Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1905-10-11
Is Showing Something Of
Where Funds Are Going.
Interesting Testimony, Yesterday
Sharp Questions and Answers.

New York, Oct. 10.-The sessions of
| the insurance investigation committee
were terminated for the week at the
! adjournment, today, because of the
| death of S. Fred Nixon, Speaker of the
| state Assembly, at his home in West
| field. The committee will assemble at
the usual hour. tomorrow morning, but
will Immediately adjourn, the purpose
being to have the formal adjournment
put upon the records.
The days testimony did not produce
any information of Il sensational ma
ture beyond what had been discounted
i'll testimony of previous witnesses. The
feature of the day was the presence as
witness of the executive officers of
the Mutual Life Insurance Co. These
We're President Richard A. McCurdy
and Vice Presidents Granniss and Gil
lette.
While it had been hinted last week.
that some expenditures charged to le-
gal expenses, might have been contri-
buttons to campaign committees, it
was announced definitely by DR.. Gill
lette that the Mutual Life Insurance
Co. contributed $4,000 to the Republic
can national committee. last fall, that
Ill lSu', SHD.UUu WIS GOIllTIDultu ana III
1896 $4,000 was given for campaign
purposes.
DR.. Gillette testified that he paid
these amounts personally in cash, and
later in the day Mr.. McCurdy said that
while the new campaign contributions
had been made he did not know the
amounts. He said that no contributions
had been made to campaign committees
before 1896 and that no contributions to
state or municipal campaigns had ever
been made in this or any other state.
The contribution of s2500 to the con-
grossional campaign committee. Mr.
McCurdy knew nothing about until it
came out in the testimony. last week.
An interesting statement was made
by Robert Olyphant when he was on
the stand, early in the day. Mr.. Oily
plant is chairman of the expenditure
committee and he could not tell what
the $4,000 items drawn to his order
were for beyond that they We're for
legal expenses. He said the company
maintained a confidential fund for oX-
penditures for which no voucher was
taken and no receipt was received.
These payments were made upon the
assurance of an executive officer that
they were all right
Vice President Granniss knew little
about the contributions to campaign
funds but justified them on the same
ground as did Pres. John A. Mccall Of
the New York Life. that the free silver
declarations of the Democrats constitu-
ted 4 menace to the interests Of the
policyholdcrs.
When Mr.. Granniss was called he as
sumed the entire r. sponsiblity for the
terms Of the contracts with c. II. Ray
lnCnd & Co, by which that firm made
such large pre- fits. When the methods
of the expenditure of the S25, 900 items
was inquired into Mr.. Granniss in re-
Spouse to questions from Mr.. Hughes.
admitted that the general solicitor
could get $25,000 any time he wanted ii
without disclosing for what purpose he
wanted it or rendering any account Of
it. He further said he never knew
where 4 cent of the money spent by the
general solicitor went.
In taking up 4 detailed list of the
Companys expenses Vice President
Gillette said the company, last year.
paid $4,000 for luncheons for the en-
nloyes. 1t is n custom for the company