The Topeka state journal., 1905-11-17
FOUND HIS MOTHER.
Son of Former Equitable Comptroller
sHn IN Ignorance About Father.

New York, Nov 17.-Bfank B.
Jordan. son of the former comptroller
of the Equitable Life Assurance so
ciety, was the first witness called be-
fore the legislative insurance investi-
CATION committee today. He had tes-
tilted at a previous session that he
did not know the whereabouts of his
father or mother, and that he did
not know whether they were living or
dead Today he said he had not since
learned of his fathers whereabouts
He had received a letter from his
mother, who is in Canada She said
nothing about his father. As to his
profits from fire insurance written on
properties mortgaged to the Equitable
he said his father. received none of
them. He had no idea what proper
ton of his business the Equitable fur
nished him.
Samuel S McCurdy, assistant reg
istrar of the Equitable society, was
next called He had formerly been
secretary to Secretary William Alex
ander of the society AS assistant
registrar he had custody of vouchers
for moneys paid out for legal ex-
penses. He produced the vouchers
for such expenses for the last ten
years. In the vouchers for 1895 was
a letter to James A. Alexander from
Robert McCurdy,. Of the Mutual Life
company, which accompanied a bill
for the EQultabless share of salary
and expenses of George s. Bachelor
as 'plenary legal representative" Of
the Equitable society, New York Life
Insurance company and Mutual Life
Insurance company. The salary of
Mr.. Bachelor from this combination
was given in a statement as $77,700.
It was brought out that Mr.. Batchel-
lor's duties were broad. The packa ges
OF vouchers for payment for legal
services in various state legislatures
were gone through by Mr.. Hughes.
asked as n
rendered by the signers or the various
vouchers.
A voucher from James NJ. Lewis,
dated January 27, 1899, was for ST.
000, lin full for services rendered dur
ing the coming session of the general
assembly in Missouri. = Witness did not
know Lewis or the services he per
formed, nor did he shed much light on
other vouchers.
Mr.. McCurdS said that $3.50 a
month had been paid to special coun-
sci to represent the Equitable society
before the commission at the suggeS-
ton of E. S. Pillsbunyy the society's s
regular attorney, who had told the
witness it was paid to a brother of the
insurance commissioner. The total
amount paid in that way was $4,000
The witness said also that approxi-
mately $17,500 was paid to w H.
Ghickering of California, counsel for
the Mutual Life Insurance company of
California. At the closs of 1899 when
the Equitable society filed its annual
statement with the California insur-
ance department, the commissioner
asked forty additional questions. the
witnes ssaid, which the commissioner
knew it was practically impossible for
the society to answer because its books
were nat kept SO as to do this. This
the witness said, was practically a re-
hash of the demands the commissioner
had made previously. Witness said
the company had had no like expert
ence with the insurance department of
any other state to his personal knowI-
edge. and that like proceedings against
the New York Life and Mutual Life
were terminated about the same time
as those against the Equitable society.
There was a dozen hearings on the in
terpretations of one of California; s
laws and it was for representation in
these hearings that the $3.50 a month
was paid. Mr.. Budd, while in New
York, consulted almost entirely with
Mr. Chickering. Witness said he
thought Governor Budd appointed Mr..
Clunie as commissioner. He did not
think the man to whom the $3.50
month was paid did anything for the
Equitable society.