The daily morning journal and courier., 1905-11-18
ASSURANCE WITNESS
 DISCOVERS MOTHER
SON OF THE FORMER CON- TRoLLER OF EQUITABLE
 LIFE.

Frank Jordan, Who Previously Tes-
 titled That He Did Not Know Where
 His Father Lived, or Whether Hts
 Father or Mother Were Living Now,
 Testifles That His Mother Is in Cam
 ada-ReceiVes Letter from Her but it
 Falls to Mention His sire-A Little
 More About Vouchers.
 New York, Nov. 17-With the end of the morning session to-day Senator Armstrong's legislative committee on insurance investigation finished a week replete. with interesting developments and fraught with significant testimony. More sessions have been held than dur ing any other week, and the witnesses have been the most important. James Hagen Hyde, former vice-president o9 the Equitable Life Assurance society: E. H. Hartman, former Governor R R odell, jr, of New York, and Senator Chauncey M. Depew were heard When the session opened to-day it was expected that Senator Thomas 6. Flatt would be called. He is wanted ta testify as to the collection of contribu- tlons to political campaign funds from the insurance companies, MT. Odell having testified yesterday that Senator Platt collected all campaign moneys in to last year It is now expected that | the senator will be heard early next week, possibly on Tuesday, when tha sessions will be resumed.
 Frank B. Jordan, son of the forn,er controller of the Equitable Life Assur- ance society, who at a previous session said he did not know where his father was, or whether either his father or mother was living, was called again to- day and said that recently he had re- | ceived a letter from his mother. who was in Canada, but she said nothing of his father.
 Samuel s. McCurdy, assistant reeis- trar of the Equitable, said he had charge Of the vouchers for legal Ser vices. He told of an incident In Cali fornia in 1897 when the insurance com missioner of that state demanded an examination of the Equitable. Thou sands of dollars were spent by the so- ciety in this matter, as accounted by MT. McCurdy, and he justified the ex- penditure on the ground that 1t would have cost the fFttss 90 9nn had no defense been made, hence the expenditure for counsel. He seemed to think the demands of the California commissioners were excessive.
 Senator Depew was called to testify regarding number of vouchers for le- gal services, but his knowledge of them was rather limited and many of tho I expenditures and signers of these vouchers he declared he had never heard of.
 One voucher to John A. Nichols for legal services was accompanied by a letter to Senator Depew referring to "our friend who comes around once year." and your cantankerous friend up the river'' The senator said he i knew Nichols had been retained at diff ferent times by the Equitable. but he did not know in what connection. MT. Nichols, he said, was once quarantine commissioner and used to be in active politics.
 Gage F. Tarbell, second vice president of the Equitable society, was called to- day, but hardly got started in his tes- timony before the noon adjournment was taken. Senator Armstrong an nounced that a subcommittee would take the deposition of George H. Squire, who is i'll at his home. This was done at o'clock, and therefore no afternoon session of the full committee was held.
 MT. Tarbell told of his twenty-six- years connection with the Equitable and his activities in the interest of the polieyholders. He started as solicitor in Greene, N. C., and later was given general agency for the southern tier counties of this state, with headquar- ters at Binghamton. He was opposed to money being spent for Legislative purposes, and thought the policyholders in a body could defeat any Legislation inimical to their interests
 He said he had tried to interest the New York Life and the Mutual Life in an agreement to appoint a committee of one to look after such matters, but the officers of the Mutual Life said it was impraoticable. MT. Tarbell knew of no money expended for legislative purposes.