The Minneapolis journal. [volume] (Minneapolis, Minn.) 1888-1939, 1905-10-19
Northern Pacific Corner.
SENATORS BOARDED FREE
Mutual Life Had a Nice House in AL
-.-. bany for Legislators.

New York, Oct. 19.-William M. Car
penter, clerk under A. C. Fields. head
Of the supply department Of the Mutual
Life, testified at the insurance investi-
cation that the Mutual. Life kept a
house in Albany during the legislative
session Of 1908. He testified, further,
that Charles P. McClelland, then SEN
ator, and another senator, lived in this
house and had their meals there, being
members Of the household. He could
not say whether they paid anything
senators, he said, were members Of the
insurance committee.
MT. carpenter was very close to Mr..
Fields in his Legislative supervision -
at Albany.
Mr.. Fields occupied the Albany house
only during the legislative sessions, but
| it was maintained for several years, Mr..
Carpenter. said. at the expense of the
Mutual Life. Mr.. Carpenter leased the
house and paid for the servants and
supplies with money furnished him by
| the Mutual Life.
lie aid not know whether these mem
bers OF the insurance committee ever
shared in the expense; he never re-
ceiyed any money from them; but he
/ said they might have paid Mr.. Fields
NO account was kept Of these expendi
lures, and the money was all received
on vouchers calling for disbursements
maintained for period Of about ten
years in Albany under these conditions
but not always in the same street.
News to McCurdy.
Later in the day, when Mr.. McCur
! dy was recalled, the president said ht
did not know that I the, Mutual Life .
funds had been maintaining his house
altho he did know that Mr.. Fields haC
rented house to escape the risk of i'll
MI Fields paid $500 rent. =.
Mr.. Carpenter said the entire expense
Of running the house had been abou
$4,000.
The districts attorneys office wa
called upon yesterday by the legisla
tive insurance investigating commits
sion because of the testimony of on
wi tness, and the question Of an arres
for perjury is now being considered b,
Assistant District Attorney Rand. TIL
witness is George J. Plunkitt,, an Is
year-old telephone operator in the EN-
1 ploy of the stationery firm of L. "
Lawrence & Co., from which firm tn
Mutual Life Insurance company pu1
chased it's supplies. 1t was brought GU
in yesterdays testimony that anon
the vouchers for money charged to legs
r expenses was one for 1901 signed b
George J. Plunkitt.
+ Identity Is Disclosed.
His identity was not disclosed unit
) today, when Plunkitt was called to tn
stand. He testified as to his employ
ment, and when shown the voucher d.
r. MED that he had ever signed it. II
further denied that he had ever r.
, ceived that amount of money from tt
,, Mutual Life Insurance company or tia
he had rendered the company any ser1
: ice. -. ~.-.- = r..
Mr.. Hughes asked Plunkitt to writ
: his name in ink on piece Of pape
: which he did. This and the vouche
) were then offered in evidence and til
similarity of the signatures was Gale
= to the attention Of the committee.
Shortly after this incident the sc
: geant-at-arms was sent to commun
cate with the district attorneys Off
and soon Mr.. Rand appeared. He W;
:, escorted to seat beside Chairms
: Armstrong, and for a time he critical
. examined the signatures. All that M
). Rand would say was that he had BET
7 summoned by Chairman Armstrong, al
< when the chairman was questioned
said the matter was now out of tt
[ hands Of the committee and Ftwas
Q to the district attorneys offce.'
/