The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1906-03-15
HRMlLT0WS DEFENSE.
He WIN Hold Others Responsible Be
sides Himself and Mccall.

New York, March 15.-The World says
Before his departure for his home In
Albany yesterday Andrew Hamilton, for
n1er legislative agent Of the New York
Life 1nsurance company settled upon his
line OF defense IN the legal actions ordered
against him for restitution and account
ing Of sums aggregating nearly 81, 600 900.
Hamilton defense challenges the &C
cuiacy of the Fowler investigating com
mittee. which held the late John Al Nc
Call and Hamilton alone responsible for
the sl.34z0o paid to the former legislative
agent out Of the funds Of the polieyhold-
Summarized. Hamilton's defense fol-
First-That every payment made to
him except the $50 80 taken from the
cate and S144 500 drawn from the Paris Of
fee was known by, reported TO and passed
upon BY the auditing committee Of the
second-That every political contri-
button made was first discussed by the
finance committee of the company and
then. directed TO be paid. No entry Of the
political contributions was made in the
minute books of the finance committee,
the transactions being secret so far as
the regular records of the company are
concerned
Hamilton contention that all the pay
ments made to him, with the two excep-
lions above noted. were reported to and
passed upon by the auditing committee is
borne out by the bylaws of the company
defining the duties of that committee.
'Hamilton's contention is that if John
A AlG1dA Was morally legally ana man
cially responsible for the cOmpany's mon
eys paid to Hamilton. every member of
the auditing committee who passed upon
the payment is equally responsible and
should be 50 held by the Fowler investi-
eating committee, which directed that
suits for recovery should be brought
against Hamilton and Mccall only.
He also contends that If John A. Nc
Call or his estate is responsible for the
political contributions made by the New
York Life, every member Of the finance
committee who sanctioned them is equal
~ responsible, and that in addition to or
derlng suits for recovery against the Nc
Call estate. the Fowler committee should
order similar actions against the respon-
sible members of the finance committee.
"a year ago when the contribution of
S48 600 was made by the New York Life
to the Republican national campaign
committee which was working for the
election of Theodore Roosevelt, the finance
committee was composed Of the follow
ing. AteAahoeI b. OFT VINO Wno - - h sq pres
ident of the company; John Claflin, Geo
w. Perkins John A Mccall, ex-OfficiO;
Edmund d. Randolph. treasurer Of the
company; John s. Kennedy, Woodbury.
LangdOn and G. A. Morrison.
Not IN His Line.
Albany. n. Y, March 15.-Judge Ham
iltOn, when informed Of the report that
his defense of his actions in connection
with the New York Life Insurance com
pany would be that the contribution OF
the company to the Republican national
committee in 1904 was duly passed upon
by the finance committee of the trustees
Of the company, said:
II am not the one to disclose knowledge
which my professional relations with the
company brought to my attention. That
is for the parties interested to affirm or
deny.
Judge Hamilton said that upon his re-
turn to the city from New York yester-
day he found that on Monday morning,
after he had left for New York there was
received at his office a communication
from the Fowler committee expressing
willingness to take TIP with him the mat
tiers involved in his connection with the
company. Judge Hamilton said that he
would give the communication immediate
attention But" he said. 1T will of
course require some examination and con-
sultatfon on my part.