Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1905-11-17
INSURANCE HEARING.
Continued from Page One.)

an action against the Mercantile Trust
Co, in August. 1904. He had no inter.
view with J. P. Morgan, garding his
ship building claim but did have with
Charles NJ. Schwab when the company
was i'm the hands of a receiver.
Did you make and statement to any
body in the city of New York that re-
taliatory measure of any kind would be
taken?' asked Mr.. Hughes.
Never
THAT any measures threatening the
Mercantile Trust Co. or any one else
would be taken if your claim was not
settled?"
Never"
Did you ever make any such state
ment to Mr.. Hartmann"
NO, SIR"
Did you ever have any interview with
Mr.. Hartman in which it was suggest
ed that he should use his influence to
procure a settlement of your claim
against the Mercantile Trust Co.?''
mo, sir"
"Then l understand your testimony
is that you never directly or indirectly
used any threat to procure settle
InAnt of that suit?"
mo, SIR
"Was the legislation which was pro-
posed by Senator Amber in any way
a topic of conversation when the set
tlement of your suit came up"
Never, eXceptinS-yes, when l had
a talk with Mr.. Hyde he spoke of it
and told him TO matter what the out
come of our settlement might be,
whether l should go into the courts, or
the case should be settled by the Mer-
camille Trust Co. that there was no
fear of retaliatory legislation"
"Ifad anything occurred to change
your mind as to the proprietary Of the
Introduction of such measures?
Eyes, sir. The fact that the base
calumny which Mr.. Hyde uttered here
had been circulated in the papers, and
called Senator Amber in and I said.
as desirable as believe the legislation
to be, feared that my unfortunate
connection with the shipbuilding mat
ter was Of such a character that it
would be better for him to drop this
legislation. That interview took place
some time during the legislative ses-
sion of 1904
Mr.. Odell said he told James H. Hyde
at their first interview that the Am
bier bill would be stopped by him. that
there was no fear. no matter what was
done about his settlement, of any re-
taliatory legislation. He did not bother
Mr.. Hartman about the matter.
"Mr. Hartman and 1 are social
friends" said the witness. Il have no
business relations with him.
Mr.. Odell said he wrote letter, at
the request of Mr.. Mcintyre. former
fourth vice president of the Equitable,
in behalf of Mr.. Hyde's candidacy for
the French ambassadorship This had
nothing to do with the shipbuilding
settlement
Mr.. Odell said that he had never So
licited political contribution from any
insurance company, and none had ever
been made to him voluntarily.
Did any ever come to you indirect
ly?"
POSSIBLY. through the national COM
mittec and through Senator Platt."
"What relation had Senator Platt to
the matter?"
'He has always gathered all the
funds together ever since l have been
connected WIFI fSepuDllcdu pOiiliCS CA
cept the last year"
The witness said he knew nothing of
the efforts Of insurance companies to
prevent inimical legislation and knew
of A. c. Fields activity in that direc-
ton only by heresay. He did not know
Andrew Hamilton. He said no moneys
had ever been placed in his hands di-
rectly or indirectly for political pur-
poses or otherwise to influence legis-
lation.
His was not the only shipbuilding
suit settled said Mr.. Odell He felt that
his claims were just and added: Il
could have gone before any court and
recovered a great deal more than |
did from the Mercantile Trust Co.
"Of course" said Mr.. Hughes, you
will understand the committee is not
here to try out the merits of the claim,
we are simply interested because def
mite threats were made that"
"Thcre is no truth in that statement,
so help me Cod"
When his settlement was under dis
cussion, Mr. Hyde had said to him that
the Equitable Life had always made
political contributions.
Here Mr.. Odell was asked to tell the
facts about the introduction of the Am
bier bill. He replied: why, | had pre-
pared the introduction of that bill and
brought the whole ship building case be
fore District Attorney Jerome, and stated
that he had better look into it and Sc:
whether there was anything connected
with the scandal which should not be in
vestigated by his office. He said to me
after several weeks, that he had gone
into it very carefully and concluded that
there were no grounds for criminal prose
cution. In the meantime such concerns
as the fire company and the Whiting Pa
per Co. and American Bicycle Trust AND
some IA or Il others had been mentioned
as having been either projected by Alex
ander and Green and presumably with tht
approval and support of the Mercantile
Trust, all of which had been failures am
1t was suggested that something ought
to be done to stop that, and in talkirs
over the matter in conference with people
who came in it was decided that somt
remedial legislation could be formulated
and would prevent the unloading upot
the public of these securities. among 9th
ers those which i have mentioned. liz
the meantime the papers had taken entire
Iy different ard antagonistic view of the
matter: whether they had been inspired
or not I do NOT know but there WAS NOR,