The Montgomery advertiser., 1905-12-16
MIR. HARTMAN MAKES REPLY Another Chapter of the
 StrcnuOSity. GOVERNOR AND SPEAKER Higgins and Nixon Were
 Placed on Guard. Hartman Deaies He Institutea Essss., iative Inquiry, But Adnits His RecoIleetson of Threat s-
 Not Very Clear.
 !

New York. Dec. 15.--Before the Ier- isiatfve insurance investigating com mittee, another chapter was added to- day to the chronicles of what Thomas F. Ryan called strenuous interviewsr between himself and F. H. Hartman Mir. Ryan gave his version of the con- versations to the committee a few days ago when he said that Mir. Hartman, at the time of the acquisition of the James Fl. Hyde stock in the Euuitable Life Assurance Society, demanded an equal share. and threatened to use his political influence against him if he did not surrender 1t. M
 Today Mir. Hartman recited to the committee his version and added some interesting statements affecting his re- lations with former Governor B. B. Odell. Jr.. Chairman of the New York State Republican Committee and also as to a request to watch legisiation affecting the Equitable Society which he had made on Governor Francis W. Higgins and the late S. Fred Nixon. Speaker of the New York state As sembIy.
 In substance Mir. Hartman testined today that when Mir Ryan bought the Hyde stock. carrying control of the Equitable Society. he asked Mir. Harrf- man to cooperate with him in saving the property. that MT. Hartman agreed to do 1t Is satisfied that Mir. Ryan was acting from pure and tinselfish motives: that Mir. Ryan did not satisfy him as to the purity of his motives and that MT. Hartman notified him that he would use his influence. against him.
 How He Tested Rynn The test which MT. Harriman said he applied to determine Mir. Ryan's purity Of motives was an offer to take one- half of the Hyde stock and to name two trustees of the Society. Mir Ryan refused to agree to that Mr.. Harri- man testified that Mir. Ryan should not have assumed that he tMr. Harriman1 would use his political influence against him. He was not certain whether he said anything about legislative action as q warning to Mir Ryan, but declared that he had nothing to do with starting the present insurance investigation.
 Charles E Hughes counsel for the committee. informed Mir. Harrinial that political Influence through his relations with former Governor B. B. Odell, Ir Mir. Hartman said:
 Well, | should think Mir. 0deII had political influence because of his rcia- ton with me-"
 ter Mir. Hartman said to the Associ- ated Press that tho remark was meant in a tocuIar sense.
 No Action to Thwart Rynn.
 Mir. Hartman declared to the com mittee that he did not confer with Mir. odell about the advisability of Legis- lative action. and that he has not yet taken any action to thwart Mir. Ryan's plans.
 Last spring, Mir Hartman said. when the management of the Equitable Life Assurance Society was divided Into two factions, the one headed by Fresf- dent James W. Alexander and tho other by James IT. Hyde an attempt was made by the Alexander faction to in- duce the Legislature to mutualize the Society.
 MT Hartman said he asked members of the Legislature to watch out for any legislation favorable to the Alex ander faction and to report to him if it appeared.
 He was averse to disclosing the names of the men to whom he made this request, and only consented to do so after repeated urging on the part oe Senator Armstrong, chairman of the and by MT. Hughes, and af- ter he had been allowed to consult with his counsel.
 He then stated that 1t was Governor Higgins and Speaker Nixon whom he had asked to watch out for the Alex ander legislation. He added that no such Legislation was introduced and that he took no steps through Governor Higgins and Speaker Nixon to prevent it.