The Salt Lake herald. [volume] (Salt Lake City [Utah]) 1870-1909, 1905-10-04
HAD ENOUGH OF
STAR CHAMBER
Hyde Willing to Appear as a Witness
Under Conditions.
SUITS FILED AGAINST HIM
CONSEQUENTLY HE CANNOT
TELL ALL HE KNOWS.

New ofA. yet d.-SaInQel inter
myer counsel for james II. Hyde. to-
day gave out tor publication a letter
addressed by him to Charles Z. Hughes
Of the insurance investigating commit
tee. ia which he says:
Referring to your request that Mr..
Hyde voluntarily appear at a witness
before the joint committee appointed by
the defunes legislature of 1898 TO inves-
tigate the affairs of life insui aI.ce COM
pAnies, / have advised MI Hyde that
your committee Is without power or
jurisdiction to make the Investigation
IN which you are engaged.
My opinion is based on the PROPOSE
ton that the assembly at least has no
power TO direct an investigation CD to
be held after its adjournment, and 90
for. the express purpose of reporting to
future legislature not vet selected,
and which can have no existence until
1895.
Only While in Session.
Either house may investigate when
in session. either directly or through a
committee of its members. for the pur-
pose Of informing itself as to the pend
ing or contemplated legislation by it.
and fo~ that purpose only.
I'VE appreciate however, that the
pending inquiry, though unauthorized
and irregular. will prove wholesome
and i'm the public inter est, and that if
continued on the same lines much of
tire responsibility for existing condi-
lions, which has been most unjustly
placed upon Mr.. HYDE will be fixed
where it properly belongs
The bulk Of the subject matter of
no
Equitable society. relates to practices
and conditions that anteGated by many
years his active connection with the
society. of which he has no knowledge
and which seem to have been contin-
ued under the administration with
which he subsequently became identi-
fed
Hyde Willing to Appear.
"Mr. Hyde instructs me to say that
he Is willing to assist the inquiry by
voluntarily appearing as a witness and
in any other way that may be found
desirable, provided his rights and those
of his fathers estate can be reason
ably safeguarded.
Unlike the other insurance compa-
MES now under inVestiga ton. the affairs
of the Equitable have already been eX-
plotted as the result of internal dissen-
sions between the officers. Mr.. Hyde
has, as you know, been examined at
great length in a secret proceeding by
q hostile superintendent of insurance.
ION that investigation Mr.. Hyde was
refused the right TO the presence of
counsel at the hearing. although the
superintendent had counsel to conduct
star chamber proceedings
Worked injury to Hyde.
and of statements. made before our
commission which have not yet been
submitted to the tests of cross exam
nation, Mr. Hyde has been grossly mis-
represented and injured in the public
esteem for his supposed connection
with transactions for which he is not
responsible-eycept for having trusted
TO older and more experienced men. He
is not willing 10 repeat that experience
now in another form before your com
mittee.
He is prepared to waive all legal OBJ
jeetions TO appearing and 10 tell your
committee fully and frankly everything
he knows except in which regards are
embraced in pending litigation on con-
dition that your committee viii in COM
mon fairness accord him the right OF
being represented. advised and re-ex-
amined by counsel,
Mr.. Hughes Statement.
Charles +. Hughes gave out The fol-
lowing statement tonight:
II received Mr.. Untermyer's letter
this evening and have conferred with
Mr.. McKeen. We concur in the fol-
lowing statement:
so far as Mr.. Hyde's conditional Of
fer 10 appear as witness is concerned,
it would not be proper for US to COM
ment upon ii in advance of the decision
of the committee. We Will say simply
this: That if Mr.. Hyde appears before
the committee without condition he will
be treated cOurteOusly and according
to his rights.
Mr.. Unternyer's claim that the com
mittee is without power 10 conduct this
Investigation we believe TO be without
merit and we shall so advise the COM
mittee.
Approved by the Courts.
Legislatures by concurrent resolu-
lions of both houses have authorized
Joint committees to summon witnesses
and TO take testimony after adjourn
ment. and TO report to the next ses-
sion This course has been approved
by the courts.
The insurance committee IS COM
posed OF members qualified TO serve
and is acting within the scope of the
resolutions. Nor does the fact that the