The semi-weekly messenger. [volume] (Wilmington, N.C.) 1897-1908, 1905-10-20

New York. October lS.-The distr,c,
attorneys office was called upon TODAY
oy the legislative insurance fnvesti.
gazing committee. because OF the ,ss-
timony of one witness. and the oues-
.'oh OF an arrest for perjury is now
being considered by Assistant District
Rand. The witness in question Is Geo
). Plunkitt. an eighteen year old tete-
phone operator in the employ of the
stationary firm OF L. w. Lawrence and
company. from whom the Mutual life
Insurance Company purchased a
GREAT zeal OF Its supplies OF this ma
lure 1t was brought out I'm vester-
DAY testimony that among the voueh
ers Tor money charged to legal ex-
penses was one for 1901. signed hy
George j. Plunkitt. His identity was
not disclosed until today when pIun-
Kilt was called to the stand. He testi.
ned as to his employment. and when
SHOWN the voucher denied that he had
ever signed 1t. He further denied that
he had ever received that amour, of
money from the Mutual Life Insurance
Company. or that he had rendered the
company any service
Mr.. Hughes asked Plunkitt to write
mis- name in ink on a piece of paner
which he did. This and the vouchers
were then offered in evidence and the
similarity of the signatures was caIIe1
10 the attention of the committee.
Shortly after this incident. the ser.
geant-at-arms was sent to communf-
cate with the district attorneys office
ana soon Mr.. Rand appeared He was
escorted to a seat beside Chairman
Armstrong. and for q time he critical
ly examined the signatures All that
Mr.. Rand would say was that he had
been summoned by Chairman Arm
strong. and when the chairman was
questioned he said the matter was now
out of the hands OF the committee and
was up to the district attorneys Of
fice."
Another feature Of the days hear
ing was the passage at arms between
Chairman Armstrong Counsel Hughes
and James NJ. Beck. counsel for Presi-
dent McCurdy. Mr.. Beck accustsd Mr..
Hughes of misleading the public by not
following out his lines of interroga-
ton TO the end. and asserted that he
dropped a subject before the witness
was allowed to explain.
Chairman Armstrong then >aid that
the work OF the committee n.ust not
be obstructed. The committee he said
wanted all the information IL could get
that would be helpful. and the wit
ness had nlaced himself in tho posi-
ton he found himself by his continual
evasive answers. Mr.. Armstrong said
further that every witness will be
treated with all possible courtesy Mr..
Hughes then said IL he hal erred. it
was by showing courtestas when cir
cumstances justified an entirely differ
ent course adding that evasion worii
be held up to the contsmp. IL has al
ways received. There was sponta-
neous outburst of applause when Mr..
Hughes had concluded. which WAS
stopped only by a threat TO clear the
room.
William NJ. Carp l:ar q clerk in the
supply department OF the Mutual Life
Insurance Compa ~ who was under
the direction Of A. .. Fis'ds tho SUPER
intendent of this department and vas
very close to Mr. Hughes I'm his "Iegis-
lative supervision" at Albany. told OF
how a house has been maintained I'm
Albany for several years at the ex-
pense OF the Mutual Life. Mr.. Fields
occupied IL only during the legislative
session. and on several occasions two
members OF the insurance committee
of the legislature lived at the house
with Mr.. Fields. Mr.. Carpenter ieas-
ed the house and paid for the servants
and supplies with money furnished
him by the Mutual Life.
Later in the day when Mr.. McCurdy
was called. the President said he did
not know that the Mutual Lies funds
had been maintaining this house. al
though he did know that Mr.. Fields
had rented q house to escape the risk
of illness in hotels. He was assured
Mr. Fields paid $500 rent Mr.. Carpen-
fer said the entire exrcnSe ~ rr.uuIna
the house had been about &2.so0
An attempt was made by Mr..
Hughes today to get trace OF Thomas
D. Jordan. former controller Of the
EQUITABLE Life Assurance Socisty.
Frank b. Jordan was called under
subpoena. and he said he saw his
father last. labor day. He dii not
know then that he was going away.
and did not know where he was now.