The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1906-03-08
HAMILTON MAY HELP JEROME.
NO IMMUNITY PROMISED, BUT
RETURN is OPPORTUNE.

10 he moBun ~ Unoo, AlJn0ugf
There Isn't Much Property in Sigh
Trustees Don't Fear Disclosures
If, according to a report published yester.
day Judge" Andy Hamilton returned from
Paris at the instigation Of District Attorney
Jerome, and II immunity has been promised
him il he tells all he knows, Mr.. jerome
refused to cay anything about IL. All
questions intended to draw Mr.. jerome out
on the subject he refused to answer.
1t lie not believed, however, that Mr.
Jerome has promised immunity to Hamil.
ton. 1t Is possible that Mr.. Jerome may
have had some communication with Mr.
Hamilton, either directly or through some
Of the Judges" friends.
Judge" Hamilton is said to have been
anxious TO find out II he would be made q
scapegoat II he returned to this country.
He was informed that he would be treated
the same as any one else involved In Mr..
Jerome's investigation. 1t lie also under
stood that Mr.. Hamilton a informed
that it might not be a bad thing for him
II he aided the District Attorney In his
Investigation.
1t was pointed out that there might be
something more than o coincidence in the
fact that Judge Hamilton returned from
Europe on the day that the Grand Jury
began it's investigation Of political contri-
buttons by the life insurance companies.
Mr.. Hamilton may have some knowledge
Of gifts to political parties by the insurance
companies that the Grand Jury would like
to hear.
The announcement was made yesterday
that the New York LIES suits against
Hamilton for an accounting and restitution
will be begun In q few days. John q. NIL
burn, Of counsel for the Fowler investigating
committee, when questioned In Buffalo
yesterday said:
4The suits will be pressed Immediately
for the return Of the money. l shall return
to New York city at once and there will be
no delay In prosecuting the actions"
Mr.. Milbum was asked about the proba-
bility Of criminal action against Hamilton.
He ssid that was entirely in the hands Of the
District Attorney. Mr.. Milburn said that
the counsel believed they had a good case
against the Mccall estate and Hamilton.
Hiram r. Steele, Who is acting as chair
man Of the New York LIES investigating
committee in the absence Of Thomas P.
Fowler. conferred yesterday with ex-
Judge William A. Keener, who is one Of the
committees lawyers, and 1t was decided to
begin the actions as soon as possible, al
though from the present prospects Hamilton
hasn't much property.
1t was said authoritatively that the Fowler
committee had found that Hamiltons house
In Albany, which is valued at about 325 900,
has a SIS, 900 mortgage and that in addition
TO the house not more than $40, 900 Of per-
sonal property has been uncovered. The
statement was made by one Of Mr.. Hamil-
tons friends yesterday that the amounts
discovered by the Fowler committee COW
cred practically everything that he has.
to this country to do everything in his
power to clear John A. McCall's name was
d~iscredited by New York Life trustees
yesterday. They pointed out that the
Fowler investi eating committe urged him
In the opinion Of some of the New York
Life trustees, was when Hamilton ought
10 have acted il he contemplated doing
anything for Mr.. Mccall.
One OF Mr.. Hamilton's friends gave as
bis opinion yesterday that tho Judge
would not make any sensational disclosures
relative to his expenditures in supervising
legislation. This man pointed out that
Hamilton is on record in black and white
in his report, to the New York Life trus-
tees az denying absolutely that a penny
Of the money which he received was spent
for illegal or improper purposes. After
having made such a statement any dis
closures to the contrary would be putting
a lie in his own mouth. This man added
81 Significantly, however
Judge Hamilton will be amply able to
take care Of himself in any situation that
may arise
The New York Life trustees do not believe
that Hamilton can do any harm to them.
1t was said yesterday that there were hardly
five members Of the board who knew OF
Hamilton's existence before the State
investigation began.
The Fowler investigating committee will
not, 1t is understood, make any formal re-
mittee unless the board Of trustees directs
the investigators to do so. II Hamilton in
Inmates, though, that he would like to an
swer any Of the charges made against him
in the committees report he will have ample
heard nothing yesterday from Hamilton
or any Of his representatives. 1t was
thought unlikely that Hamilton will ask for
a hearing before the committee.
ALBANY, March ANDY Hamilton evi.
upon by a legislative Investigating COM
mittee to tell what he did with the money
given to him. The question has been
raised as to whether the committee that
Investigated the Insurance companies could
subppena him to give testimony. Sena-
tor Armstrong. the chairman, said:
@The committee may be concluded to be
a standing one by reason Of the Legislature
giving US authority to submit a later re-
port
However, the belief prevails In legislative
circles that Hamilton is safe from being
compelled to testify. The committee be-
lieves it has all the evidence it wants to bring
about reforms In insurance matters and will
devote itself to getting the legislation 1t
recommended and introduced enacted into
laws.
Hamilton wasdown tow to-day for thine,
and to his old Albany friends appeared
to be looking well, He said to newspaper
men that he had no statement to make
now, having said all he ntended to for a
time. He called at his law Office and talked
with his partner, Mr.. Towner, and after
ward visited Sautter's drug store, a haunt
Of old times, and also stopped at the Albany
Club AT the latter olub. of which Hamil-