The sun., 1916-03-07
R. A. M'CURDY DIES;
LONG time INVALID
Former President Of Mutual
Life Began Evcntful Ca
reer as a Lawyer.
SUCCEEDED HIS FATHER

MoRRrsrowN. N. j.. March 6.-Richard
A. McCurdy, one time president Of the
Mutual Life Insurance Company. died at
his home In South street this morning
Of the infirmities due to old age. His
death was not unexpected and all the
side.
Richard A. McCurdy was born in New
York city In 1895. His father. the late
Robert II. McCurdy. was well known in
early insurance circles and was di-
rector OF the Mutual Life Insurance
Company, OF which the son was later
10 become president Richard A. Me-
Curdy, however, intended to devote his
life to the law and he cut short his
undergraduate career at Harvard In
order to enter the law school OF that in
stitution. Simultaneously with his
course at the law school he entered the
Office OF Gov. Andrew of Boston.
When Mr.. McCurdy was admitted to
the New York bar In 1856 he formed a
partnership with Lucius Robinson. later
to become Governor OF the State. Mr..
Robinson was elected State Comptroller
In 1861 and one of his first official acts
was to appoint his young partner State
Transfer Agent for the issuing and
countersigning of State securities. The
young man also became one OF the United
States Commissioners OF the Draft for
New York and the action Of those COM
mssoners In carrying out the law pre-
Cipitated the disturbances known as the
draft riots. AT the same time he was an
active member of the Sons Of Connecti-
cut. a patriotic organization formed at
the outbreak OF the war.
He was a very busy young man IN
those days, active In all public affairs
and engaged AT his own tasks, all of
which he supplemented by incursions
into literature, as some snort stories and
verses which survive testify. Verses by
him written when he was more tian 20
years old have been published.
lie also collaborattd in editing kent's 4
Commentaries and wrote papers on pub
lie questions Abou; 1850 he was chosen
counsel for IA" Mutual Life. thus begin
ming a connection which lasted litt,e
short OF nifty years.
Five years later Mr.. McCurdy. AZ the
age OF 80. became "a director and also a
Nice-pres'den' Of the company, and there
after his life was devoted entirely to
insurance. Twenty years later. on the
death Of President Winston. he was
made president al salary Of s3o0 n
year. A. the time of the Hughes in
surance investigation his salary was
$4,000 a year. hu, before his resgna-
tion from the company November %.
1905. II had been reduced to s75, 900 at
his own request.
The insurance Investigation of 1904
and 1905. which brought about now In
surance laws for the state as well as
many Changes In N. personnel of COM
ranics. had MIR McCurdy as a witness
on many occasions The verbal Tits
between the present Justice of the United
States Supreme Court and TIRE veteran
insurance man are still remembered.
Mr. McCurdy never surrendered any Of
his ideas or theories Of insurance. T. !s
recalled that upon one occasion he told
Charles 4. Hughes mat Nr Hug 80
could obtain much better results 'it Ne
would treat a witness "A lt'l" ulpr"
Kindly and little more considerably
instead Of making him feel that p. WAS
on the rack" lie had no h,sitancy
about crlic!suc any question asked Al |
II he though, it i'nproprr he declined to
answer H.
Following the Investigation was the
resignation OF MIR. McCurdy as president
and II the withdrawal of his son, Rob, RI
II Mccurdy, and his son-in-laW, Louis
A Thebaud. from the insurance bust
ness Subsequently suits aggr.2atn.,
claims for s6.00o,0uo were brought
against the former president and vari-
Gus members OF N. family hv tn" in
suraucc company. which were later COM
promised by the payment ~ $4,000 20
the company in March. 1905 Thcrrafte~
Mr.. McCurdy, who had been IN III
health. aived in retirement at Morris
town