The semi-weekly messenger. [volume] (Wilmington, N.C.) 1897-1908, 1905-11-17

Hartman, chairman of the board Of
director, of the Union Pacific railroad,
former member of the board of di
rectors of the Equitable Life Assur-
ance Society and connected with many
railroads and financial institutions, the
former friend of James Hazen Hyde,
against whom the latter charges acts
Of an unfriendly nature in his testi
mony yesterday was one of the chief
witnesses before the Armstrong COM
mittee on insurance investigation to-
day.
Mr.. Hartman was called Immediate
ly after recess, and his testimony was
a series of denials of the charges made
by Mr.. Hyde. Contrary to Mr.. Hyde's
statement MA Hartman aaid Mr..
Hyde came to him about a, year ago
and asked him to use his influence to
have him appointed ambassador to
France. Mr.. Hartman said he would
speak to President Roosevelt when he
saw him. but added that while he did
so, he did not recommend Mr.. HYDE
for the post Upon Mr.. Hyde's
testimony relative to the settlement
of the OdeH suit being read to him,
Mr.. Hartman denied that he had
suggested to Mr.. Hyde any danger Of
q repeal of the charter of the Mercan-
tile Trust Company, directly or indi-
rectly, and stated that Mr.. Hyde came
to him and asked him to use his in
1uence with Mr.. Odell toward a set
tlement of the suit
In reply to inquiries by Mr. Hughes.
Mr. Hartman said Governor Odell did
not tell him that a bill had been intro
duced in the legislature to repeal the
charter of the Mercantile Trust Com
pany, and that his first intimatiOn Of
this came from his counsel today.
Did you say anything to Mr.. Hyde
in any of these interviews as to the
desirability of settling the suit be-
cause Of the power that night DE eX-
ercised against the company ut Alba
n.y." asked Mr.. Hughes.
No sir
Did you make any mention to Ir.
Hyde of any attempts that had or
might be made to repeal the charter
of the Mercantile Trust Company"
No SIR
Mr.. Hartman said that ne made no
reference to the advantages of a set
tlement in order to avoid an attack
upon the company and that Governor
Odell did not request him to dse his
influence to obtain a settlement Of the
claim. Governor Odell, Mr.. Hartman
said. had no interview with him to
bring about Il settlement. hut the re-
quest came exclusively from Mr.. Hyde
a portion of Mr.. Hyde's testimony
in which he said Mr.. Hartman had
suggested to him that an effort might
be made to repeal the charter Of the
Mercantile Trust Company was then
read to Mr. Hartman, who said that
he did not make such suggestion 10
70 nIS low Tod
having said to Mr.. Hyde, as Mr.. Hdye
had testified. that there was a possi-
bility of powerful interests at Albany
doing harm to the Mercantile Trust
Company because of the shipbuilding
loss. He also denied saying anything
to. Mr.. HYDE about the repeal of the
charter of the Mercantile Trust
Company, and declared that he did not
know OF any rumor that bill was
introduced to repeal that charter
Mr.. Hartman explained that he
wanted Mr.. Hyde's individual sigma
ture to the syndicate agreement of
the 100000 600 Union Pacific pool, be-
cause no syndicate wants a corpora
ton as a member He justified this
because it was difficult to guard con-
fdences, when more. than one individ-
ual represented the same interest. He
denied that he ever advised Mr., Hyde
to sell his stock until after the report
of the Frick committee and said he
had offered to subscribe 100000 to
assist Mr.. Hyde in retaining his stock.
Mr.. Hartman said the Frick report
never mentioned the Union Pacific deal
specifically. but included it under the
general statement that Mr.. Hyde had
committed the society in unwarranta-
bic transactions without the knowledge
of the committee. Mr.. Hartman
thought it perfectly proper for the
Equitable TO buy Union Pacific under
an agreement to hold it for five years.
He did not know that it was Mr.
Hyde's personal money in this deal,
and always supposed it was that of the
Euuftahle.
Witness also denied that he had re-
ouested that the executive committee
be not informed of this deal. and when
Mr.. Hyde's testimony on this point
was read TO him, he replied that ..he
did not remember Mr.. Hartman