The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1906-05-12

tat4,tts " ~ sHNfftH fHes N w e""H
ra
rssy,ssss n mo a,sea ~ Csafsetls sl#eg
faiearaf Pafe niste w fhat aepar mem
sHleh N = spelsfv deeued unnecessary sHd
ahieffiHHahis ~ Weit ~ uHaHrisNtNt .
and h44flf N aHyAsVIfpt " taHeaf tHa HceKa9
" me pduHstie ~ ds business IN pa,lfHfhiaI
witch tsa m lfiusff fHt Hl4sa, yialdlHa maHy
tllt,oes ~ Apliafs IN Nisluads 4 rear ~
vist No Hrcl~tp frttH time ~ tins ~ 90
caplre fer'HNai e5HrefnlHa ne ptepef elfiss"
~ W. hufaaed N runteatiHs sgrh deNsnda
th~se Wefa nuinsro,ta efhet egHfhisstons
eWh me- W. the sAlrrfs VI Inc fgWitshls ~
matsafa wherein n h diHicuis ~ fecail ~ this
time. fhe fact, N aach cOnaHitaelsns VS.
nos MAIDS . fhaitef N bsoh acrount beeaase
wss fmuioyed under An ahuual fetaielna
fee generally paid NJ edvanre. and whethef
arch Soueaitafl8na WaFe mUfe ~ les We
regarded 90 lmmateriai Without solns
ia,o further details. N 10 suhaclent 10 STATE
that bot the dates mentioned ! va con.
suited BY some ~ the officers NJ thS apcisty
~ ~ attorneys. sitheF In Derson NJ ny letter.
on an average ~ ~ least two ~ Tires times a
montb IN relation 10 tha business Affairs
aud The legal questions pertaining 10 the said
Insurance corporation. and moat of The per-
sonal consultations requiring q Journey 10
New York. who're they usually took place.
II should also I've stated that during this
period I regarded myself ~ honofabiy bound
not 10 bc employed against che Equitable
society In any litigation or In any mstter In
which II was known TO DO financially inter
ested. always holding myself In readiness
for tho performance Of professional services
In its behalf whenever called upon.
John y. Parsons, John NJ. Bowers, Do
Ianccy Nicoll and Charles b. Alexander,
witnesses for Mr., Hill, testified that In their
opinion his retainer Of $1,000 q year was
not excessive. The committee had nc wit
nesses, When Mr.. Hill was examined no
said .
Il never questioned that az Senator !
had the right 20 practise In the courts Of
makes no provision against IL. except that
a Congressman shall not practise before
the Government departments. was en-
ployed by the State Attorney-General TO
Try a case against the United States in 1892,
when ! was Senator. and have tried numer-
York State in the Senate" .
Mr.. Hill then read a list Of q number Of
cases which he tried while he was serving
IA United States Senator In order TO show
that his action on behalf Of the Equitable
was nothing out Of the ordinary.
NIT. NuTu t1Cu DtBdh ~ IuontAoh VII hhsh
in behalf OF the committee.
Did you ever represent an insurance
company until you were Governor OF the
State?"
"No, sir
"Did you ever appear against a company
@Yes."
What company"
Mr.. Hill consulted his counsel and found
that he had argued q case against the
Equitable and had won.
aWho was your Superintendent Of lnsur-
ance when you were GOVERNOR .
John A. Mccall was Superintendent Of
Insurance when / went in. He resigned
shortly afterward to take a position as man
ager OF the Equitable. appointed Robert
A.. Maxwell az his successor. He served
some years. when ! appointed James f..
Pierce to succeed him.
How was the subject Of the Equitable re-
tainer first brought to your notice2'
Il first met the elder Mr.. Hyde and Mr..
Alexander at the Washington centennial
in 1889. In 1890, about a month or six weeks
after l had been elected Senator, / received
word that MIR. Hyde wished 70 see me,
and Mr.. Hyde came to see me. He said he
wondered II l would care to become counsel
for the Equitable at q reasonable oompensa-
ton. He asked me II I thought IS 900 a year
retainer would be about right and l replied
slow did you happen to think Of prao-
Using law in competition with your Sena-
torial duties2"
Il thought that Congress would take only
about half my time with the session from
December to June, and that l would have
from June to December for my private
practice"
1Were you ever consulted by the company
as to it's relation with the Departmental In
surance2"
NO; very little
"Was there ever any doubt in your mind
as to the purpose Of your retail ner in the
Equitable company ,
mo. had no doubt that ! was retained
simply as advising counsel in legal matters.
Chairman Hufcutt asked Mr.. Hill a few
questions.
or future insurance legislation"
"No, sir: / was not. was consulted, OF
course, concerning cases under insurance
laws which had already been passed.
Mr.. Hill admitted that in 1892 he argued
case for the Provident Life Insurance Con
pany. He started to tell of other Senators
who had practised law while they were
representatives Of the people, including
Roscoe Conkling and Daniel Webster,
THAT is all right, y said Mr.: Ward, Il think
we all agree that a Senator has the right to
practise law
At the afternoon session former Governor
Black, William g.. Choate, Gen. Tracy and
former Judge John F. Dillon testified or Mr..
in the front rank in his profession, and that
siye. g,
The subcommittee, after IL has considered
the testimony, will report to the State Bar
Association.