The Birmingham age-herald., 1906-02-18
Tragedies Follow the Insurance
 Exposures
HIGH FINANCE AT THE BAR
Some Tricks of Lawyers That Colonel Mann Would Call "Reciprocity." Fortune Hunting Noblemen
 Can Get Backers.
BY sEWELL HAeGARD.

New York, February T.-(Special.)- )- What better material do the fiction writ CTS want for the great American novel on High Finaneen than the life insurance scandals? Here they have comedy, trag- edy and williams plenty What more pathos is needed than the events of the last week supply? There was John A. Mccall lying on his deathbed, too i'll to be told the news, when the Investigating committee of his old company, the New York Life, rendered it's first report, find- ing that through the life-insurance-handy- man, Andrew Hamilton, he had spent money that he had no right to spend And when he was so far gone that the last rites of the church had been ad- ministered to him the second report of the committee recommending that suit be brought against him for the s1l4,OOO of the companys money he had contribut- ed to political campaign funds was made public.
 Equally pathetic is the figure of old McCurdy, the ex-president of the Mutual. with one foot in the grave. Both Mccall and McCurdy were strong, vigorous men until the Armstrong committee uncovered the rotuenness of the companies over which they had presided for years. Rep utatons besmirched, friends gone, 1t was too much for these proud men. The brain snapped first and then the body. For days Mccall hardly recognized the members of his family and was unable to recall events of the past. McCurdy hardly recognized the members of his family and was unable to recall events of the past. MeCurdy was said to be almost a mental wreck before the Armstrong committee finished. Then there is Alex ander of the Equitable, who has been in sanitarium for months, his business career ended. 1t is retrlbution of course, just, the public will admit, but sad just the same.
 James Hagen Hyde, he of the violets, who has furnished the comedy element, withstood the shock In body and mind, but he has gone abroad to join Judge Andy" Hamilton. He probably will not return except to visit.
 McCurdy's son has been planning to take his father to Europe for the benefit of his health, but it is likely that the trip will be postponed. Two sets of de- tectives are watching them night and day and 1t is improbable that they will be allowed tqs leave the country.
 The district attorney is holding daily conferences on the insurance matter and indictments are expected within a few weeks at least; a messenger will leave for Europe within a few days to hunt up Hamilton and make him disgorge un- der penalty of extradltion to this country to stand trial and law suits are being prepared to force the men who have de- frauded the companies and the policy holders to make restitution. Thus the web is being woven to see justice done in the most stupendous fraud of the age. Safeguards also are to be adopted to prevent a repetition of these frauds. To this end the Armstrong committee will make it's report to the legislature next week.
 The announcement the other day that the Equitable will retire from the res taurant business Is an echo of the in- surance investigation. Very few persons knew that the Equitable was in this busi- ness until Inquisitor Hughes brought it out before the committee. It was res taurant proprietor to all intents and pur- poses for it's officers were also the directors of the Cafe Savarin, one of the best known downtown eating places, which occupies quarters In the Equitable building. The cafe will now be leased to some one outside of the society. It makes about $1S0000 clear profit every year.