The news-democrat. (Providence, R.I.) 1906-1909, 1907-05-16
POL|CYHOLOEbs
VOTE CONFIDENCE
IN SCRUGHAM

New York, May 1e.--A meeting of the
International policyholders' committee.
which waEed an unsuccessful fight for
New York and Mutual Life Insurance
companies was held yesterday In the Of
hoes OF ex-Justice OF the Court Of Ap-
peais Alton b. Parker Judge Parker ls
chairman OF the executive committee OF
the international policyholders' commit
tee A vote OF confidence was given 10
George r. scrugham.
r,I,tsa Richard dr.oSy, olS1ey, chairman Of the com
representation Of members present.
Among those present In person and rep
resented py proxy were Judge George
Gray OF Delaware, Gov. Henry Roberts
OF Connecticut Alton B. Parker, Col. A.
M. Shook OF Tennessee, Gen. Benjamin
T. Tracy, Samuel Newhouse OF Utah,
Gov. Breward OF Florida, Gov. Blanch-
arc ara Of Louisiana John c. Hemphill of
Minnesota, Fremont Older OF California.
Charles Emory Smith and Samuel Un-
termyer, general counsel for the com
mittee.
A great many things were taken up ut
the meeting. but most OF the time was
consumed In discussing the case OF Man
ager George r. scrusham, who IL under
arrest on charge Of conspiracy in that
he sent ballots to the board Of election
in the companies which had been alter
ed and were defective. Manager Scrug-
present at the hearing i'm HIS case before
Magistrate House, and addressed ,the
members, explaining just what he had
done and what the charges against him
were.
II has been nolsed about that there
was dissenslon in the committee over the
developments regarding Manager Scrug-
ham, but this was contradicted thorough
ly by the members at the meeting, when
they drew up a report 10 be sent broad
cast among the policyholders in which
they gave Manager Scrugham vote OF
confidence.
Concerning the Scrugham affair. the re-
port of the members OF the committee
to the policyholders has this To say:
Charges of fraud forgeries and ir-
regularities in the conduct OF the cleo
tons have been brought to the attention
OF the committee. Its organization man
ager, under whose direction the details
of the work OF collecting the votes has
been done. has gathered evidence tending
to show that forged ballots from many
states and sections OF the country have
gone into the count In favor OF the ad-
ininistration candidates TO the exclusion
of the genuine ballots OF the same pol
icyholder5.
ut has been impossible. owing TO the
lack of funds and OF other facilities for
reaching the policyholders, to determine
the extent to which this has been done.
For the purpose OF bringing this con-
dition OF things TO the attention OF the
public authorities. the manager Instituted
test case against an agent of the New
York Life Insurance company, charging
him with the forgery Of policyholders'
names TO ballots. A warrant for his ar
rest was thereupon issued, and II Is un-
derstood that he has since confessed to
the forging OF $50 ballots. On the day
on which this warrant was issued, a
complaint was made and a warrant Sc
cured against the manager OF this COM
mittee and two OF his clerks, charging
them with conspiracy In connection with
the handling OF genuine ballots signed by
policyholders that were sent TO the Of
fice OF the manager.
There is no pretence, so far as can be
learned, that the manager presented to
the inspectors of election any ballots
other. than those bearing the genuine
signature OF the policyholders. In this
respect the charges differ radically from
those made by the manager against cer-
tain OF the "0ants.
with respect 20 the charges against
the manager. the committee can only
await the final outcome OF judicial inves-
tiga ation. but in the meantime. with un
abated confidence in his integrity"
While the din rent members OF the
committee refu TO discuss the case
against Scrugham. Il was apparent from
the manner in which they acted that the
opinion was general among them that
scrugham was being prosecuted by the
insurance companies as counter-sensa-
ton TO obscure the real Issue.