New-York tribune., 1909-03-19
JEROME FOR DISMISSAL
INSURANCE INDICTMENTS.
Makes Request in Cases of Perkins,
FdirchId and Grdnniss.

Action which may result in the dismissal OF IN,
dct.aents for forgery in the third degree Iouiiu
against George ". Perkins Of J. T. Morgan q ~
and ex-secretary Charles S Fairchild following
investigations into the affairs OF the New YORK
Life Insurance Company, anf Robert A tIranhiss
because of transactions when he was Tice-presi
dent of the Mutual Life Insurance CoInpah9' was
taken before Justice Blanchard, in the supreme
Court YESTERDAY by District Attorney Jerome
M Perkins and MI aIchild were indicted on
six counts on December 2S 1906, and Mr.. Granniss
on two counts one of which was fer an alleged
rnisdeneanor on June Il. 1860 Mr.. Jerome wanted
aH hut the misderneanor indictment dismissed ana
the Justice took the application under adNlseiileI
without fixing date for his decision
The District Attorney based his request on the
decision in the case OF John r. Hegeman, president
the Metropolitan Life Insurance Company- ne
held that rs interpreted by the court. the indlct-
rnents did not show the commission Of forgery
Mr. Jerome said lie did not wish to have the Gran
Mss msdemeanor indictment dismissed as he still
had It in hand
It was explained that the Perkins and Fairchiid
indictments grew out of transactions OF the Ne"
York Life with the Prussiar government, which
would not permit the company to do business there
unless certain stocks were eliminated from the
annual reports as securities. This In 1899. ana
in 1901 they We're dropped hIt in the Investigations
made II found that they had been turned over
subsidiary company. the New York SECURITIES
Company
M Jerome explained that the New York Life
officers figured that II they pat their holdings IN
the railroads on the market they would not get
for them anything like their value The stocks
were of the Chicago, Milwaukee ST. Paul and the
Chicago Milwaukee & Western.
This action did constitute crime under the
broad meaning Of forgery, the District Attorney
said even though the books showed an entry OF the
sale Of the stocks In his belief, he said the Ne"
York Life officials did not make effort either 10
commit a crime conceal one, but were acting IN
what they thought he the best interests OF the
company They did, however. conceal the truth OF
the transaction from the Prussian government anu
the State Insurance Department he said
Mr. Granniss was Indicted for forgery in the thlra
degree for fling an alleged false report with the
state Department of Insurance. and for misde-
rnent MI Jerome evidently expected Justice
Blanchard to grant the application at once ana
waited for some time receive the decision
The investigation Of the New York Life revealed
contributions 10 the Republican National COM
rnittee Mr. Perkins was acquitted Of grand
larceny in connection with this transaction, and
after the case was finally disposed OF by the higher
court Mr. Perkins. March :. 1907, returned
s4S 500 with interest s54,019 10, TO the insuT-
ance company as he had been reimbursed IN that
s,,n which he had contributed. In sending the
check "a the New York Life Mr.. Perkins said:
IN disn;ssing criminal proceedings Instituted
apains, me for accepting reimbursement the courts
have intimated that the payment and therefore the
reimbursement. was not for a proper corporate pur-
pose"