The semi-weekly messenger. [volume] (Wilmington, N.C.) 1897-1908, 1905-10-10

Mutual Life.
New York. October 5.-That the
astounding total of more than $2,40O,-
600 has been paid as commissions by
the Mutual Life Insurance Company
to two of the family of Rich
ard A. McCurdy and the promise of
District Attorney Jerome that the in
surance scandals certainly will be sub
mitted later to an extraordinary grand
jury were the sensational develop
ments in the insurance situation to-
day.
1t was brought out by testimony be-
fore the Legislative insurance commit
tee that Robert H. McCurdy. a son of
Richard A. McCurdy. has received as
commissions on foreign business ST.
163,829 and on domestic business
$541.852. and that Louis A. Thebaud,
son-in-laW of h A. McCurdy,
has received an aggregate of 1920
113 in commissions from the
1t was also brought out that Robert
II. McCurdy expected his income his
year would be about $40. 900.
Previous to this testimony w. F.
Thummell. an attorney of the Mutual
Life Insurance Company. testified
that he had aid to the chairman of
the Republican congressional ~organiza-
ton committee the sum of $4,000 in
cash as a campaign contribution.
Another incident of the days de-
VeIopments was the publication Of a
letter from Charles E. Hughes cOun-
sci of the legislative committee to
Samuel Untermyer. counsel for James
H. Hyde. the former controlling stock
holder of the Equitable Life Assurance
Society. in which Mr.. Hughes said the
committee would make no discrimina-
ton in favor of Mr.. Hyde in his ex-.
animation before the committee.
The chamber of m at it's
meeting today adopted a resolution
declaring that additional legislation is
necessary for the prOper regulation of
life insurance companies.
w. H. ThummelI the attorney who
was associated with Judge Andrew
Hamilton in looking after legislation
for the New York Life. the Equitable
Life and the Mutual Life Insurance
companies. in the sO-called legislative
pool that was exposed last week. tes-
titled before the committee hat he
was now employed as an attorney for
the Mutual Life Insurance Company
at a salary of $1,000 a year. Mr..
ThummeIl said that he personally
placed in the hands of the chairman
of the Republican congressional cam
paign committee $4,000 in cash which
had been given the witness for that
purpose by Vice President Robert A.
Granniss. of the Mutual Life Insur-
ance Company. Witness said the con-
tributiOn had been suggested by the
danger of a Democratic House. that
would result in tariff and other legiS-
latiOn of q character to upset bust
ness and affect policy holders. He
said other companies had been asked
to contribute. but he did not know
how many did. Mr.. Thummell denied
paying any money to any legislator for
the purpose of influencing legislation
or to any other person for that pur-
pose.
He described the legislative posi-
ton and said that the o~nenses were
met by the company looking after the
territory in which expenses were in
Cured. and later an adjustment OF
these expenses was made between the
three companies. He had received
money from the New York Life in
these adjustments. but kept no ac-
count of his disbursements. He said
the Mutual Life had paid out in 1904
about $4,000 for legislative work.
In reply to a question as to the di-
vision of legal expenses among the
New York Life Insurance Company,
the Mutual Life Insurance Company
and the Equitable Life Assurance So
ciety. Mr.. Thummell said:
The Mutual Life has Virginia,
North Carolina. Alabama. Kentucky,
Ohio. Michigan. Minnesota. Washing
ton. Oregon. New Mexico. The Eauit-
able attends to Maryland. South Car
DINA Georgia. Louisiana. Mississippi,
Texas. Colorado. Arkansas. California,
Nevada. New York Life had Indiana,
Illinois. Wisconsin. Iowa. Kansas. Mis-
souri,. Tennessee and Oklahoma. The
rest of the territory is open.'
It was at this point that Robert H.
McCurdy was called. He held a num-
Der of documents in his hand as he
mounted the platform. and when he
was the general manager of the Mu-
powers. he said. were delegated to
him by the president and vice presi-
dents of the company. His duties
were principally confined to the super
vision of the agency system of the
company in this country and abroad.
Like Mr.. Perkins. of the New York
Life Insurance Company. he appeared
to b the one factor that built UP the
foreign business of his His
salary was $40, 600.
Mr.. McCurdy had a typewriter
statement of his career which he asked
permission to read. This detailed his
various conversations. contracts and
commissions. There were a number of
reductions in the commission which