Omaha daily bee., 1905-11-18
JORDAN IS STILL MISSING
Son Of Former Equitable Official Says he
Knows Nothing of Fs hers Whereabouts
SENATOR DEPsw AGAIN ON STAND
Attorney for the Insurance Company
Seems to Know Little About
vouchers from Law De-
partment.

NEW YORK, Nov 17-with the end of /
the morning session today Senator Arm /
strong's committee on insurance investiga- |
tion finished a week that for strenuous /
ness and importance has been eclipsed by |
no one week since the investigation was |
inaugurated. Besides being the week in |
which the most sessions have been held !
the witnesses have been the most import |
ant, including the big guns" in the finan-
cial world as well as in the insurance busi- |
ness Early in the week James II. Hyde
was examined and made charges against f.
H. Hartman and former Governor Odcll, |
who successfully appeared and denied Mr..
Hydes statements and Mr.. Hyde being re-
called affirmed his testimony Then Sen
ator Chauncey NJ. Depew was heard and
when the session opened today it was ex-
pected that before the day was over Sen
ator Platt would be called He is wanted
TO testify to the collection of contribu-
tions to political campaigns by insurance
companies, MIR. Odel having testified yes
terday that Mr. Platt collected all such
money up TO last year, 1t is now eX-
pected that the senator will be heard early
next week, possibly on Tuesday, when the
sessions will be resumed.
Jordan Is stiu Missing.
Frank b. Jordan. son of the former comp
troller of the Equitable. who at a previous
session said he did not know where his
father was or whether either his father
or mother was living was called again to-
/ day and said that he had received a letter
. from his mother. who was in Canada. since
/ he first testified. but that she said nothing
of his father. He could tell nothing as to
! the amount of fire insurance business he
| had done for the Equitable or why he got
/ it, but is going to supply that Information
/ later
Samuel S. McCurdy. assistant registrar
OF the Equitable and not related to the Nc
Curdys of the Mutual Life, said he had
4 charge of tho vouchers for legal service.
From him was CLEANED story Of trouble
in California in 1897 when tho insurance
commissioner of that state demanded an
explaDation. Thousands of dollars wero
I spent> by the Equitable in this matter as
accounted by MIR McCurdy, and he justi-
fed the expenditure on the ground that Il
would have cost the Equitable about $40
900 had no defense been made, hence the
expenditure for counsel. He seemed to
think the demands of the California COM
missioners were exorbitant.
Depew Again on stand.
Senator Depew was called to give any in
formation he might possess as to IL number
of vouchers for legal services hut his
knowledge was rather limited aud many.
of the expenditures and signeis OF the
lvouchers he had never heard OF.
One voucher to John A. Nichols for legal
services was accompanied by a letter to
Senator Depew, referring to "our friend
who comes around once a year." and
your rambunctious friend up the river /"
III.
retained at different times by the Equita-
bic but he did not know in what connec-
ton. Mr. Nichols, he said. was once quar-
antine commissioner and used to be active
in politics
Gage +. Tarbell was called Just before
recess and had hardly got started in his
testimony when Senator Depew was called.
When he resumed it was almost time for
adjournment and Senator Armstrong an
nounced that the subcommittee of Senator
Tully and Assemblyman Cox would take the
) deposition Of Mr.. Squires at 3 o'clock, there
} fore no afternoon session would be held
: Mr.. Tarbell told of his twenty-slx years
connection with the Equitable and his
t activities in the interest of tho policy
holders He started as a solicitor In
Greene. N. Y. and later was given a gen
eral agency for the southern tier counties
5 of this state with headquarters at Bing-
} hamton. He was opposed to money being
spent for legislative purposes and thought
5 the policy holders in body could defeat
, any legislation inimical to their inter
ests.
He said he had tried to interest the New
I York Life and the Mutual Life in al
agreement to appoint a committee of one
g to look after such matters, but the Officers
of the Mutual Life said 1t was impract
e cal. Mr. Tarbell knew of no money ex
= pended for legislative purposes.
q Mr. Tarbell was on the stand when tn,
adjournment until Tuesday was taken.
Testimony in Detail.
: Frank b. Jordan. son of the former
comptroller of the Equitable. was the frs
witness called before the investigating com
mittee today. He. had testified at {
previous session that ne did not know tn,
whereabouts of his father or mother ant
that he did not know whether they wer,
e living or dead. Today he said he haC
& not since learned of his fathers where
IS abouts. He had received letter from hi
n mother who is in Canada. She sal,
nothing about his father. AS 10 his prof
its from fire insurance written on prop
e critics mortgaged TO the Equitable. he sat
3 his father received none of them. "
) had no idea what proportion of his busl
q ness the Equitable furnished him.
'e Samuel S. McCurdy. assistant registra
Is Of the Equitable society. was next called
"a He had formerly been secretary TO Sec
u retary william Alexander of the society
g AS assistant registrar he had custody O
% vouchers for moneys paid out for legs
expenses. He produced the vouchers 70
= such expenses for the last ten years.
the vouchers for 1895 was a letter [
James W. Alexander from Robert +
McCurdy Of the Mutual Life Insuranc
company, which accompanied a bill 10
] the Equitable's share Of salary and ca
penses Of George S. Batcheller as "plenar
'f legal Representative" OF the Equitabl
society, New York Life Insurance con
many ana Mutual Life Insurance compan,