Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1906-02-19

John a. Mccall.
than $4,000. Out of the large amount
of insurance he carried there is less than
$4,000 remaining for the widow. some
what smaller figure will cover the value
of his personality and the remainder con-
s;sts Of an equity in the heavily mort
gagged house in New York city.
Almost S400,0C0 worth OF life insurance
and his beautiful country place, Shadow
Lawn. Long Branch, were sacrificed to
pay back to the New York Life Insurance
Company moneys advanced to Andrew
Hamilton, which Mr.. Mccall swore before
the Armstrong committee had been paid
to protect the interests of the policy hold
ers.
The Closing Hours.
For twenty-four hours previous to his
death Mr. Mccall was In a stupor. His
extremities had become cold and his res
pfration was uneven, but such was his
vitality that his heart action continued
surprisingly regular and he responded each
time to the use of stimulants in the form
of oxygen and salts. About noon yester-
day ne complained of a slight pain, which
he found eased when he sat up, and
in this condition he talked to his son, John
c. Mccall for several minutes. Then he
lapsed into a coma, from which ne reused
when his wife entered the room. AS she
leaned over him he said:
Mother, l wish for your sake and the
children 1 could live my life over again"
Yes. father" Mrs. Mccall replied, "if
1t could only be"
I'D make no change from the life I've
lived" he continued in whisper, but I'd
like to be with you a while yet
During the night his breathing at times
was scarcely perceptible, and as the day
broke 1t was thought the end had come.
Tell mother to come in said John c.
Mccall The dying man heard the whisper,
and as his wife approached and clasped his
hand, with his last spark OF consciousness,
he repeated Mother and passed into in
sensIbility, which was ended by death.
Sketch of His Life.
John Augustine Mccall was born in Al
bany. N. Y, in 1S49, went to school in Can
der Bay. worked as butchers boy, took a
course in a business school and obtained
place in the state currency asserting
house. From there he went into the office
of the Connecticut Mutual Life and was
appointed at the age of twenty to a $50
clerkship in the state insurance depart
ment. From that time until his resigna-
ton from the New York Life, on January
4, 1906, he had been continuously in inSur-
ance. "a
At the~age of twenty-five he was recefv-
ing $1,000 year as clerk in the insurance
department. appointment came to him
first through the democratic organization.
Republicans kept him in office, and he serv-
ed under three different republican superin-
tendents of insurance. Reaching the grade
of official examiner, he began a crusade
against wildcat companies and was pro-
noted to be deputy superintendent. Gov.
Cleveland made him head of the depart
ment and Gov. Hill continued him in office
until 1856. Then the Equitable Life offered
him $4,000 a year as controller. Pres
entity, when the president of the New York
Life, MIR. Beers, was forced out Mr.. Mccall
was selected for the vacancy. In Albany
he had been from boyhood familiar of Eu-
gene Wood, Anthony Brady and Andrew
Hamilton, and his knowledge of Albany
men and processes led the chiefs of other
great insurance companies to rely upon
MIN for direction in affairs connected with
legislative and executive departments
Handling the vast funds of the New York
Life brought Mr.. Mccall into touch with
greater finance. In Mr. Cleyeland's admin
istration, when uncertainty existed as to
the ability of the government to float
popular loan. Mr. Mccall was first to bid
for $lo.0oo,000. The large capital held by
the institution he presided over enabled
him TO say to Mr.. Mckinley that If war
were declared upon Spain he could take an
other 100000 government loan.
His services in the New York Life COW
cred fourteen years and at the last he was
receiving a salary of 100000.
At the time Of the Investigations of the
Armstrong legislative committee he testi-
fled that II he died then his estate would
not amount to 81 100000, and that half of it
was insurance on his life He pledged him
self to restore to the funds of the company
any sum advanced to Andrew Hamilton OF
Albany which Hamilton should fail to
turn back. He gave $4,000 in cash. the
rest, amounting in all to s235, 600, in notes
secured by a mortgage on Shadow Lawn
sold for about $4,000. As there was a
prior mortgage upon it Mr.. McCaTs net
proceeds from it were S1o0000
Thirty years ago he married Mary l. Ho-
ran of Albany. He was a member of the
Metropolitan. Merchants, Lawyers and
Manhattan clubs.