Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1906-12-05
DIRECTED TO HIRE MEN
They We're Wanted to Work for the
Administration Ticket.
AFFIDAVIT OF FACTS Is FILED
Wages Came Out Of Poncyholders'
Funds-May Be Equivalent to
Grand Larceny.


of the Mutual Life Insurance Company
have repeatedly declared that not dollar
of the policyholders' money was being
used in electioneering for the administra-
ton ticket, sworn evidence to the contrary
was received yesterday by Samuel INTER
myer, counsel for the International policy
holders committee. This evidence was in
the form Of an affidavit made by Thomas
G. Hindman, managing agent for the Mu-
tual Life in Tennessee, with headquarters
at Nashville The evidence is regarded by
Mr.. Untermyer as conclusive.
Mr.. Hindman's affidavit shows that IN
fourteen days he spent 81 ,425 Of the policy
holders money paying the men he hired to
solicit votes for the reelection Of the Pea
body ticket. The 1,425 represented work
done by twelve men from October 16 to
October %.
The campaign for votes made by the
Peabody management did not fully get
under way until November The fact
that 81, 425 was spent in a comparatively
small state In fourteen days for salaries
alone is regarded as indicating that in the
forty-fve states several hundred thousand
dollars belonging to the policyholders will
be spent by the Peabody administration
during the sixty days Of the campaign.
Every dollar SO spent, according to the
international poiicyholders' committee, is
funds and amounts to grand larceny.
Mr.. Hindman's Affidavit.
In his affidavit Mr.. Hindman, who will
probably lose his position with the Mutual
Life for his admissions, states that on Oc-
tober he was visited by D. E. Dudley,
managing agent Of the company. who di-
rected him to make liberal advances to his
principal subagents and get them to can
vass for votes for the administration ticket
up to December 10, the final day of the
election. The affidavit then says:
He insisted that 1 allow to a number
or my principal agents whatever COM
missions they should earn under their con-
tracts, In addition to paying to them and to
such other persons as 1 might select
straight salaries and expenses until De-
cember is, or until Christmas If necessary.
AT that juncture he handed me printed
'single-shot' ballot for the administration
ticket only and return gummed envelope
addressed to the company, saying that
liberal supply would be forwarded to me
for use In the campaign through my agents
and sure enough a day or so later / re-
ceived from New York a large wooden box
containing about 10000 of them trans
portation charges prepaid.
he outlined also plan by which my
agents would be expected to daily forward
to my office cards indicating how the pol
icyholders solicited by them had voted, If
at all. These details were explained in my
private office first to me alone and subse-
quently at my suggestion to my cashier
keeper.
"On the second morning after his de-
parture, that is, on October 3. I tele-
graphed him. In care Of the company's
office In New Orleans, that those Of my
agents to whom 1 had submitted his orig
inal proposition on the basis Of advances
or loans refused to perform the services
he outlined unless paid reasonable compen-
sation In addition to being allowed their
expenses"
Gets Authority to Pay Salaries.
Later kilograms passed between him and
Vice President George T. Dexter. the ex-
ecutive officer In charge of the agency force.
and on October Ii he was visited by Agency
Supt. W. H. Wootten. The affidavit saws:
After Mr.. Wootten and had Thoroughly
discussed the circumstances attending Mr..
Dudleys visit he unequIvocally authorized
the plan outlined by the latter, giving me
carte blanche authority to employ agents
ana expenses to electioneer for votes as
aforesaid until December Is, or up to
christmas If deemed it advisable"
hesaralng the instructions he received
from Mr.. Wootten as mandatory IL he
wished to retain his position, Mr.. Hindman
hlred men with the company's funds to
solicit votes for the Peabody ticket. Each
single shot peabody ballots. All Of
the incidental expenses of a Campaign
were betrayed out of the company's funds
On this point the affidavit says:
Expenses Charged to Company.
These gentlemen. as fast as they called
at the office. were given instructions bv
my cashier who shipped to them by ex-
press at the company's expense single-shot
administration ballots and other literature
including stamped return gummed en-
veiopes addressed to the company. Tne
cost of those stamps and that exnressa 90 nc
much larger than 1t would otherwise. have
been,was charged to the company in INV
regular report for last month, and it has
oeen accepted and approved and never
questioned nor disallowed.'
Mr. Hindman swears that the following
SUI sums were paid to the men he hired to So
licit votes: ~ ~