The Washington times., 1913-01-05
EXPERT TESTIMONY
TO FIGURE FURTHER
IN INSURANCE QUIZ
Companies Notified They
Must Wait Several Days
to Begin Defense

Further expert testimony regarding
the affairs of the insurance companies
under investigation will be heard when
the House District Committee resumes
It's probe of the office of the superln-
tendent of insurance and three local
concerns tomorrow.
When the committee made ready to
adjourn at the session late yesterday
attorneys for the First National an6
Commercial Fire Insurance companies
and Tuttie, Wightman & Dudley, iE-
dicated they desired to begin the tes-
timony in behalf of these companies.
Chairman Johnson said the committee
already had subpoenaed a sufficient
number of witnesses to keep the House
investigators busy for several days.
end the insurance companies must wait
to begin their defense"
Alfred NJ Best, the New York in
surance expert, concluded his tesu-
mony yesterday afternoon, following
long cross-examination by Charles
Carud. general counsel for the in
surance companies, and James Easby-
Smith, attorney for George lnghaIn,
superintendent of insurance. During
tbs afternoon session the testimony
was again largely technical, dealing
with insurance statistics, underwrit-
ing costs, profits and loss, risks and
similar subjects.
"Not Vaudeville Performance"
Mr.. Easby-Smith-- ''in bad tenn
porarily with the committee members
when he, by inference, asked Mr.. Best
10 make good on the statement that
he was an expert Mr.. Easby-Smith.
during the course of questions regard-
ing the expert knowledge of the wit
a had ever
heard of the expression, "a liar, d.
liar, and an expert witness"
Before Mr. Best could reply, Con-
r.,essman Rrouty declared the quss-
ton was an insult 10 the committee.
and. to the witness and Mr. Redneu
inferposed a pointed objection also.
Nr. Easby-Smith explained that his
question was meant as a pleasantly,
and should not be taken literally.
N..This is not a vaudeville perform
ance: we are engaged in serious in-
duiry," snapped Congressman fIou,S
Mutual explana tions followed after ad7
io,Irnment' and amicabIe relations were
restored all round.
Acknowledges Small Surplus
Resuming the cross-examination At
torney Carusi attempted to show that
Mr. Best was biased in his ATTITUDE
toward the Commercial and First Ma
tional, and that his reports had been
unfair TO the companies. The witness
said his chief criticism was directed
at the literature circulated by the COM
panies, which he regarded as somewhat
misleading and deceptive.
He again acknowledged that the Com
mercial had a comparatively small sur
plus. even eliminating the Southern
building valuation, which has been the
bone of contention in the present con-
troversy.
Mr.. Best said that fire insurance COM
panies generally regard District of CO.
fpfnbfa risks as not especially hazard
GUS and with this admission as
basis, Attorney Carusi drew out the ad-
dftional acknowledgment that this
should be taken into consideration be-
fore any one passes Judgment upon
company which puts portion Of its
reserve in real estate. This was done
BY the Commercial
Testing Experts knowledge.
Mr., Best adhered to his view that
small companies have hard time COM
petinx with their larger rivals, and he
asserted that small fire insurance CON-
panies should automatically cease TO
write policies after assuming risks pro-
portionate with their reserves. Mr..