The Montgomery advertiser., 1906-03-23
Committees Question to
 Hamilton.
MAcKAY WRITES A LETTER
Says Legislative Agent Was
 Furnished $l,600,000
Denies That Any Document Which Would Throw Light Upon the Transactions Has Been Sup
 pressed by Trustees.


 New York. March 22.--A reply to An- drew Hamilton's letter refusing to ap- pear before the Fowler Investigating committee of the New York Life In- surance Company was given out to- night by Clarence H. Mackay. acting chairman of the committee The let ter, which is addressed to MT. Hamil- ton at Albany, quotes in full certain messages and cablegrams passing be- tween Mir. Hamilton and the committed, this correspondence indicating, the committee members declare. their de- sire to secure an accounting for the large sums of the company's money placed in the hands of the legislative agent
 The letter to Mir. Hamilton declares that at the first meeting of the commit tee after his return to this country q registered letter was sent to him stat ing that an action in court for an counting of the company's funds had been authorized and that under the circuwstances the committee would not ask him to appear before it. But if he desired to be heard the committee would be glad to fix a time to suit his convenience. The letter to MT. Hamil- ton then proceeds
 At the same time the committee re- quested counsel in charge of the ac- ton directed to be brought against
 
 the service of papers until you had q reasonable opportunity to reply to this invitation. Having waited until Mon- day, the 18th of Harch, without hear ing from you, 1t withdrew the request. It must be said that your previous ac- tion did not encourage the committee fin the hope that you would avail your self of the opportunity to appear be- fore it
 HHad Sought Information.
 The committee, as you will recall. had endeavored in vain before this to secure, through your attendance, in- formation you alone can give of the company's money placed in your hands"
 The letter then quotes cablegrams dated in January showing it's efforts to get into communication with MT. Hamilton. A reply from MT. Hamilton to the committees representative in Pavis is given, in which the writer says he Must again assure the board of trustees of the company that l will, just SIS soon as possible. attend their session, but peremptory demand to re- turn al once.
 The letter continues: The commit tee desired your presence because 1t was charged with the duty of ascertain ing not only what moneys you had TO- ceived, but what you had done with them That duty was imposed upon 1t by the mandate of the Armstrong com mittee. The main question before the committee as to your matters was what had you done with the company's mon ies, amounting to about $1, ,000, whic in one way or another had come into your hands during the past ten years.
 You alone could tell us as to the great bulk of them. Something over one hundred thousand dollars appears A to you for legal services. Your receipts for the $500, 900 or whereabouts receIv- ed for what has been called your leg isiative burden were simply receipts in the ordinary form and throw no light on what you had done with the money. They did not show, nor did any records or books of the company. that there was a legislative or secret bureau or that you were engaged in any such work
 Repaid Fly MT. Mccall.
 The vouchers you signed for the various sums aggregattng $235,GOO which MT. Mccall repaid because your agreement did not read that you were to account for them. At that time you were acting in a legal capacity for the company in connection with it's real es tate purchases and Mortgage loans. There was no reason for any one on the auditing committee to suspect that you would not account, in accordance with the terms of the vouchers, though you have not done SO.
 After referring to others of the Ham, ilton transactions disclosed in the in surance investigation, the letter con cludes:
 These facts make clear the reason why the committee desired from you the information you could furnish as to the use and disposition of those large sums. and If they had been used by you for improper purposes there would nave no shielding by thls committee of any officer or trustee who had approv- ed such payments.
 Your statement that any document in the company's oficIaI files which have been brought to the attention of the committee or any official action spread upon the records of the proceed inas of this committee, or any corres- pondence to which it has had access, has been ignored by 1t to give false color to any of your transactions, or to make unwarranted accusations against you, is absolutely without the slightest foundation.
 Clarence II. Mackey, as acting chair man, signs the letter.