New-York tribune., 1910-03-25
HOTCHKlSS HITS
BACK AT M'CALL
WILLIAN II. BUCkLEY
DEPENDS JUSTICE.
4lbaHy LaryeT's ActiT1ties
Barred at Fire Insurance
Inquiry.

inquiry.
William II Buckley's attempt 20 ex-
plain the. connection OF Edward f. Nc
call. now a Supreme Court justice. with
his s61. 900 loan account with the Phenix
Fire Insurance Company OF Brooklyn took
up a large part Of tho time az yestcr-
days session of the fire Insurance inves-
tigation going on before Superintendent
Hotchkiss
Buckley il the Albany LAWYER who.
after n course as page in the Senate
was graduated % a place IN The nsuF-
ance Department. and from that TO thu
legal profession. Three years after his
admission to the bar he was under re-
tainers that aggregated. in the year 1904.
when the Grad reinsurance bill went
through. $4,000
lie contended stubbornly before Mr..
Hotchkiss yesterday that In spite Of ths
apparent evidence Of a check for $4,000
iEdorsed with the names OF Buckley and
Mccall both admittedly in The hand
writing Of Mccall. the loan was entirely
his (Buckleys) loan.
ferring 20 lfr Mccall. "he did because
asked him to do it, II was not HIS loan
IN any sense. II was my loan
Mr. Hotchkiss himself put upon tHs
record then the strongest statement as
10 Justice McCaITs connection with tho
matter, saying:
Il very seriously resent what JuStic- (
Mccall said in the newspapers. II looks
70 me as If he assisted YOU 20 deceive the
Insurance Departments Of the state. and
that is why introduced that cheek
Dragged Out Of Buckley.
For the rest Mr. Buckley gave an ac-
count Of his connections with the presi-
dent Of the Phenix the late Mr. sheldon.
in regard 10 legislative matters in Al
bany
He told nothing freely. u had TO be
dragged out of him inch by inch. and
even his admissions OF his own sigma
lures To letters found in Sheldon's tiles
were given grudgingly
II suppose il is" he said dozen times.
when confronted with his own signature.
Well is it?" Mr.. Hotchkiss de-
manded.
Yes. T guess it is"
II was close TO the end ot the session
before Buckley's manner changed. and
his improved attitude was cOincident
with the entry Of Miles NJ. Dawson.
Dawson. the consulting actuary Of the
Armstrong investigation Of life Insurance
companies. took the stand. exploded his
little Domb IN quiet way and retired
before the smoke had cleared away.
Were YOU in Albany in 1905 in regard
to a bilI?" asked Mr.. Hotchkiss Of Daw-
son. suspending Buckley's examination
for a few moments.
Yes"
will you relate that experience in so
tar as il relates to the preceding wit
ness"
Dawson Accuses Buckley.
Buckley still sat in his chair at one
end of the table. the witness stand OF
the inquiry. Dawson was seated IN Mr.
Hotchkiss's own chair. at the other end
Of the same table.
Dawson looked straight at, and seem
ingIy straight through. Buckley. while
the insurance legislative expert nervous
IN consulted with his counsel, John n.
Dugan. OF Albany.
The bill related TO a method OF valu-
alton for life insurance policies" said Mr.
Dawson. agreed upon by leading actu-
aries as desirable. 7 appeared under
appointment OF the Washington Life IN
surance Company. and the bill was sup
ported not only by the company which
vas asking for IT, but also by many
other companies. I put the bill IN tho
hands of senator Alfred r Page and
Assen,bIyman Leslie J. TOmpkins. after
explaining il 10 them.
Later ! had occasion TO go TO Al
banv and while in the lobby Of the SEN
ate. after learning from senator Pags
that there was some opposition 10 tho
hin. was approached by Mr.. Buckley,
whom I had known by sight since 1898.
and whom 7 knew at that time TO be a
Of the PrOvident savings
Life Assurance Society.
~He suggested to me that the bill could
not rass unless some money was pro-
v,ded for the BOYS" He said that he
reIt that was getting a big fee. and
that ought to divide il.
Not There to Bribe, re Said.
n said that T was not IN Albany 20
brihe snybody and that ~ the bill could
rot pass on its merits didn't want tt
o. pass AZ all
Buckley said he didn't like to have me
spsak of it that way. and told him that
was exactly how it appeared to me.
The tin was reported out by the Rules
Committee in the Assembly. passed the
Assembly. was reported out favorably by
the Senate committee. went 20 second
reading. but,never % the third p"
That was all for tho moment. and Mr..
Ilotch1iss let the accusation stand as u
was for few minutes while he eN-
amined Henry Evans. president OF the
lately combined Fidelity -Phenix Fire In
surance company and also president OF
the continental Fire Insurance Com
pany
BE testified briefly that the Cont
mental had furnished money 90 George