Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1906-03-27
INSURANCE SENSATION
Warrants for Arrest of Three
Prominent Officials
OBTAINED By Mr.. JEROME
From a New York City Hagis-
trate Today.
OVER POLITICAL CONTRIBUTIONS
Action Believed to BE outgrowth Of
Judge o'sullvan.s sharp Com
ments Last Week.
OVER POLITICAL CONTRIBUTIONS


necessary first for the district attorney to
present evidence that a crime had been
committed. Mr. Jerome thersupon agreed to
present dispositions upon the question to the
magistrate later. and II was reported late
this afternoon that this would be done to-
morrow.
When news that the warrants had been
asked for became public it was recalled that
the names of Postmaster General Corteiyou.
chief of the republican national committee;
Cornelius N. Bliss. treasurer of that organ
ization. and George w Perkins, formerly
Vice president Of the New York Life lnsar-
anee Company. had been mentioned by MI.
Jerome before Judge o'sullivan in eonnec-
ton with the warrants.
Magistrate Moss. however said that no
names whatever were mentioned during ms
conversation with the district attorney AS
a result Of Mr.. Jerome's conversation with
the magistrates subpoenas In blank were Is
sued and 1t was announced that John Doe
proceedings would be begun at once in an
effort to procure evidence upon which the
warrants might be issued.
NEW YORK, March 27-warrants for
the arrest of three prominent officials were
obtained by District Attorney Jerome to-
day from Magistrate Moss of the Tombs
court. 1t was said at the time the warrants
were issued that the men named in them
were in the criminal courts building and
that their attorneys at the same time were
In the supreme court arranging for writs of
habeas corpus in connection with the pro-
ceeding.
After he had obtained the warrants Dis
trlct Attorney Jerome declined to say for
whom they had been issued. His action in
asking for the warrants is believed to be
an outgrowth of the sharp discussion be-
tween Judge O'SullIvan of the court OF
general sessions and himself last week over
: the question whether officers of the insur-
ances companies could be prosecuted for
making contributions to political parties.
Evidence to Grand Jury.
A few weeks ago Mr.. Jerome presented
to the grand jury certain evidence bearing
upon such contributions which was brought
out In the legislative insurance inveetiga-
tion Following this the grand jury present..
ed to Judge O'Suilivan long series OF
Hypothetical questions as to whether I'M
utT certain The insurance or
hclals had committed larceny in making
the political contributions.
Several days later Mr.. Jerome Informed
the jury that the officers were not guilty OF
larceny unless intent to defraud was
shown. and expressed the opinion that 1t
was not shown In these cases.
Last week, however. Judge O Sullivan no.
tined the jury that 1t was for the jury to
say whether or not intent to defraud was
shown by the insurance men and that II
tho jury found out that 1t was shown the
crime of larceny would have been commit
ted.
Judge o'Sullivan's Action.
When Judge O'Sullivan so charged the
jury Mr.. Jerome declared that the Judge
HAD misconceived the case and that If his
ruling was correct warrants should issue
Mr.. Jerome offered TO ask for the warrants
II Judge O'Sullivan would grant them ana
near the cases. Judge O'Sullivan declined
TO go about the case in that way and In
structed the jury later TO secure the EVIL
dence from the district attorneys Office AMI
Investigate fearlessly the entire matter of
ssisIsl contributions by insurance Off:
The foreman of the grand Jury yastar
day made application AT Mr. Jerome's Of
flee for the evidence. but assistant district
attorneys declined to give 1t TO him. Mr.,
Jerome was not then at his Office.
Court officials Silent.
Assistant District Attorney KreseI. ac-
companied by Vice President Darwin p.
Kingsley OF the New York Life Insurance
Company. appeared before Magistrate Moss
today. and Mr.. Kingsley made deposition.
Several subpoenaes in blank were then Is
sued by the magistrate in John Doe pro-
ceedings. None OF the court officials con-
cerned would say what their proceedings
were.
Atterward Mr.. Kingsley and Edward u.
Randolph, treasurer of the New York Life
Insurance Company. went to Mr. Jerome's
office at his request to make an affidavit
it was reported, as to the payment of po-
ntical contributions by the officers of that
company.
After the conference at Mr.. Jerome's Of
fee neither MIR. Kingsley Mr.. Randolph
transpired. 1t was reported. however. that
the warrants against the officials would not
be served until tomorrow.
Telegram to Jucynien.
District Attorney Jerome reported TO
Judge OSullvan today that each member
OF the grand jury has received a telegram
from a New York newspaper inquiring
whether the jurymen intend to be guided in
Investigating the insurance matters by the
advice OF Judge O'Sulliyan or by that or
District Attorney Jerome. Mr. Jerome de-
ter. but thought the judge might want TO
charge the jury on IL. The judge replied
that the matter was absolutely out of the
pale OF court jurisdiction.
Up TO 2:30 O'Clock this afternoon no on
clal statement as to the insurance war;
rants could be obtained. At that time It
YVES reported that a decision had been
reached to make a test OF the case against
George W. Perkins.
The program was said to be that Perkins
win appear in court tomorrow. when o
warrant will be served on him, and the
legal points involved viii be passed on by
tho court. According to this report, II tho
case against Perkins holds, others con.
nected with the insurance contributions to
campaign funds Will be prosecuted.
Mr.. Cortelyou said that the only informa-
ton he had OF the matter was what he had
received from the press dispatches which
had been communicated to him In the cab
met room.
During the tariff discussion In the House
today Representative Sullivan Of MassR-
chusetts mentioned that he had heard from
New York that Postmaster General Cortel-
you, Cornelius Bliss. treasurer Of the re-
publican national committee, and George
Perkins, vice president OF the New York
Life Insurance Company had been indicted
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