Democratic messenger. [volume] (Snow Hill, Md.) 1869-1973, 1905-11-25
PLATT TELLS OF
CONTRIBUTIONS
Equitable Gave $4,000 Regularly to
w York Republicans.
vARBELL RECEIVED REBATES

GsOStu III tut HtrSlUn vi ihI oehtS A~0AS
lative insurance investigating COM
mittee by the testimony of John A.
Nichols. a lawyer under retainer by
the Equitable Life Assurance Society.
Mr.. Nichols had written Senator De
pew a letter referring to an Individual
In the above terms, and this letter was
read at the session of the committee
Friday. when Senator Depew was on
the stand The senator was unable 10
recall who was meant by the ram
bunctious friend" but Mr.. Nichols dis
closed series of payments to w. 5.
Manning. of Albany. a former actuary.
who had been connected with the In
vestisation OF insurance companies In
1877. Mr. Hughes enquired as to re-
port that Manning had been in posses
sion OF the information that was sup
pressed during this investigation and
that would have been detrimental to
the Equitable. Mr. Nichols could not
recall the suppression OF the informa-
tion. but he detailed the payment OF
sums OF money over long period to
Manning as an induccment To give up
his business as actuary. In which po-
sition he believed Mr.. Manning was
menace to the Equitable Life. Man.
ming was employed by certain people
to bring charges against the Equitable
Society that the reserve was not so
large as II ought to be. Manning was
paid $3.50. Mr.. Nichols said. so that
he would be favorable to the com
pany." Witness later said this was
maid to keep Manning from being EN-
ployed against the company.
Mr.. Nichols said he was paid a re-
taincr from the Mutual and the New
York Life for the same duties-that
of taking care OF Manning" as Mr..
Hughes characterized IT, lie added
that the payments by the Equitable
for Manning were made to Mr. Nichols
on vouchers bearing false names.
which Mr.. Nichols said was done to
protect Manning.
Aside from the disclosures made by
Mr. Nichols on the witness stand. the
feature of the day was the appear
ance of United States Senator Thomas
e. Platt. who did not hesitate to tell
of the contributions of the insurance
companies 10 state campaigns The
Eanitable. the Mutual Life and the
New York Life were the only insur-
ance companies that made such CON
tributions The Equitable Life. the
senator said. contributed regularly
$4,000 to the state campaigns. the
Mutual Life the same sum frequently.
and the New York Life sum not as
large and occasionally. These monies
were always delivered In cash TO Sen.
ator Platt's office by messenger. and
he turned them over to the state COM
mittee The senator said he was ex-
pectcd to influence the legislature
when any legislation appeared that
was hostile to the insurance COM
panics. Senator Platt said he believed
he had asked President Il. A. Nc
Curdy. of the Mutual Life. for con-
tribtntion when the needs were very
great He had. however. never been
asked To use his influence cn any
measure before the Legislature. nor
had he ever done so.
Gage T. Tarbell. second vice president
Of the Equitable. was questioned as to
the system OF agencies and the COM
missions and other compensatinns al
lowed them for getting business. Just
before the recess the fact was brought
out that Mr.. Tarbell had taken out
insurance ON his life and on members
of his family. and had received the
agents commission on the premiums
as well as renewal commissions. He
said that since he became an officer
ne had taken out 100000 on his own
life In the Equitable. Besides his poll
cies In the Equitable. he had taken In
suranoe In the New York Life. the ar
ranecmcnt being made with George
w Perkins and on this. too. he re-
ceived the commission on the pre-
miums. lie had also policy In the
Aetna and the Travellers. on all OF
which he collected the commissions.
He said he carried 100000 on his
own life and 100000 ON members OF
his family.
Mr.. Tarbell was emphatic In de-
nouncing the system of rebating by
agents. and stated that any agent Of
the Equitable who gave rebates TO get
business was dismissed. when he told
~ getting the commissions. AsseI
blyman Cox asked ii that was not
batting and Mr.. Tarbell said II W;
not: that he thought he wa sentitl,
to II.
Three Murderers TO BE Shot.
FL Paso. Tex. Nov. 23.-In chihua-
hua Judge Rios sentenced c. 7. Rich
ardson. G. :. liarle and William Ma
son. Americans. TO be shot The men
were accused of numbering two men
in chihuahua for life insurance money.
Il was charged that they murdered a
man named Devers. who they dccoyed
| from III Paso. and another man named
Mitchell. who is said To be a half
brother Of Mason. Richardson is from
Rochester. n. Y. where he married
Mason's sister. The ease has been In
! the Mexican court three years.