The Fairmont West Virginian. (Fairmont, W. Va.) 1904-1914, 1905-02-16
EQUITABLE LlFE Assn RANCE
II COMPANY y DIRECTORS WILL
SIFE5 MEET THIS sAFTERNoo DON. IN
(By Publishers. Press 1, !,

(By Publishers Press.)
NEW YORK, Feb. 16.-The climax
in the internal war, which has been zen
raging in the Equitable Life Assur.
ances Company will come this !. after.
noon when the directors meet to take
up the questions at issue. The fac:
ton headed by President Joseph w.
Alexander are confident that the
mutllizatIon plan put forward BY
them will be adopted, but they are not
50 sure that they can Dust James H.
Hyde, first ylceBpresident of the com.
pany, whose ownership Of ffty.one
per cent Of the 100000 capitaliza.
ton Of the company's stock has prac.
tically made him the director Of the
companys affairs. 1t is this condi-
ton that President Alexander and a
majority Of the working officers Of
the Equitable wish to change.
James H, Hyde is % years old. He
graduated from Harvard in 1898. The
following year his father died and he,
became the head of one Of the great.
est financial institutions in America.
II In the public eye James II. Hyde
has been conspicuous for the past
five years for three things: First,
as the best driver OF a four.in-hand
coach in the country; second, as the
leading exponent Of French language
and literature in the United States,
and third, and most recent, as the
leader of Bachelor Society in New
York. When still in his teens James
II. Hyde was taken to Paris, where
he became, infatuated with things
French. After leaving Harvard he
made many trips to the French capt
tai. He sought out the men of let.
tiers, the artists, the singers. He had
audiences with President Loubet and
afterward received the decoration OF
the Legion of Honor in recognition
of his services in spreading French
literature in America. Through his
efforts there was established the Al
lance Franchise, consisting Of liter
ary clubs In many cities. But with
this commendable literary activity
Mr.. Hyde sought to make himself as
French as possible in appearance and
manners. He grew a black beard
which is trimmed to fine point, as
rakish a barbe as even that gallant
old king, Henry the Fourth, could
sport. His hair is brushed up to a
kind of pompadour, but wrinkled
with little waves. Mr.. Hyde is tall,
about six feet and very thin, and he
dresses in way TO accentuate his
height. Most Of his clothes are made
in Paris.
In the world OF sport Mr.. Hyde
stands almost unchallenged as a whip.
His nearest competitor Is Alfred G.
Vanderbilt, but these two young men
of inherited millions have Joined
hands in many of their adventures
with the coach and the four. At the
last horse show Mr.. Hyde entertain
ed Miss Alice Roosevelt, and the two
we're the centre of attraction, So.
ciety gossiped over Mr.. Hyde's name
coupled with that of a marriagcable
young woman, and he has remained
CONSTANT bachelor. AS an enter.
talning and very eligible young man
he has been included in the invita-,
lion lists OF the most exclusive society
in the city. In return he has given
many little dinners at sherry's and
Delmonlco's.
The fance dress ball given by Mr..
Hyde at Sherry's on the evening of
January 81 was the climax Of his so
cfal career, and at the same time
gratifed his fondness for French,
style. 1t was this ball, TOO, which pre-
cipitated the crisis In the great in
surance company founded by his faith
er by provoking criticisms of lack Of