Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1913-01-26
His Recollection Very Clear.


| the insurance commissioner OF New
York had looked into this-the insur-
ance department here-and there was
something rotten in the state OF Den
mark. and that it ought to be tnveSti-
gated.
WAS that language mine?
''Well. not exactly that. probably"
THAT is your understanding"
Probably you put it little stronger
than that"
That is you understanding OF it,?
Mr.. Henry-Well. you gave me to UNI
derstand that there was something wrong
with this insurance department here and
that you were going to run 1t down. and
l was impressed with your patriotism
and am now. 1 have got the highest re-
spect for your judgment and for your
public spiritedness, and l understood that
you were going to run that down and get
the facts for US.
Redfield and Douglas Skirmish.
Mr.. Redfield and Mr.. Douglas had a
skirmish as to the fees which Justice
Gould and other directors receive for at
| tendance on meetings.
Later the hearings became involved.
Representative Prouty made a heartfelt
objection to all the testimony. and Mr..
Redfield demanded that it go on. He
said he could mot be called to account
by any man or by any court or by any
circumstances that have been described"
and asked to be put on the stand.
Mr.. Berger objected to this. on the
ground that it would be unheard OF for
member of a congressional committee
to go on the stand before the commit
tee to defend himself.
In an argument by Mr.. Douglas, on
the same subject, Col: Judson's name
''Mr. Redfield has made the statement,
not from the witness stand, but as
member of this committee, that certain
covert attacks have been made upon
members Of the District government. and
it is perfectly germane for me at this
moment to say that Mr.. Redfeld has en-
| tirely misapprehended the situation Of
| these insurance companies and their
counsel who are here as their mouth
| piece, when he makes that statement If
| he refers in any way either to the insur-
| ance companies or to their counsel
Refers to Attack on Judson.
But we have made an attack upon
Col. Judson, if he refers to Col. Judson.
is SO plain that he who runs may read;
that we made an attack upon him in
the broad daylight. attacking his good
faith in the institution of this investi-
cation; that we attack his good faith
to the limit; that We attack his integ-
rity of purpose to the limit. is
stated now in the broad daylight,
and has been stated over and over
again to him and to others, and that we
intend to carry this to the limit of hon.
| orable warfare should go with that state
| ment, and if any reference is made to the
counsel here as attacking any one COW
| ertly 1t is without warrant on the
facts in the case; but we do say now,
Mr.. Chairman, when the time comes
| we shall object to striking
Mr.. Henry's testimony from
| the record in the case, and I think we
can assign to this committee and to each
and every member of 1t good and suffi-
syllable should be stricken from the rec
ord in this proceeding. AS to whether Mr..
Redfield testifies or not. We do not say
year or nay"
Representative johnson held that the
inquiry should go on. Representative
Redtield made another statement, asking
that he be allowed to be g. witness. Judge
Prouty and Representative Berger OBJ
jected. The upshot was that the COM
mittee adjourned, having decided to start
editing the record Monday morning.
Robert N. Harper Testines.
Robert N. Harper. president of the Dis
| trict National Bank, and chairman Of
the finance committee Of the CONNER
cial Fire Insurance Company, on the
| stand for an hour yesterday. after The
Star report closed, told of his long con-
nection with the company, and under
questioning by Attorney Charles F. Ca
rusi related details of the company's his
| tory. He told of the agreement made by
the company with futile, wightman &
Dudley to act as underwriting agents for
the company.
several times in the course of the hear
| ing, the principal criticism being made
against it by Representative Prouty be-
| ing that directors of the fire insurance
leo rFf l4
derwriting firm. Mr.. Harper in his
| testimony said the contract had been
proposed and seconded by men not in the
| Tuttle, Wightman 6, Dudley firm, that
Robert futile was the only director
present who had anything to do with
both companies, and that he did not
vote on the matter.
Mr.. Carusi asked him who was on the
his voice in behalf of the stockholders
in case the underwriting agency's
representatives demanded something
not altogether fair. Mr.. Harper replied
only the companys interests in view.
eff anything was put over on the
stockholders it would have to be while
you were away, would it not?"
Saw Nothing Detrimental.
'If it was anything detrimental" re-
piled Mr.. Harper, ito the fire insurance
L L
had but one object in view, and that was
to look after the interests Of the insur-
ance companies. I had no interest in
futile, Wightman & Dudley. / had very
little interest from a financial standpoint
in either of the insurance companies.
Il had fifty-two shares of Commercial
and 100 shares of the First National, but
as I always maintained, it was q pride to
me to see that these companies succeed
ed, and looked after the interests as far
as 1 could by attending board meetingns.''
'Have you ever known anybody con-
nected with Tuttle. Wightman & Dudley.
or any Of the directors, to try to put over
anything?'
II have not
Coming to the proposition Of the pur-
chase Of the Southern building, Mr..
Harper went into lengthy detail, say
ing in effect that he had come to the
conclusion that the building at $4,000
900 was a good purchase.
Would Have Paid $1,000, 900.
Representative Prouty, in the course
of the testimony, asked him what would
have been the highest figure he would
have paid for the control of the South
ern building had he been purchasing it
for himself.
ST would not hesitate paying what
fov.