The Topeka state journal., 1905-11-21
$4,000 A YEAR.
Equitable's Annual Contribution
to Campaign Fund
Of the Republican Organization
in New York.
.PLATT TELLS OF TT.
Says He Was Expected to Head
OFF Adverse Legislation
In Return for the Insurance
COmpany's Money.
Story of BIackmaiI Added to
Mass of Evidence.

New York. Nov 21-United States
Senator Thomas c. Platt testified as a
witness before the insurance -investigat-
ing committee today.
Senator Platt said that the Equitable
society contributed SO 600 to the Repub-
lican state campaign fund.
Senator Platt said the contributions
were in cash and were sent by messen-
ger to his office and he turned tSam
over to the state committee. They were
unsolicited, he said.
Senator Platt SAID that $4,000 was
frequently paid as an annual contribu-
ton to the state campaign fund, but
that it was not a 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.
Senator Platt said he was expected ire
return for the contributions to influence
! legislation when any measures were hos
/ tile to the insurance companies. He
added that he does not know Andrew
4 Hamilton nor anything about Hamil-
/ tons activity before the legislature. He
knew nothing about Andrew c. Fields,
who represented the Mutual Life InSur-
anee company at Albany.
! Senator PIatt said also that he had
received frequent contributions of S10,-
| 600 each from the Mutual Life Insurance
| company.
Story of BIacIzmaiI.
John A. Nichols, a lawyer and quar-
antine commissioner of the port OF
New York, from 1880. to 1892, who
wrote the letters to Senator Chauncey
n. Depew in behalf of his friend who
/ usually gets around at this time Of the
year" and who he wrote was getting
! s'ranbuctious' and needed help was
the first witness before the insurance
! Investigating committee today.
Much interest had been aroused by
4 the reading of Nichols letters to Sen
/ ator DepeW on Friday. The senator
was not able to remember who Mr..
| Nichols friend was: AS shown by
| vouchers under observation by the
| committee on Friday, Mr.. Nichols re-
ceived retainers from the Equitable
Life Assurance society.
When he went before the committee
today he testified that he had been en-
| ployed by the Equitable society for 20
to % years under an annual retainer
of $1,000, and said he is still under
| that retainer. Recently he was en-
pIoyed by the Mutual Life Insurance
! company. He was consulted by the
officers of the Equitable society on
matters not connected with the legis-
| lature in 1904.
One of the matters entrusted to him
| was that of w. S. Manning of Albany.
/ Witness said that Mr.. Manning, who
/ had been an actuary, was employed by
certain people to bring charges against
| the Equitable society that the reserve
was not so large as it ought to be.
Manning was paid $3.50, Mr.. Mich OILS
said, $50 that he would be favorable
/ to the company"
His Memory Failed.
Vouchers dated October, 1888, for $6, ia
and July 1, $780, for S. 600, witness was
also unable to explain, but thought he
could remember later when he had re-
| freshed his memory. The letter of the
witness to Senator Depew dated Decem-
Der, 1896, rlative to "our friend who gets
around at this time of the year. was
/ read to the witness and he said it re-
ferred to Mr.. Manning.
He wrote to Senator Depew because
the senator was on the finance commit
tee of the Equitable society and that he
expected the senator to turn the lttr
over to the executive officers. The let
ter of December 4, 1902, rlative to "our
rambunctious friend from up the river
witness also said referred to Mr.. Man
ming.
Mr.. Manning he said, wanted to know
| whether the arrans@nent CfVearly pay
/ ments by the Equitable society was to
be continued. Witness said Manning
went into this arrangement under his
/ (NTichols) persuasion.
/ Mr.. Nichols said he induced Manning
| to give up his business as an actuary
because Manning had been antagonistic.
Used False Names.
The names of Pierson, Brooker
Balderson and numerous others on
vouchers on which payments were
made, witness said were false names
used to protect Manning and keep his
/ name out of the matter.
During this same period witness was
employed by the Mutual Life Insur-
ance company in looking after Man
ming. as Mr.. Hughes termed it, and
paid Manning for the Mutual, sums
like those paid by the Equitable.
The same system of using false
names to protect Manning was follow
ed in his dealing with the Mutual.
Witness said he received $1,000 an
InuaIIy. For a time he received $1,000
also from the New York Life Insur-
ance company, but they discontinued
it about 1899.
Witness said Manning wanted Ito
follow up the New York Life but he
"ouieted him without the use Of addi-
| tional money.
Nichols says he does not know
| where Manning is now. He could not
| recall that he had any business with
anv of the three insurance companies
other than in the Manning matter.
Thomas Comas, who said ne looked
after real estate and city complaints ior
the Equitable society, was next called.
Mr.. Comas, a former alderman SAID
he is a member of Tammany Hall he
said he looked after getting the tax as