New-York tribune., 1905-12-09

Thomas F. Ryan. purchaser of the Hyde ma
tority stock in the Equitable, yesterday declined
to answer questions put to him by Mr.. Hughes
before the legislative insurance investigation
| committee Acting under the advice of his
| counsel Paul D. Cravath. he persisted in his
| refusal, even when directed by Senator Arm
| strong chairman of the committee, to reply.
! AS a result the committee promptly decided
| to ask District Attorney Jerome to prosecute
| Mr. Ryan and will furnish him with certified
| copy of the record showing Mr.. Ryans refusal.
! AS soon as he receives this Mr.. Jerome can go
before a Justice in Special Sessions and ask for
a warrant for Mr.. Ryan's arrest. Mr.. Ryan's
refusal constitutes a misdemeanor. punishable
by $500 fine years imprisonment, or both
This is the first case of such a refusal in the
history of the committee.
But while Mr. Ryan's refusal and its conse-
ouences were striking in the extreme. the ques-
tions that he declined to answer were equally
startling. In effect, Mr.. Hughes asked Mr.
Ryan whether Edward H Hartman had threat
el ed him with legislative investigation of the
Equita BILE, TO be obtained by Harrirnan's polit-
icaI connections, or with any other official
"sandbaggfng" if he declined to share his Equi-
table purchase with Hartman. This question
ing came as direct result of Mr.. Ryan's testi-
mony that Mr. Hartman had sought such
division The only answer made by Mr.. Ryan
was that there had been threat of iegisla-
tive investigation. In the face Of request and
of command, he declined to reply to any other
question regarding his various talks with Mr.
Hartman on this subject.
That strained relations resulted from his
persistent refusals to divide Mr.. Ryan admitted
He even considered it possible that he might
have informed Mr.. Hartman that he intended
to carry out his original plans. no matter what
~ iStf do
would not testify There was nothing dramatic
or theatrical in his refusal, neither did he indi-
cate that his course causing him aopre-
hension His refusal dramatic solely be-
cause of the interests involved Apart from
these he might have been refusing a favor in
stead CT committing a legal misdemeanor. He !
simply and quietly declined to testify Each /
time the request command was made he ex- !
planned his refusal was by advice of counsel
AS a witness Mr.. Ryan was perhaps the most /
fact Of the score of men in the public
eye that have appeared before the committee. /
He just settled his long frame down in the wit |
ness chair, chatted deferentialy in reply to ques-
tions waved his hands to express ideas for /
which his language failed and showed wonder
full docility until the Hartman episode was
touched. Then he politely but firmly baked,
and that ended the subject. He could not have
been frmer with Hartman himself. Mr.. Ryan
words at times thus making a notable contrast
to TarbeH Perkins. But, apart from his
single refusal he never made the slightest ap-
parent effort to avoid any question. He never
became excited. ne never protested. he never
he simply followed Mr.. Hughes's
lead with apparent good nature and patience.
ONLY once did his testimony in itself touch the
dramatic and this when he outlined the
reasons that moved him to purchase the Hyde
stock He clearly felt this was great service
rendered to the public. and he ventured the
modest epigram:
my theory about success in America is that
, man is Judged not much by what he has
As by what he does. This thing" he added. re-
.erring 20 the purchase, seemed to thing
worth doing" This savored bit of financial
Iuixotism He qualified it by the admission.
made with great frankness. that he had also
,een anxious to protect his own interests from
my possible panic.
Compared with other captains of industry
yho have testified Mr. Ryan mild and dis
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