Rock Island Argus. (Rock Island, Ill.) 1893-1920, 1906-03-30
Defiance Uttered.

"Let the members of the Fowler
committee deny if they dare that the
contract with me for the collection of
the extorted taxes was not spread up
on the minutes, and let them assert
now If they dare that / have been paid
all that is coming to me- | can easily
prove the facts. 1t must be understood
that the state never refunds money
paid over in the shape of taxes, but is
sues certificates of Indebtedness, which
may be used in the payment of future
taxes. ] sold my share so far as l was
able of these taxes to other concerns
and in this way derived a cash benefit
from my work.
what do the members Of the audit
Ing committee and the executive COM
mittee of the New York Life mean
when they say that they were unable
to ascertain the character of my trans
actions? How does Colonel A. G..
Paine reconcile his declaration that he
had never heard of me before my iden-
tity was established by the Armstrong
1 will tell you something.
Notwithstanding the fact that the
bylaws of the New York Life authorize
the president to do nearly everything
and anything which he pleases, the
method inaugurated by Mr.. Mccall is
so beautifully lucid that it would be
impossible to deceive the members of
tue audit committee or executive COM
mittee. Every day the business of the
last twenty-four hours is laid on the
presidents desk in concise and plain
figures. Each week the audit commit
tee has placed before it the entire bust
ness of the last week, together with the
business of the corresponding week of
the previous year. But that is not ALL
The entire business of the year is pre-
sented in a financial statement brought
up to that date and the business of the
preceding year through a correspond
ing period. Under this system it will
pc seen that it would be impossible for
and unusual payments
10 be made without attracting the at
tention of the members of the board Of
ludit and executive.
Right here want to call your atten-
ion to the fact that one man upon the
Fowler committee does not stand for
he hollow pretense of his associates
hat they are unfamiliar with my work |
md do not understand the sources of |
ny income or the manner In which I /
the money of the New York |
Life. That man is Mr.. Steele, who |
stood up in committee and told his as |
;ociates they all knew what | had |
,cen doing and that the vouchers told !
| story not at all in unison with the re- |
)oit
Has it ever occurred to the people of |
he country that the average yearly |
lUo-nt expended by me in various
'hanMis for the protection of the busi- |
less OF the New York Life and other /
Insurance companies amounted to only |
61, 900. which covers the expense and |
NY own commission and emoluments? /
And does it occur to them that this |
mount is less than several of them |
pend each year upon their steam
-achts alone? And yet 1 spent only I
81 900 a year TO protect a S2,0O0,O00
BUSINESS and $4eO, 100000 in assets
Was Anxious TO Return.
.'They say l ran away when the in
urance investigation was about to be-
in and that deserted Mr. Mccall and
efused to return from Paris. Take
he desertion part first Every one
rho is at all Intimate with me is aware
hat was very Ill last spring. l had
nervous affiiction which threatened