The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1906-09-30

messenger. The life company put UP a.
collateral for tho loan certain stocks. the
purpose Of ths transaction being to on
ceal the ownership OF the securities In tho
cOmpany's annual schedule Of assets.
That was the first important scandal hit
upon by the State Investigators. The first
two sessions had been taken up with an
inquiry into the methods Of electing trus-
tees and other subjects equally dry. The
public. whose interest had been keyed to
the highest pitch by the sensational dis
closures in the old Equitable. was demand
ing something startling. II bad been treated
70 q high grade Of scandals in the case Of
the Alexander-H Hyde management Of tho
Equitable and was not prepared to accept
anything mediocre a. worthy Of serious
attention.
The Investigators appreciated this fact:
Charles e. Hughes. tho committees chief
counsel, appreciated It. They all knew
that to maintain public interest In the in
uuiry after ak months Of Equitable COR
ruption really sensational disclosures would
have to be made. And they knew further
at least Mr.. Hughes did-that without a
keen public interest any attempt at radical
reform In the life insurance system would
prove futile.
Neither tho committees counsel nor the
members themselvee knew at this third
session what the prospects, OF success we're.
From the frank and confident attitude OF
the companies the lawyers judged hat they
were going 70 have great difhCulty in bring
ing out facts strong enough to force remedial
Iegislation through 1t Albany. But here.
in this New York Life transaction, when
they were facing uncertainty, was q splen-
did opportunity for q popular appeal to
the public; here was q chance for q fine
grand stand play.
The young messenger who had given his
note for 81 500. 900 wa a negro. What q
eendof it would havel been for tho oom-
mittee to have s~ubpnnaed him as a witness.
20 have called him to the same stand with
the life insurance ipresidents and to rave
brought out ridiCulouslynn his own words
his entire Ignorance Of the real meaning OF
the transaction.
But Charles e. Hughes adopted the alb
surdly u~nsensational method OF calling the
officers Of the New York Lifero the stand
and drawing from them the history OF the
transaction Mr.. Hughes was 90 blfnd TO
his opportunity that he wen neglected to
bring out tho fact that the $500 Q yesr mes
eng who had given his note for 81 SOC. 600
vas q negro. He left that for q Of Mr..
Hearst's newspapers. More than one law
yer In this town. when they learned the
fact. smiled and said: Hughes missed a
golden opportunity
HARD woa A PtEAsuRE TO HIM
Several weeks after the New York Life
loan incident. when the success Of the in
quiry was no longer In doubt and when Mr..
Hughes was standing up under a load OF
work in q way that his friends thought
marvellous. he made this remark TO q man
who sought his views:
There Is a pleasure IN achievement; there
Il an inspiration IN work. and work we'll
done will make q man contented with his
lot. I bslieve in work. hard work and long
hours Of work.
These twoathings. the incident in the
Armstrong Investigation and the opinion
expressed to a friend. indicate pretty ac-
curately the character Of the man who Is
the Republican candidate for Governor.
The entire Armstrong investigation may
truthfully be described. so far az Mr..
Hughes's conduct was concerned. as a series
Of occurrences such as this New York Life
loan incident.
Opposed to the sensational but Arm in his
search after truth and absolutely fearless
in the pursuit Of il, Mr.. Hughes came
through the Armstrong inquiry with the
high regard and good will Of the very men
whom he had pilloried on the tand.
OF the witnesses who underwent the
severest treatment In the examinations n
whose regulations were tattered there il
yet TO be found one who has a COM
planning word to say against the counsel
for the committee. Even Richard A.
McCurdy. who was disposed at FIRST to de-
nounce the investigation a. an inquisition.
relented after a few days Of the Hughes
treatment and ended by publicly express
ing admiration for Mr.. Hughes's extreme
patience and forbearance. The high plane
on which Mr., Hughes. beset by all sorts Of
conflicting influences. conducted that in
vestigation is. in the opinion Of his contem-
poraries at the bar, the surest indication Of
his character a. well as his most notable
achievement.
MS ANCESTRY.
Mr.. HuRhes's life has been an exempli-
fcation Of his sentiments in regard to work.
He was born at Olens Falls. NY, on April II
1882, the son OF a Baptist minister, David
Charles Hughes. His grandfather or his
fathers side was identified with the found
ing Of the American Bible Society in Lon
don. and an uncle. Richard Hughes. was a
popular preacher in North Wales. The
nominees father was born in Wales and
came TO this country in 1855.
Mr.. Hughes's mother was Mary Cath
crime Connolly. She lived in Ulster county
and was a school teacher before she IA
married. Her forte was mathematics. She
Is living now at thu age of 70 years at the
home OF her son in West End avenue and
while the insurance inquiry was OF Il used
70 delight her to remind the distinguished
counsel for the committee that she had first
drilled him In his three Rs and was. there
fore. no small factor in all the trouble that
was being made by him for some OF the
highly respectable life insurance actuaries
and other dabblers with figures. On his
mothers side Mr.. Hughes IN Of Scotch
Irish English descent.
Soon after Mr.. Hughes was born his
father and mother moved from 0lens Falls
to Sandy Hill, a rural and restSub place in
the same county, Two years later the
family moved to 0swego, where Charles
Evans, at the 9 Of Q years. entered the
public school.
Il