The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1906-03-10

Fowler Committee and Tell About
Trustees who Let Mccall Take Blame
AIOne-Returned OF His Own Free VIII.
The New York Lies Misunderstanding
committee met yesterday afternoon and is
sued this statement:
In view OF the fact that the special com
mittee has reported upon the Hamilton matter
and the board of trustees OF the New York
Life Insurance Company has directed q suit
to be begun against him. the ommitte does
not feel that 1t can ask him to come before 1t.
but 1t has written him a letter saying that II
he desires TO be heard il would be very glad
TO give him q hearing.
The letter contained the further state
ment that the company had decided not to
sue Hamilton until he had had an oppor-
tunity to be heard.
Persons close to Hamilton believe that
he will avail himself Of the opportunity to
address the committee, unless his counsel
advises him not to because Of probable
criminal proceedings. II Hamilton does
go before the committee he will not, his
friends say, make any sensational disclos-
ures in regard to Legislative payments. In
his statement to the New York Life board
of trustees, sworn to before the United
States Consul in Paris, Hamilton declared
that not a penny OF the New York LIES
money had been expended by him in an
improper or illegal manner. To go back
on that statement would brand him as a
self confessed perjurer.
What Hamilton is likely to tell the Fowler
committee will probably concern more
closely the trustees of the company. He
may let the committee know that there
were trustees Of the company who under
stood the general scheme of the payments
to him and who allowed John A. Mccall to
shoulder the entire responsibility alone.
No pressure was brought to bear on
Hamilton by the District Attorneys office
to get him to return. That was learned
positively yesterday. Nor was there any
come back. He anne Of his own free will,
and not a single officer of an insurance
company knew that he was coming. That
also was said authoritatively yesterday.
Some persons who know Hamilton we'll
believe that his conscience impelled him
to return to New York State. John A.
Mccall was one of the closest friends he
had. He felt keenly the burden which
Mr.. Mccall was bearing alone, and when
the news Of the death Of the former NewYork
Life president reached him he was COM
pletely broken up and resolved to start for
home at once.
Counsel for the Fowler committee re-
fused yesterday to say anything about the
suit recommended against the Mccall
estate. 1t is understood. however, that
papers in the action will soon be served.
The amount Of Mr.. McCall's estate is not
yet known.
This statement was issued yesterday at
the Offices Of the Mutual Reserve Life In
surance Company relative to the indict-
ment Of the two Burnhams and George d.
Eldridge;
There has been no wrong committed by any
officer Of the Mutual Reserve. either morally
or legally. An indictment is simply an off,
cial accusation based on the presentation OF
one side OF the case. When the matter comes
TO trial both sides will be heard, and we have
no fear Of the result. We ask suspension of
Judgment as a matter Of simple fairness UNI
Ill that time.