Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1908-02-27
Says Statements Made by
kelsey Are Not True.
Asserts Also That kelsey Does
Not Perform His Duties.
Gov. Hughes Recommendation Is
Turned Down a Second Time.

Albany. y. y. Feb. 26.-rhc reply
of Mathew &. Fleming, who's" recent
report on his investigation of the Of
flee of superintendent of Insurance.
developed an answer from Supt kcl-
Scy, was ys}lbnitted to the Senate to
day. lii his reply to Superintendent
kelse! = answer. Mr.. Fleming states:
while the time at my disposal is eli
TREY too short to permit the drafting
Of any extended reply. | still feet that
in Justice To you and myself, | should
call to Your attention at least some
of TIL, inaccuracies and mis-StatementS
contained in thi.; answer. 1t Was cvi-
DENLY drafted by IN attorney who IS
ignorant of the facts brought out
in the testimony, and signed by Mr..
Kelsey without careful consideration
In this answer, he seeks to divert at
tentiOn from the undiSputcd facts to
4 criticism of the sources and conduct
Of the investigation" Concerning Mr.
kclscy's complaint that he was tried
on charges without his knowledge. Mr.
! Fleming states
| so far from concealing from MIR.
Kelsey the fact that the charges wcr,.
ItIllS L LOOK pains ~ GU
them 70 his attention at carious times.
"AS 4 matter Of fact, there were two
general chargeS-(onc), Mr.. Kelsey :,
failure To re-orSaniZe the insurance de-
nartment and Gwo), his failure to en-
force the insurance law
Mr.. Fleming. referring To alleged
misleading statements and suppression
of facts contained in Superintendent
kclseys answer states:
On almost every page of the answer
absolutely erroneous Impressions of the
testimony are given, either by sup
preston Of facts or the miSstatng of
facts ana opinions
Under thi, neutrality-suspicious. to re-or-
Sanize the dcpar,ment-the answer
wholly mistatcS the criticism set forth
in the report, which was to the effect
that Mr.. Kelsey had his attention
called to various matters connected
with the employs in February, and did
nothing in the way Of examining into
these matters between February and
October. While in his testimony Mr.
Kelsey admitted that these persons
We're responsible for the acts COM
planned Of, in his answer he attempts
" 'cltIii ana tnt'lf t'ilHlliI.
Mr.. Fleming cites other facts in at
tempt {" justify his assertion that Mir
Kelsey has taken no effective steps TO
re-orgarize the department. Mr.. Fl"rn-
ing. in concluding his reply states:
This question, is not Il personal one.
The only proper subjects Of inquiry
should be efficiency Of the department
ard the superintendent fitness for
the position which he now holds.
THE "ourceS Of the charges against
MIN ana the manner III which The in
CURRY was conducted are equally i'm
material. and the object of introducing
these elements into The case is OBJ
riouS. Is il strange that the people Of
the state are without confidence in
Tie administration of this important
departments
1t has been clearly shown that Cor
over Il year and Il half there has bee.
no appropriate effort to fix RESPONSE
bllity no efficient attempt To detect il
legal investments. no adequate audit
of asserts and liabilities and no steps
whatever 10 keep in touch with the
financial conditions Of the insurance
companies from time to time during
the year. can there he any question
as to the necessity for u complete re-
organization Of this Department."