Daily Kennebec journal., 1906-03-29

-NcW 1Ofk, MIrcn 2S.-On q charge
that his connection with the contri-
button of So, 1920 from the funds OF
the New York Life Insurance co. IL
Cornelius n. Bliss, treasurer of the
Republican national committee of 1904
constituted grand larceny in the first
degree, George w. Perkins, Il member
of the firm of j. 7. Morgan < CO., and
until recently first vice president of
IL" NV York Life Insurance 60. was
arrested today on 4 warrant issued by
City Magistrate Moss.
When detective went to serve the
warrant nEoH Mr.. Perkins he found
that WIT of habeas corpus had al
ready been obtained from Justice
Greenhaum OF the supreme court. and
the matter WAS Immediately taken out
of the magistrates hands. Mr.. Per-
kinS appeared before Justice Green
baum and III the request Of his coun-
sci the hearing in the case was ad-
l0uTned until Friday. Mr. Perkins was
paroled in the custody of his personal
attorney, Lewis A. Delafield
New York, March 2S.-George w.
Perkins, member of the firm of J. =.
Morgan q Co, bankers, and formerly
vice president Of the New York Life In-
aurance Co, was technically placed un-
der arrest today in the proceedings
which District Attorney Jerome has
begun to test the legality of political
contributions by insurance companies
/ ne warrant was issued upon Informal
ton presented by Police Iagi5trate
Moss and the allegation upon which it
was issued was based on the transfer
Of Si8,102 of the funds Of the New York
Life Insurance Co, to Cornelius n.
Bliss. treasurer Of the Republican ma
tional committee in 1904, in which ii is
charged that Mr.. Perkins received the
money from the insurance company
ard paid ii over to Mr.. Bliss
Immediately after his arrest MIR. Per-
kinS, through his counsel, Lewis A. De-
lafieid, secured a writ of habeas corpus
from Justice Grcenbaum, of the SUI
premc court by which Mr.. Perkins was
released from custody and the case was
taken direct to the supreme court. Ar
eum"nt On this writ was adjourned I'M
til Friday afternoon next.
Ill. Perkins was taken into custody
while III the office of his attorney by
detective from the office Of District At
torrey jerome. He did not appear be-
fore Police Magistrate Moss. who had
issued the warrant, but went directly
before Justice Grcenbaum There the
district attorney recited the legal steps
that had been taken but did not so into
the charges against Mr.. Perkins. Mr..
Delafleld, however, declared that the
offence charged against MI. Perkins
was purely technical and asked for a
postpOncmert OF the case. He dcsc1ined
the payment of the S4S,102 by MIR. Per
kins to Mr.. Bliss in 1904 and said that
me payment had been authorized by
John y. Mccall, the former president
OF the New York Life Insurance Co.
The arrest Of Mr.. Perkins and the
subsequent issue Of the writ Of habcls
corpus will have tn effect of having
the highest courts Of the state pass up
on the legality Of campaign contribu-
tirns by Insurance companies. Much at
tcntion was directed to this matter at
the recent legislative Insurance inVcsti-
cation and ii was shown that several
Of the large companies on more Than
one occasion had contributed to such
funds.
Mr.. Perkins in his own testimony be
fore the legislative investigating COM
nittce testified as follows concerning n
check signed by Treasurer Randolph
of the New York Life Insurance Co,
calling for the payment of $4S. .102 to J.
=. Morgan & Co.
That was money" said Mr.. Perkins.
"Taid To Cornelius y. Bliss on account
Of the Republican rational committee
campaign fund Of last year. We had
agreed to pay him sJ0,0OO-as much as
thIt-McCall had-if he wished it. That
was all he finally called for and it WAS
paid in that way as cash to him.
Mr.. Bliss made various calls from
time to time for amounts which | paid
myself and when the accounts We're
made up toward the end Of the year
this amount was the amount found to
be due, and that amount was paid back
to ne. 1t was not paid to j. 2. Morgan
& Co, but to me- had personally ad-
vancGd the money.
This check for the campaign. drawn
to the order of j. p Morgan & Co. has
no significance whatever. The money
was ordered paid by the president.
Ne" York, March 2S.-In the argu-