Democratic messenger. [volume] (Snow Hill, Md.) 1869-1973, 1905-10-21
FORGERY
UNEARTHED
District Attorneys Office Called Into
Life Insurance Investigation.
COUNSEL HAVE LIVELY TILT

COUNSEL HAVE LIVELY TILT
New York, Oct. 1.-THE district at
iorney's Office was called upon by the
legislative insurance investigating
committee because OF the testimony
Of one witness. and the question OF an
arrest Tor perjury is now being con.
sidered by Assistant District Attorney
Rand. The witness In question is
George J. Phnkitt. an lS-year old tele-
phone operator in the employ OF <she
stationery firm OF l.. w Lawrence a.
Co. IRON whom the Mutual Life In
surance company purchased great
deal oil It's supplies of this nature. IL
was brought out In the testimony that
among the vouchers Tor money charged
TO legal expenses was one for 1901.
signed by George J. Plunkitt. When
Plunkitt was called he testified as TO
his employment, and when shown the
voucher denied that he had ever
signed II. He further denied that he
had ever received that amount OF
money from the Mutual Life lnsur-
ance company or that he had rendered
the company any service.
Mr.. Hughes asked Plunkitt 10 write
his name In ink on a piece OF paper.
which he did. This and the voucher
similarity of the signatures was called
to the attention OF the committee
Shortly after this incident the ser.
geant-at-arms was sent 10 eommuni
cate with the district attorneys office.
and soon Mr.. Rand appeared He was
escorted 10 a seat beside Chairman
Armstrong. and for time he critically
examined the signatures. All that Mr..
Rand would say was that he had been
summoned by Chairman Armstrong.
and when the chairman was ques.
toned he said the matter was now out
of the hands of the committee and
"was up to the district attorneys of.
fee"
Another feature of the hearing was
the passage at arms between Chair.
man Armstrong. Counsel Hughes and
James NJ Beck, counsel for President
r. a. McCurdy. Mr.. Beck accused
Mr.. Hughes of misleading the public
by not following out his lines of inter
rogation to the end. and asserted that
he dropped a subject before the wit
ness was allowed to explain Chairman
Armstrong then said that the work of
the committee must not be obstructed.
The committee. he said, wanted all
n Int
be helpful. and the witness had placed
himself in the position he found him.
self by his continual evasive answers.
Mr.. Hughes then said If he had erred
II was by showing courtesies when
circumstances justified an entirely diff.
ferent course. adding that evasion
would be held up to the contempt II
has always received. There was a
spontaneous outburst of applause
when Mr. Hughes had concluded.
which was stopped only by threat to
clear the room.
William II. Carpenter. clerk under
A. G.. Fields, head of the supply de-
partment Of the Mutual Life. testified
that the Mutual Life Insurance com.
pany kept a house In Albany during
the legislative session Of 1903. He ties.
tilted further that Charles p. McClel.
land then a senator. and another sen.
ator lived in this house and had their
meals there, being members of the
household. He could not say whether
they paid anything for the expenses
OF the house. Both senators, he said.
were members Of the insurance com.
mittee
When Mr.. McCurdy was recalled. he
said that he did not know that the
Mutual LIES funds had been main.
tanning this house. although he did
know that Mr.. Fields had rented
house to escape the risk of illness In
hotels, He was assured Mr.. Fields
paid $500 rent. Mr.. Carpenter said
the entire expense of running the
house had been about $500.