The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1906-03-17
WON'T SUE INGALLS, ESTATE.
TRUSTEES MAY, REFUND CASH
PAID TO CAMPAIGN FUNDS.

LIt uUltcb StNtEd al IEusltth DftiaiV
They Didn't Know What The Money
He Got Was Vsed FOr-He'll BE sued
1t Is practically certain now that the
New York Life Insurance Company will
not sue John A.. McCall's estate either for
the money which he paid To Andrew Hamil-
ton or for the funds Of the company which
he contributed TO the Republican national
campaign. There will he opposition in
the board Of trustees to any proposition
looking toward the suing of Mr.. McCal's
estate.
The resolution adopted by the board in
regard to these actions provided that the
suits should be brought against Mr.. Mccall
personally and II is said another resolution
will have to be passed before the actions
can be brought against his estate. Mr..
McCall's entire estate will not exceed
$500 900. 1t was said yesterday that $3.50 900
would he near the amount. There is very
little real property in his estate. Most
of il is stocks Of banks and trust companies.
There is a good probability that the
$i48, 900 which the New York Life contributed
to the Republican national campaign COM
mittee will be refunded into the company's
treasury by trustees Of the company. The
subject has been talked over by some OF the
trustees, and if the Fowler committee
counsel decide to sue any Of them they will
undoubtedly make goo d the amount rather
thar stand trial. The men who may pay
the money are those ii is said, who advised
Mr.. Mccall informally in the matter of the
contributions.
Hamiltou's friends have said that it was
the finance committee of the company,
which, sitting informally as a body OF
gentlemen, authorized the payments.
The management Of the New York Life
refused yesterday to make any statement
in reference to the Hamilton charges.
There was, however, an awfully busy
time in the New York Tife's eS ecutive
Offices. The minor officers were immedi-
ately set to work digging through the
records of the board of trustees to find out
who have served on the auditing COM
mittee.
This is the committee which Hamilton
charged with having o. KID the payments
to him. He said that the personnel of the
last ten veal rs and that the m majority Of the
trustees knew Of the payments to him
through having served on this committee.
The only trustees known TO the public
as members of the auditing committee are
Hiram r.. Steele, Col. A. @. Paine, Henry c.
Mortimer and f. R.. Perkins, one Of the
company's vice-presidents. Mr.. Steele and
Col. Paine are members of the Fowler
investigating committee.
Several members of the committee de-
clared yesterday that they knew nothing
about the Hamilton payments as payments
to the legislative supervisor. They had
passed on the payments merely as balances
on different accounts. such as legal, real
estate or home office account. The mem
bers of the committee commended that it
wasn't their duty to pass on the wisdom
or folly of any payment; that il was the
committees practice merely to see that the
accounts were correctly entered on the
books and that the balances tailed.
Col. Augustus q. Paine declared that not
only had he not known of any yellow dog
fund but he had never heard Hamilton's
name mentioned until the Armstrong COM
mitee proceedings. He thought that the
invectives Of a secret service agent like
Hamilton were unworthy of credit.
One trustee Of the New York Life said
that Hamilton with all his vituperation
had by no means cleared himself. He
the vouchers which Hamilton signed con-
tanned on them the words ito be accounted
for" According to this trustee, Hamilton
never has accounted for the moneys which
what may be the status Of the other pay
ments he is still accountable.
Clarence Mackay, who is acting chair
man OF the Fowler investigating com
mittee in the place of Thomas p. Fowler,
who is abroad, said:
Regarding your inquiry in which you
say that Judge Andrew Hamilton has pub
licly made a statement that all of his So
called yellow dog expenditures were known
TO the trustees of the New York Life, !
wish to say that | became a trustee of the
New York Life on April 10, 1904. At no
meeting of the trustees at which | was
present, and ! have been quite regular in
my attendance, was anything ever men
toned regarding the subject. Further.
that | never knew that such a man as
Andrew Hamilton existed until his name
was brought out in the testimony before
the Armstrong committee. Any statement
that has been made by Judge Andrew
Hamilton contrary to the above ia, as far
as | I'm concerned, positively untrue
John Clafin, one OF the trustees OF the
New York Life, made this statement yester-
day:
ton, and prior to Mr.. McCall's testimony |
did not know tina Hamilton was disbursing
any amounts of money, large or small, for
the company in connection with legislation.
After Mr.. Mccall had testified before the
Legislative committee l expressed to him
my establishment at the facts which he had
then disclosed, and | asked him why he had
not consulted some of hi" trustees before
making the payments t. Hamilton. He
replied that he considered the matter in the
light of a secret service ard that he believed
his authority as president justified him in
making any payments which he thought
beneficial to the company without consulta-
ton with any of the trustees.
IL think Mr.. Mccall honestly believed his
payments TO Hamilton were necessary to
protect the company from serious injury"
1t was said yesterday that HamlIton's
attack on the New York Life would have
no effect on the suits which were to be
brought against him, except that his out
break may hurry the serving of the papers.
The committee informed him several days
ago that it would wait until he had had an
opportunity to appear before the committee
Before beginning the suits. IL is certain
that Hamilton will not appear now unless
he decides to accept this as an opportunity
to bring out a dramatic second chapter"
Perry Belmont has written a letter to
Senator Armstrong urging that the Legis-
lature pass the publicity bill which Mr..
Belmont has fathered and which is gen.
orally in keeping with the publicity recon-
mendations In the Armstrong committee
report. Mr.. Belmont quotes in the letter
a remark made to him once by John A..
Mccall. Ii was to this effect:
If you knew the things | ha We to do
you would be sorry for me-"
Mr.. Bel mont says that he has often
thought Of that remark lately.
Grover Cleveland, trustee of the Equi-
tahle ma in ritv stock. has zone to Florida.