The Birmingham age-herald. [volume] (Birmingham, Ala.) 1902-1950, 1910-03-23
INSURANCE GRAFT
CASES GROWING
State Senator Sullivan of New
York Figures in Case
A $4,000 BRIBERY FEE
Large Sum Was Sent to Make Payments
to observation-disclosures of Prom
inent Men Are Brought
Into the Case

New York, March 22-The name of State
Senator Timothy Sullivan. Familiarity
known as big Tim," figured briefly in
The fire insurance inquiry today, but for
the most part, as at previous sessions,
William Hotchkiss, the state superin-
tendent of insurance, kept on sweeping
the cobwebs off alleged shady transac-
lions al Albany in 10 years gone by.
Sullivan name, which gave a tinge of
modernism to the investigation, was
brought in when George F. Seward pres
ident of the Fidelity and Casualty COM
pany, testified that a representative of
Sullivan offered in 1891 or 1892 Ito put
off' a bill Objectionable to the company
for consideration of $4,000. Sullivan,
who came to New York tonight from AL
bang. apparently does not take the charge
seriously
Stewards testimony, Mr.. Sullivan assert
ed, was mere hearsay. and does not con-
Germ him. The bill became law in 1892
Elijah r. Kennedy, for years lobby
st at Albany for the New York board of
fire underwriters, was back on the stand
Today and through him Mr.. Hotchkiss
developed interesting testimony of incl
dents II years gone by including an al
legged offer of a one-time assemblyman
named 1owne to kill a bill for a consid-
Grafton of $4,000.
Kennedy said that he went to Albany
to argue against the bill before the as
sembly committee on insurance and incl
dentaily mentioned the attempted $4,000
scheme.
"rhe chairman of the committee" said
the witness, was J. Irving Burns, later
senator from Westchester county. AS soon
as l tole of the $4,000 bribe demanded he
heli out both hands and said, Tut, tut,
Mr.. Kennedy, don't talk so loud" Then
he adjourned the meeting without any eff
fort to find out about it,.
Besides his reference to big Tim
Sullivan the witness Seward intimated
that there had been collision in for
mer years between the state depart
ment of insurance and certain life in
surance companies.
Several more names were brought
out today. Among them was that of
Louis F. Payn, former superintendent
of insurance and the present republi-
can leader of Columbia county. He
was spoken of on the stand by Cor
nelius N. Shufelt, who, as former
committee clerk at Albany for several
years, acted as the agent of the late
George p. Sheldon, president of the
Phenix Fire Insurance company of
Brooklyn.
When he wanted to collect pay from
Sheldon Shufelt testified he went to
Payn and Payn wrote to Sheldon COM
mending him as trustworthy man.
State Senator TIL tomas F. Grady's
name was mentioned again several
times.
The Grady reinsurance bill which was
sh own yesterday was passed after three
foreign companies had spent a large
sum for the purpose also figured in
the testimony. When Kennedy was on
the stand he was asked why 1t was
that former Gov. B. B. Odell, after
vetoing the bill, recalled 1t and ap-
proved it.
The reinsurance companies wanted
the bill and they had POWERFUL
friends" said the witness.
Who were they?''
Il am thinking of one in particular.
fle was very prominent man. He
Is dead
Z The witness asked to be excused from
revealing the name and Mr.. Hotch-
kiss did not press the point. The hear
ing adjourned until IL o'clock tomor-
row.