New-York tribune., 1906-10-20
READY FOR N. Y. LIFE
Poicyholders to Begin Criminal
4ctiOn immediately.

With the return of Samuel Untermyer. its
counsel on the Arnerika to-day. the ipter1la-
tional policyholders' committee announced that
summary action would be taken it's criminal
charges filed with Superintendent Kelsey against
the New York Life Whether II will be the
Attorney Generals office that will take action
or whether the committee. impatient Of further
delay itself will begin action will not be an
nounced until Mr.. Untermyer shall have arrived
and put himself in touch with the situation. 1t
was hinted, however that George R. ScrughaIn.
the committees organization manager. might go
before a police magistrate and apply for a war
rant for the arrest of certain of the company
officers agents on charges OF insurance law
violations.
IL is understood that Mr.. Kelsey had not brought
these charges TO the attention OF Attorney
General Mayer up to a late hour last mig pu'
that Mr. Mayer may hear from Mr.. Kelsey on
this affair to-day. The question apparently mas
not been brought TO District Attorney Jeromes
attention. except by the newspapers
Nr Scrugbam received a message from Mr.
Kelsey Yesterday. saving the managers. charges
would be investigated
So aroused are many policyholders' 1rioullo
reporter learned yesterday. over the alleged at
tempts Of the insurance companies to coerce
their agents or TO use policyholders money in
administration electioneering, that insurance law
amendments Will be introduced dt lle Hchl ScS-
sion of the Legislature looking to the preven-
ton of these abuses.
Mr.. Scrugham sent another letter TO Mr.. Kel-
sey Yesterday alleging that in violation of the
law the New York Life. through its agents. was
sending out more than one ballot to the same
poicyholder. with apparent attempt" to
stuff The ballot box"
After quoting the insurance law limiting each
poicyholder to one vote only. Mr.. Scrugham
says:
The New York Life Insurance Company.
through its agents, is sending out the official
statement approved by you. together with
Turn stamped envelope. to policyhoders holding
two more policies each separate ballot having
the number Of a separate policy placed thereon.
As an illustration. Mr. Scrugham says that
Stephen Farrelly. of No. 80 Chambers street.
This city. has received a mutilated official state
lnent 18th the number 3055.7s6, another mutt
lated statement with the number 417497 and an
other with the number 5S6.254, all these state
rnents containing the official envelope stamped
with tyvo-cent postage stamp. These three
rnutilated statements. says Mr. Scrugham. were
sent out by three separate agents. but each
bears a card on the outgoing envelope reading.
IF not delivered within five days return to Post
office Box 1872 New York City
Mr.. Scrugham cites another instance. and de-
clares that the committee is receiving similar
complaints from every section of the country
President Peabody paid a brief visit the
Mutual Life offices in the morning his return
from Kentucky. The company's officials, de-
spite the "opposition's'' protest. continued to
sort the companys mail before turning over the
ballot" letters to s. c. Macarthur. Mr. Kelseys
representative. Vice-President Dexter said the
company would arrange that every vote received
be turned over 10 the proper authority. and pre-
dicted that the administration ticket would
poll ten votes for every one cast for the "oppo-
stion tickets
The international committee received a letter
from Standard OIL employe. inclosing his proxy
and denouncing the New York Life's alleged
action in sending him a mutilated ballot.
C1anse. N J. Oct. 10 CSpeciaD Charles A Rob
inson, private secretary in the New York Lfe's
home office. and r. s. Stewart, also connected with
the home office. have obtained from twenty-five Of
the company's policyhoders in the Oranges their
signatures TO printed administration circular
The circular. which reproduces the signatures in
fac-simile, Is addressed Our Fellow Policyhoders
Residing in the Oranges Jacob NJ Epstein of
No les Carnegie avenue, East Orange. agent of
the company is said also to have circulated the
letter.