Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1906-11-09
INSURANCE ELECTION
Charges by international
PoIicyhoIders' Committee.
TAMPERING WITH TICKETS
Office Force Turned Into Election
Workers.
SUSPECT BALLOT STUFFING
Justice Bowling Asked to Restrain the
Present Administration in Some
Of Their Actions

A strong fight that will be of interest to
policyholders all over the world is being
made by the international policyholders'
committee Of the New York Life Insurance
Company against the present administra-
ton in the election which Is now being held.
The case was laid before Justice Bowling
in New York yesterday.
The policyholders, through Stephen Far
reilly, general manager of the American
News Company, asked for an injunction re-
straining waste and Ito compel the direct
ors to account for the large amounts they
have already expended in carrying on their
campaign"
The directors named as defendants are
Hiram r. Steele, Alexander E. Orr, Thomas
P. Fowler, John Claflin, James H. Eckels,
Julius Fleischmann, E. Fleitmann, Wood
| bury Langdon, Robert ]. Lowry, Clarence
| H. Mackay, A. G. Paine, William r.
Plunkett, Anton A. Raven John Reid,
| Fleming H. Revell, Elbridge G. Snow and
Rufus w. Weeks. Many of these directors
are candidates for reelection on the ticket
In connection with which the extravaganza
was charged
Tampering With Ballots.
One specific charge is that the directors
caused duplicate set of ballots to be
! printed, and that prior to October 10 these
ballots. together with return envelopes
were sent to agencies all over the country
The agents were instructed, it is said, to
cross out that portion of the ticket which
held the names of the "policyholders' can
didates.'
Mr.. Farrelly charged further that the
stamps had been placed lengthwse on the
return envelopes sent out through the
agents, in order that when returned they
could be distinguished from the official bal
lot which the law requires to be sent to
every policyholder.
This insurance legislation" said Samuel
Untermyer, speaking for the policyholders,
very crude, very bungling, and very much
needed, was passed in the interest of the
policyholders, and provided for the creation
of the machinery and the manner in which
annual elections were to be held. This law
left loopholes which have been taken adj
| vantage of by the New York Life company
| in an attempt to steal the election.
-, Election Machinery.
1.-THE work of carrying out this election is
a far greater task than that of carrying
out a general election. The way we have
been treated in our fight against the ad-
ministration is monstrous and shame,
"They say the company did not pay the
expense of sending out those ballots, but If
it did not, who did?
ut Is an outrage to have the whole office
force of this company turned into an cleo
ton apparatus, and to have the Office force
knocking down and trampling on the only
provision In the plan preventing the stuff
ing of ballot boxes. And that is the sort
of election they say the law contemplated
Never until the crack of doom will there
be change In the administration Of these
companies if this sort Of performance is to
be tolerated"
The defense Of the company and the de-
PENDANT trustee was made by James H. Nc
Intosh, the company's general solicitor.
He could not see that the writing Of policy
any real clue to the Identity Of the policy
holder, and asserted that the letters were
sent out at the agents own expense.
Decision Reversed.
But you crossd out the other ticketw
cried Mr.. Untermyer.
"You did the same in the tickets you
sent out ten days before the official ballots
were sent out by the company was Mr..
McIntosh's retort.
1--WE say that none Of the company's off,
GERS or employees expended the money of
the company nor gave any OF the time for
which they are paid by the company to the
sending out Of these letters. When they
have performed their duties they are free
men and have the right to engage in an eff
fort to secure the election of an adminis-
tration which will be of advantage to the
company"
Justice Bowling. who heard the case,
seemed greatly interested, and asked
number of questions. He will render a de-
-cision in few days.
Insurance Officers Indicted.
NEW YORK, November 9.-Frederck A.
Burnhan, president of the Mutual Reserve
Life Insurance Company. and George Burn
ham and George D. Eldridge, vice presi-
dents of the same company, will be put on
trial in the supreme court next Monday
on a charge of forgery and grand larceny
Greenbaum on application of District At
torney Jerome. The motion was not OPP
posed by the defendants counsel.
The indictment of the defendants fol-
lowed disclosures at the recent insurance
investigation.