The Birmingham age-herald., 1905-10-18
MUTUAL COMPANY CONDUCTS
 REGULAR PRESS BUREAU.

REGULAR PRESS BUREAU.
 In MT. McCurdys testimony today feature entirely new was disclosed, and this was that the Mutual Life Insurance company employed literary bureau to send out to the press of the country news matter that was of peneht 10 the company.
 This information was elicted during the probing of the legal expenses ac- count It came out when a voucher for the payment of 5000 to Joseph Howard, Jr, in 1904 was paid. Another voucher for the same amount paid in May, l9oo. was marked 'repayable on demand and flor professional services"
 MT McCurdy had vised the vouchers and explained that MT. Howard was newspaper correspondent, and that his professional services consisted in syndi- eating news stories. Pressed further, MT. McCurdy said:
 MT Howard was correspondent for the Boston Globe and several other pa pers."
 Mir McCurdy further said he paid MT. Howard about s-o00 year for these ser vices. During the earlier session of the day an attempt was made to obtain from MT McCurdy the reason for reducing the dividends on policies as the business in creased and the assets piled up. This question was prompted by the large num- Der of letters received from policyholders by the committee and cited facts and examples. These letters came from all over the country, Mir. Hughes explaining, but he read number from polcyholders who live in this city. The examples ex hibited were principally on the polces of the ten payment life plan One In partic- ular for S3000, that in 1876, drew dvl- -dend of S5576. had been gradually cut un- til in 1904 1t received only s. The writer a,<..- Al. companys reports, and said this was in the face of the reserve increasing year after year.
 To all the questions on this matter the witness said he was not fortified with the information required, for that these were actuarial matters, and when pressed for his opinion replied that he refused to discuss the question or enter any discus sion. He would proffer a witness whose actuary business it was to know tho things, but as for himself he would not discuss the questions.
 MIR. M'cURDY INsIsTENT
 AND AT TIMES DEFIANT.
 MT. McCurdy's demeanor was so insist ent and at times defiant that the specta- tors bent forward to catch every word and stood on tiptoes expecting every mo- ment to hear him directed by counsel to answer the question.
 When MT. McCurdy would not offer the information himself MT. Hughes started on another line of inquiry. Later in the day Chairman Armstrong explained that since the information desired by the committees could be obtained by another course, 1t was agreeable to the committee to let Mc- Curdy place himself in the position ho did. Had he, however, been directed to answer, and knowing the information de- sired, and then refused. Mr. Armstrong said steps would have been taken to in- dict him for misdemeanor.
 MT. McCurdy also during the effort to induce him to answer questions as to the regulation of dividends, launched forth into protest as to the manner in which the investigation was being conducted He said the committee was going beyond the scope intended when 1t was appointed by the legislature. and that the investi- gation had assumed the proportions of an inquisition. MT. McCurdy thought that putting witness under oath made him feel he was on the rack. He said his an- swers were published in distorted form that appeared like an attempt to ruin him.
 PRESIDENT M'cURDY IS
 FIRST WITNESS CALLED.
 Richard A. McCurdy. president of the Mutual Life Insurance company was the first witness today.
 Before the witness was called, James 
 fcontinued on Tenth Pa0e.)