The Minneapolis journal., 1905-11-21
BIG THREE PAID
BIG SUMS YEARLY
Equitable, Mutual and New York
Life Sent Money to
Platt.
In Return, the United States
Senator and Boss Was to
Use His Influence.

New York, Nov. 21.-United States
Senator Thomas c. Platt testified as a
witness before the insurance investl-
eating committee today
Senator Platt said the Equitable So
ciety contributed $4,000 a year to the
republican state campaign fund.
Senator Platt said the contributions
were in cash and were sent by messen
ger to his office and he turned them
over to the state committee. They
were unsolicited, he said.
Senator Platt said also he had re-
ceived frequent contributions OF $l0,-
900 each from the Mutual Life Insur-
ance company.
Senator Plat said that $4,000 was
tion to the state campaign fund, but
that it was not regular thing and
that he could not remember the years
in which it was paid.
The New York Life Insurance COM
pany, he said, also contributed, but
not nearly so much. No other insur-
ance companies contributed, so far as
he knew.
Senator Platt said he was expected,
in return for the contributions, to in
fiuence legislation when any measures
were hostile to the insurance companies.
He added he did not know Andrew
Hamilton, nor anything about Hamil-
toms activity before the legislature.
He knew nothing about Andrew e.
Fields, who represented the Mutual Life
company at Albany.
Most from the Equitable.
Senator Platt said that he had re-
ceived contributions more particularly
from the Equitable Life, solely for the
state campaign fund and during a pc
riod Of at least the last ten years. The
contributions were $4,000 each. He
could not tell when they commenced,
but they continued every year for some
| time.
He received no money from the
Equitable for local campaigns nor for
the expenses Of any candidates to the
| legislature. The money was divided
as seemed expedient. The packages Of
money, he said, were sent over to his
/, office by a messenger and he imme-
diately turned them over to. either the
chairman, secretary. or treasurer of the
state committee. They were all cash
contributions all came by messenger,
and all came voluntarily. Senator Platt
said he could not remember whether he
made request for the contributions at
the very beginning of them. They
were a fixed sum of 100000 a year.
Sometimes from the Mutual.
Senator Platt said he occasionally re-
ceived contributions of $4,000 each
from the Mutual Life, but that he
could not tell in what year nor how
often. These contributions did not
come annually, but at different times
within the last ten years. He turned
the money over to the state committee.
The senator said he believed that he
had dealt with President R. A McCur
dy in receiving these contributions. Il
simply asked him at various times when
necessities were very great, for money,
and he said he would be glad to sub
scribe,' said the senator.
The money, the senator said, was al.
ways sent to him by messenger, and
paign. President McCurdy understood,
the senator said, that the senator was
not representing the national commit
tee. The Mutual Life, he said, made
no contributions to the local campaign
nor to the interest of any candidate for
state office other than by the general
contributions described.
While testifying about the gifts OF the
Mutual Life the senator once replied
l that he understood he was talking about
the New York Life, but afterward said
that he meant the Mutual.
T. Little from New York Life.
: When he was asked when he had re-
: ceived any of the funds from the New
e York Life Insurance company, he said
! he thought he had very seldom. He
!; !; had dealt with President John a. Nc Nc
i Call. Asked directly whether Mr.. Nc
Call gave him any money, the senator
g replied: ''1 cannot say positively
t whether he did or not. I cannot re
= MEMBER
y cit has been suggested to me thai
e you had something to do with the col
j. lection of funds for the Harrison cam
5. paiig,n, the raising of fund of sl4o,
d call that9'
d ~ do not,'' said the senator.
r cor any fund9'
"No, my memory could not tell MI
whether it was the Harrison campaign
:. or what campaign it was. -
> "You are clear in your mind tha
q you never had any contributions made
= to you for the purpose of a nationa
!. campaign7'
1t Not for National Fund
y eyes, sir; they never were given t.
me for. national campaign, altho
sometimes, in talking with gentlemen
about it, said / thought it would b.
a good thing for them to subscribe be
cause Of the bearing of the nationa
A "And with whom have you had sue
v conversations, ] mean connected wit
insurance companies, of course.
81 am not sure as to whom / talked,
said Senator Platt.
id The senator said he did not thin
RS he had talked with President McCurd
,e about that matter, but he may hav
c. talked with Mr.. Mccall, tho he did no
r. remember.
rt Senator Platt said he did not knov
rs of receiving contributions from an
other insurance company doing. bushes
st in this state. In reply to another .ques
=. tion he said he did not know of an
no contributions that had been made {
at anyone to favor the candidacy Of an
az candidate for the legislature Neithe
had any suggestion been made to hin
as to the candidacy Of any man fe
!, judicial office.
n' Mr.. Platt said that he did not kno,
~ ~ anything about Andrew Hamilton,
L