Los Angeles herald., 1905-10-19
MAY Be HELD
FOR PERJURY
INSURANCE WITNESS UNDER
SUSPICION
Evidence Shows Mutual Life Maintains
PalatlaI House at Albany Dur
ing Sessions ofNew York
Legislature
BY Associated Press.


NEW YORK, Oct. 18.-The district
attorneys office was called upon today
by the legislative insurance investigat-
ing committee because of the strange
testimony of one of the witnesses, and
the requirement of an answer for per-
jury is now being considered by AS
sistant District Attorney Rand.
The witness in question is George B.
Plunkett, an 19-year-old telephone
operator in the employment of L. W.
Lawrence, from whom the Mutual Lire
Insurance company purchased great
deal of it's supplies Of stationery. 1t
was brought out in yesterdays testi-
mony that among the vouchers for
money charged for expenses was one
for sol signed by George B. Plunkett.
When shown the voucher Plunkett de-
MED that he had ever signed 1t. He
denied that he had ever received that
amount of money from the Mutual Life
Insurance company or that he had rem
dered the company any service.
Mr.. Hughes asked Plunkett to write
his name in ink on a piece of paper,
which he did. This and the voucher
were then offered in evidence, and the
similarity of the signature was called
to the attention of the committee.
Counsel Attacks Hughes
Shortly after this incident the SER
geant at arms was sent to communicate
with the district attorneys office. and
soon Mr.. Rand appeared. He was
escorted to a seat beside Chairman
Armstrong, and for time critically
examined the signatures.
All that Mr.. Rand would say was that
the "case was up to the district at
torneys office"
Another feature of the days hearing
was the passage at arms between
Chairman Armstron, Counsel Hughes
and James NJ. Beck, counsel for Presi-
dent McCurdy. Mr.. Beck accused Mr..
Hughes of misleading the public by not
following out his line of Interrogation
to the end and asserted that he dropped
a subject before the witness was al
lowed to explain. Mr.. Armstrong said
that all witnesses would be treated with
every possible courtesy. Mr.. Hughes
said that if he had been guilty of lack
of courtesy it was unintentional.
William A. Carpenter, a clerk in the
supply department of the Mutual Life
Insurance company, made an excellent
witness for the committee. He told how
house had been maintained in AL
bany for several years at the expense
of the Mutual Life. 1t was occupied
only during legislative sessions, and on
several occasions two members of the
insurance committee of the legislature
lived at the house. Mr.. Carpenter
leased the house and paid for the SER
wants and supplies with money fur
nished him by the Mutual Life In
surance company.
He did not know whether these mem
bers of the insurance committee ever
shared in the expense; he never re-
oaiI,e5 onu money from Them
No account was kept of these expen-
ditures and the money was all received
on vouchers calling for disbursements
for legal expenses. A house has been
maintained for a period of about ten
years in Albany under these conditions,
but not always on the same street.
Later in the day Mr.. McCurdy was
recalled The president said he did not
know that the Mutual Life's funds had
been maintaining the house.
An attempt was made by Mr.. Hughes
today to get trace of Thomas ]. Jordan,
former controller of the Equitable Life
iety Frank B. Jordan was called
dnder a subpoena and he said he saw
z his father last Labor day. He did not
know then that he was going away and
did not know where he was now.
Under persistent questioning by Mr..
Hughes young Jordan said no mail was
forwarded to his father and that he did
not know whether his father or his
mother was living or dead.
Edgar w. Rogers, clerk for Law
renee e. Co., was called and was rep
resented by John D. Stanchfield. Rogers
is also president of the Globe Printing
company. He was shown the Plunkett
voucher and said he was of the opinion
that the signature on the voucher and
that written by Plunkett on the stand
We're identical.
Toward the close of the days ses-
sion Mr.. McCurdy was being interro-
gated on the trust companies with
which the Mutual Life Insurance COM
pany is connected and the subsidiary
companies of the Mutual Life and was
still on the stand when adjournment
was taken.