New-York tribune., 1905-04-18
RIVAL AGENTS IN CAUCUS
lid FOR ALEXANDER.
HIDE Men Say Official Vas Sus-
Dended for FaUOring Him.

% -, ,,,o 7 ife Assurance Society who
are here to attend the meeting called by James
w Alexander the president, for this morning
at the Hotel Savoy, some lou attehueu
regulation political caucus last night at the
uoteI Netberland at which they passed reso-
lutions favoring President Alexander ana the
management of the society heretofore
The utmost dissension was aroused over an at
tempt to pledge the meeting blindly to support
President Alexander. While all those at the
meeting. among whom were several women
wore the white carnatiOn which is the badSe
Of the Alexander adherents. they would not go
so far as to promise their support to the Alex
ander- TarbeH faction in any move 1t chose TO
make.
In the Hotel Savoy gathered the forty agents
who had eanlngs toward the Hyde party or
we're trying to maintain neutrality. Busy with
them in missionary work for the young vice.
president was H. H. Knowles supervisor of
agencies whose name was attached to the petit
ton asking that Mr. Hyde he ousted from the
EQUITABLE Mr.. Knowles was suspended py
President Alexander last Saturday for insubor-
dination Hyde men say his INSTRUMENTATION con-
sisted in his declaring to Gage F. TarbeH that
practically he had been Duncoed into signing
petition which he had not read and of the con-
tents of which he knew nothing. Since the pub
lication of the petition, Mr. Knowles has been
using every effort with Mr.. Tarbell to have him
self set right with the other employees OF the
Equitable and the public, declaring that he
never would have signed a petition dlrected
against the son of the man who gave him MS
place in the society.
Mr. Tarbell, according to the story told by
the Hvde people, said that Mr. Knowles coulu
Let his name remain on the petition, and keep
his place or he could present his resignation
feeling sure of its prompt acceptance. Mr..
IA Alexander
pended him, and the Hyde people say that ac-
tion is a good indication of what would happen
10 other HYDE adherents if the Alexander party
| obtained control OF the society.
The caucus last night lasted from o'clock
until almost H. 1t was shrOuded in the utmost
mystery although a few facts filtered out
Every attendant of the caucus was pleogeo 70
| secrecy. Arson A Maher, the secretary "ouiu
give no official information
It was. however, an Alexander meellne'
swung entirely by Alexander workers, chief
| among whom was E A Woods, of Pittsburg'
who is known in the home office as 'Tarbeils
net agent" Mr. Woods had typewriter reso-
! lutions approving President Alexander person.
| ally and his management of the society," Inc
| agents were willing enough to approve FreSl-
dent Alexander's personality, and declared tiia'
| hitherto the management had been rlght eIloueh
| for them TO write business.
the Acknowledgement party in the fight there
| was no sucb unanimous opinion. Much debate
arose Mr. Woods argued strongly aloeu pS
| other Tarbell men.
Across the street in the Savoy Mr.. Tarbell
himself was buttonholing every agent he saw
| using arguments of the most forceful descrip-
! ton. Judging from the doleful faces of the
! agents as they left him.
-TARBELL AsPIRES TO PRESIDENCY
/ All their efforts, however. did not prevent at
| least one detection from the meeting An agent
named Levy in Mr.. Woodss own territory bolt
ed the caucus. and refused to go back, despite
! the urgent pleas of some of the Alexander
/ party He said he went into the meeting to ac-
| conplish certain things, and having accom-
| plished them. felt it useless TO remain
| longer"
! Mr. Tarbell according to some of the dissat-
| !sned agents is trying TO pave his way toward
| the future presidency of the Equitable. Presi-
| dent Alexander is sIxty-seven years Old and
must retire soon. Alr Hyde, as first vice-presi-
| dent and majority owner of the stock. would be
| his logical successor Mr.. Tarbell began a few
| years ago to scheme to supersede him. To boil
| ster it up Mr.. Tarbeu conceived the mutualiza-
tion idea. with himself in charge of the agents
| and all the proxies they could gather. Then be
| gan the attack of the Alexander party on Mr.
| Hyde it declared.
| This attack and the direct lobpylhS Tor the
| support of the agents Mr.. Hyde viii answer
| at the meeting to-day, which was designed
| TO be President Alexander's strongest appeal
| to agents He will accept the belated invi-
| tation to attend which came to him a few
| days after President Alexander had called
| the meeting. With him he will take, according
| to plans he was outlining yesterday, data show
| ing the attempts Mr.. Alexander and M. Tarbell
| had made to undermine his standing and bust
| ness character and the way they had malicious
| " twisted things to show unfavorably to him.
He will make an address to the agents telling
| them Just where he stands to the manage
| ment of the society and the naturalization plan.
| Then he will declare if the agents want to work
for the real interest of the society they have
| full evidence on which TO base judgment.
The methods which usually characterize a
| sharply contested political convention were in
| force all day. Hyde and Alexander men were
| laborng with the agents, but the sentiment
among the agents was strongly for Mr.. Alexan-
der Julius Bohm of No 650 Broadway, de-
clared in the lobby of the hotel that he would
! advocate an assessment of a specified sum on
| each agent to raise fund to retain Joseph II.
Choate to bring criminal proceedings against
| Mr. Hyde. other agents declared that such a
step would be bit premature until the Fric&
committee had made report.
Mr.. Tarbell was at the Savoy before g a m.
For most of the morning he was i'm earnest con-
ference with the agents, doing missionary
work" Mr.. TarbelIs work was particularly ef-
fective, because ne is the highest authority in
the agency field fixing the agents commissions.
signing his contract. allotting to him his
stationery. Soon after Mr.. Tarbell reached the
scene, Mr.. Alexander and Bainbrdge Colby, of
bis counsel, stepped in. 10 shake hands all round
with the agents and ask about the health of