The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1905-08-12
TO TACKLE n. Y. LIFE FIRST.
ARMSTRONG COMMITTEE LAYING
OUT PLANS FOR WORK.
Hughes Cables His Acceptance and Will
BE Back Next Week-Chairman to Urge
Choate to AID Commissi From
Other states 70 Rest Until Oct. I.

ditions announced yesterday that he had
received word from Charles E. Hughes
that he would accept the retainer offered
him by the committee. Mr.. Hughes cabled
from Munich, Germany, that he intended
to sail for home az soon as possible He
will probably arrive the latter part OF next
week.
1t Ia believed that the New York Life
will be the first company examined. but
no important steps will be taken In the
investigation until Mr.. Hughes Is on the
ground, although the committee will lay
plans under the guidance Of James McKeen.
The committee met with Mr.. MoKeen
yesterday in his Offices. at 40 Wall street,
and had general talk regarding the scope
OF the investigation. This Is something
that the members OF the committee have
been little hazy on. Mr.. McKeen gave
1t as his opinion that there was practically
no limit to the inquiry. The purpose OF
the investigation, he pointed out, was
solely to obtain information which would
enable the Legislature TO pass laws that
would correct some Of the present con-
ditions in the life insurance system. and
everything which had bearing on 1t was
proper subject for examination.
Mr. McKeen said after the committee had
left his office that absolutely no Limitation
had been placed upon him by the COM
mittee.
1T should be remembered. however,
said Mr.. MoKeen, that legislative COM
mittee is not Grand Jury and that It's
purpose Is not to bring individual wrong
doors to justice, though the results Of the
coming investigation might be used by the
proper officers for such an end. The pur-
pose OF all legislative inquiry Is to find q
basis for new legislation"
Chairman Armstrong said that he was
not able to announce yet that Joseph H e.
Choate had accepted retainer as advisory
counsel, but that he was hopeful. Other
members Of the committee gave 1t as their
opinion that Mr.. Choate will accept. The
former Ambassador Is In Massachusetts, at
present. Chairman Armstrong has been
chosen by his collea CUES to devote his time
to obtaining Mr. Choate's consent.
All the out Of town members Of the COM
mittee left the city last night. They will not
return until the early part Of next week.
The six outside insurance commissioners
who came to town Thursday declaring
that they we're going 70 start an investi-
CATION of New York insurance companies
also left town last night after having visited
one company, the New York Life. Presi
dent Mccall Of that company, 1t was said
yesterday, invited the commissioners to
call upon him and asked that his institution
be the first to be examined. Here is a
statement which the commissioners issued
after their talk with Presideat Mccall:
AT a conference between the commits
sioners OF Tennessee, Kentucky, Mime
sofa, Wisconsin, Nebraska and Louisiana
and President Mccall OF the New York
Life Insurance Company, held at Mr..
McCalls invitation, Mr.. Mccall stated
that the company would welcome a full
and complete examination OF its affairs
and hoped that If the interstate examna-
tons of life insurance companies were to
be made the New York Life would be the
first TO he examined. This was agreed to.
AS it was the desire OF the commissioners
and the company TO avoid conflict with the
work of the New York legislative committee
it was decided ahat the examination should
begin Oct. /. 1t was assumed that the New
York legislative committee will have COM
pleted its inquiry into the affairs Of the
New York Life by that time
The commissioners supplemented the
above by explaining that the clerks Of the
New York Life company we're engaged at
present in preparing data that will be needed
before the legislative committee and 1t
was considered better to wait until the CON-
pany was perfectly free to devote all OF it's
attention to the commissioners.
The same argument applied, the commits
soners said, to the Equitable and Mutual,
as State Superintendent Hendrick' = men are
at work in both those institutions. The
postponement Of the examination did not
mean, the commissioners said, that none Of
the other companies would be examined.
They will all, it was said. be looked into
after Oct. /.
The statement made by the commissioners
that the State Investigators would probably
be through with the New York Life by Oct.
1 led to the belief that the legislative COM
mittee would begin with that company.
The commissioners called on Mr.. McKeen
in re gard to this point and requested that
the legislative committee make a special
effort TO finish with that company by Oct. /.
BELCHER on WAY TO CHINA.
New Yorker Meets Paters0n's Mayor In