charge can be lodged against
any officer or director or any set of them.
Mr. Jerome will give the affairs of the
Equitable complete overhauling and
spare no one.
The investigation may take some time,
but when he is through with it Mr.. Jerome
will have decided il there has been any
criminal acknowledgement. If there has
those responsible for it he will attempt to
have indicted.
The frit preliminary move in his invcsti-
cation was taken by Mr.. Jerome yesterday.
Mr. Jerome had decided to dig into the
management of the Equitable when he
sent to Superintendent of Insurance Francis
Hendricks for his report But when MIR.
Jerome received Gov. Higgns's letter
Offering him any Of the evidence collected
ty Supt. Hendricks the District Attorney
considered that it was tantam cunt to an
order from the Governor TO start an investi-
CATION.
In the summer months there are only
60 Mr. Jerome decided that If his investiga-
ton demanded quick action he would I've
handicapped as the two courts in session
are taken up with prison cases. With this
IN mind he asked Justice Davy in the
Supreme Court, Criminal Branch, and
Recorder Golf to continue their courts In
session in the summer months This they
consented to do.
I>ao fnr tpa
business, but if Mr.. jerome should need
them for the Equitable affair they will
De convened at once.
While Mr.. Jerome Yesterday refused to out
line his plans it is pretty definitely known
what he Is going to do. He has already
got Supt. Hendricks's preliminary report,
and to-day he will write to Gov. Higgins
asking him for the evidence gathered by
supt. Hendricks. Then Mr.. Jerome will
get copy Of the Frick report and collect
what other evidence he can get between
now and next Tuesday.
TWO WEEKS TO DIG OUT EVIDENCE.
Then ha intends to take two weeks of
AID devote most Of the time to the EQui-
table investigation He is to speak in Kansas
on July 4. but with the exception of that
trip he will spend the two weeks or more,
II necessary, on the Equitable affairs
To date Mr.. jerome knows nothing about
the Equitable scandal, except what he has
read in the newspapers. If, after going
over the evidence carefully, he finds on
the face Of 1t that criminal offenses have
been committed, indictments will be drawn
at once and Mr.. Jerome will Immediately
submit the case TO the Grand Jury in ses-
sion
Should Mr.. Jerome decide that crimes
have been committed, but that prolonged
investigation will be necessary to fix the
responsibility, a special Grand Jury will
probably be empaneled. Before he takes
any action it is understood that Mr.. Jerome
will first communicate his findings to Gov.
Higgins.
Mr.. Jerome realizes that the interests
OF the 100000 policyholders must be con-
sidered and he will make no move until he
knows his ground thoroughly. Persons
familiar with the affairs of the Equitable
had suspicion yesterday that the State
officials, not having succeeded in getting
anything definite of a criminal nature
agains, the officers and directors of the
Equitable, have showed he whole thing up
to Mr., Jerome
If it is necessary to have n special Grand
Jury, everybody concerned in the manage
ncnt Of the Equitable will be subpnnaed
and examined as we'll rs those outside of
the company who know anything about
its past management
ASKS COURT TO STAY oPEN
When Mr.. Jerome appeared before Re-
corder Con yesterday morning he surprised
every one by asking that the court be con-
tinued in session for the rest OF the summer.
He referred to the Governors letter and
added that he had not had time to read
the report Of Supt Hendricks The Gov
ernor had offered to send. him the evidence
taken by Supt. Hendricks and, Of course,
it is my desire that it should be submitted
to mo-, M, Jerome said.
He cont inued:
The attention which has been directed
10 the management of this concern, in
which so many people, not alone in this
community, but, in fact all over the world.
ere interested makes it peremptory duty
that should look carefully into everything
that may afford any light on this subject,
with view Of determining whether in the
conduct Of the affairs of that concern a
crime has been committed
i am not in position now to know
whether there has been any crime or any
violation Of the statutes of this State or
not, but it is, of course, oh viously my duty,
even regardless OF my attention having
teen called to it by the Governor, to make
such an inquiry In fact, had already,
ieSore the receipt Of the communication
from the Governor, taken the matter under
consideration and was making some in
curry in regard to it.
1T may be that there ia nothing that
will require my official action or the action
Of this Court. The somewhat unusual
course of calling the District Attorneys
attention to such a matter by the Execu-
tive, while Of course, highly proper and
perfectly ~ the line Of his duty, focuses
public attention upon such an inquiry.
II may be that in the course Of this investi-
CATION l shall require the assistance and
the counsel Of this Court and also its as
sistance in the discharge Of Its judicial
functions"
Mr. Jerome then referred to the fact that
only two courts were open during the
summer. He said that Justice Davy had
agreed to sit, adding $50 that the prosecut-
ing attorney of the county may Re In