The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1906-04-07
FIELDS GUARDED and SILENT
MUTUAL AGENT WAS QUOTED AS
READY TO TELL ALL.

That He viii He Asked 10 Explain.
Andrew C. Fields, legislative agent and
boss OF the supply department of the Mutual
Life, refused again yesterday to make any
statement concerning his connection with
tho company or the expenditure at Albany
Of the funds that passed through his hands.
Mr.. Fields remained secluded in his hand
some home at Dobbs Ferry, where he has
been since his return from q long %sojourn
in California. He left for Los Angeles
just before the Armstrong committee began
its investigation and he did not return
until last Tuesday.
Reporters who called at the house were
again met by Clarence Fields, son Of the
legislative agent. who declared that his
father was too i'll to see any one and that
he would not be in condition to talk for
publication for at least three weeks. Sew
eral private detectives were guarding the
house last night and it was impossible to
get a response to the bell.
DR.. C. H. Judson. Fields's physician, saw
him several times yesterday. After his
morning visit at Geiehurst, az Fields's
home is called. he was reported to nave
given out a statement for Fields as follows:
Il never gave a bride in my life. I am
prepared to vindicate myself completely
when the time comes. / shall tell the whole
truth, let it fall on whom it will. The
trustees who are now pointing the finger
Of scorn az me were we'll aware Of all that |
was doing.
Il saved the Mutual Life Insurance Com
pany hundreds Of thousands Of dollars.
The stories circulated concerning the House
OF Mirth at Albany are all malicious libels.
1t was conducted in a perfectly proper way.
1t is ridiculous for any one to say that the
books and records OF the supply depart
ment have peer destroyed. Any one who
says that lies. I am positive that they are
still in existence.
The uses to which the $500. 900 con-
tingent fund, the payments constituting
which we're made by Robert Olyphant,
chairman Of the expenditure committee
were put will be satisfactorily explained
in due time. I am not an old man like
Richard A. McCurdy. I am still able to
defend myself. and intend to do SO. l
never had any business relations with
Andrew Hamilton, although I have met
him on several occasions
After this interview the physician was
almost as difficult Of approach as his dis
UnRIlR0eO DdIltIIs II l1ldllN ltd'IltNl
by telephone late last night, and denied
that he had any authority to speak for
Mr.. Fields on insurance matters. When
pressed he admitted that he had given
an interview in the morning, but was Of
the opinion that several Of the matters
related therein were outside the subjects
Of the conversation, Mr.. Fields was also
asked about the matter over the telephone.
His son, who answered for him, said that
his father would neither affirm nor deny
the accuracy or authenticity of the inter-
view.
The Mutual Life's misunderstanding COM
mittee within a day or two will probably
invite G. Fields to appear before it
and explain the accounts kept under his
direction in the ~oompany's supply depart
ment. The committee has accountants at
work in the supply department now, and a
hurry order has been sent out since Fields's
return for some definite information as to
the amount Of money which he received from
the company.
This information is wanted In connection
with the suit which the company will shortly
begin against Fields for an accounting.
Some Of the Mutual Life authorities are
extremely doubtful whether the exact
amount which went to Fields will ever be
known unless the former legislative agent
consents to tell.
The Truesdale committee has already
reported that several important books and
records nave disappeared from the supply
department. through which Fields, in the
capacity Of superintendent, is supposed to
have got the most of the money that went
Cor legislative purposes.
An employee OF the supply department
testified before the Truesdale committee
that. while Fields never gave any orders
to have records destroyed, he often said
in a general way that there was getting
70 be too much Of a litter around the office
and he wanted some Of the things put out
Of the way. The employee said that he
cleaned up the Offices then.
1t has never been charged that Fields
himself had any of the records removed
from the department. There were others
in the old management of the company
who would have Just az much interest as
Fields in keeping the inner workings OF the
supply department a secret.
IL Fields appears before the Truesdale
committee he will undoubtedly be ask ed
TO explain some Of the vouchers which
the Armstrong committee turned up. There
is one voucher for $1,000 paid TO a man
named Rogers employed in the stationery
establishment from which the Mutual
bought the bulk of its supplies. Rogers
himself wasn't able to explain why this
money had bee, paid TO him.
There are vouchers also for payments
made to butcher, Fields's brother-in- law
Of Dobbs Ferry, who returned flom Cali
fornia with the legislative agent. Louis
Murray, a Dobbs Ferry lawyer, who dis
appeared about the time the Armstrong
investigation began and who returned
shortly after the inquiry had eneed, is
another person who signed Mutual Life
voucher. There is also the case of the
bov Plunkett, who was Employed in the
I awrence stationery establishment in the
Mutual building, and who swore before
the Armstrong committee that he had