Evening public ledger. [volume] (Philadelphia [Pa.]) 1914-1942, 1916-11-24
WOOD ACCUSES
CASUALTY MEN


assets the premiums due 10 II on ac-
count OF outstanding Insurance.
Randall goes on TO swear that these
applications for fictitious insurance were
Issued each yepr of the companys existence
except in 1903 and 1918, and various
amounts OF this fictitious insurance were
issued in different years, sufficient to make
total unpaid premiums OF from $l1b,OOO 10
$3.50, ,000."
The names for these policies, Randall
says in the affidavit, came, at the direction
OF Byrnes, from telephone directories OF
outside cities or from Dun's or Bradstreets.
Supptee's afidavt is principally an In
dorsement OF that to which Randall swears.
Sanders affidavit declares that in 1915
Mershon drew $2505.50 for travelling ex-
penses and Byrnes drew 5000, although
each Travelled very little, according TO the
declaration He mentions that on January
II, 1916. Byrnes drew $500 for travelling
expenses. but cannot remember that Byrnes
took any trip for the company during
that month. lie also says he knew OF the
fictitious insurance policies, and mentions
the George w DeHaven Company, which
he said bought the Union Casualty stock
and then sold It to the public at an i'm
crease in price. Tho officers OF both com
panies were the same, he says.
BYRNEs SARCASTIC
MIR Byrnes was asked for an oSplana-
tion OF these nfndavits against him and the
men formerly haSOtlhltu WIN nun III NuS
management Of the Union Casualty. He
took tho view that any one damned by
Wood was famous and said
have felt that something good was
going 10 happen. 7 always wanted to
be "A candidate for high office and now
that Mr.. Wood has seen NJ TO bring my
name into his troubles, undoubtedly
both Senator Penrose and Governor
Brumbaugh will resign so that I might
have my choice OF either office
Mr. Mershon referred all questions TO Mr..
Byrnes.
Insurance Commissioner o'NeIl is in Phil
adelphia buttresslng his position in the de-
vclopinE scandal with such facts Rs he
needs in this part of the State.
Next Monday in the Harrisburg courts
his plea for the appointment OF n receiver
for the Pension Mutual Life Insurance
Company will be answered. Wednesday his
plea for n receiver for the Union Casualty
Company will be answered.
1t is expected that the former will 70
through without contest. There is no such
certainty about the Union Casualty Com
many however From as much as can be
learned Lyndon ID. Wood and his "as-
sociates" as he so frequently calls his
subord mates want to keep that According
to Commissioner O'Nei there is not much
left OF tho Pension Mutual to be kept He
SAYS the capital Of that company Is Inn
paired almost S1,0O0,O00 and the reserve
St90.O00
A BITTER CONTEST
The Union Casualty fight is going to be
bitter, though.
The Commissioner was asked If he was
going through with the insurance investiga-
ton to the end, and he answered: II don't
see anything that can stop me. He went
on to say that he would give Mr.. Wood
full opportunlty to make under oath his
charges that the state Insurance Depart
ment was crooked. This was in answer
to an invitation TO comment on Mr.. Woods
latest statement, which goes into detail
about examiners OF his department doing
things they should not have done. The
burden of Mr.. Woods complaints ls all
before Mr.. O'Neil took office, and Mr..
O'Neil said he had no knowledge OF what
happened before July. 1916 His name is
mentioned in the latest statement by Mr..
| Wood, who says he told the Insurance
Commissioner about the conduct of the
examiners. IL was then that both sides
were brought TO Harrisburg and made
charges which led Mr.. O'Neil TO assert they
all ought TO be in jail.
II Ia likely that once Mr.. ONeil gets
| into this insurance investigation-and he
| cannot until the reCeivershp proceedings
| are under way--that Pennsylvania will see
| a procession of her prominent sons, former
| ohIcehoders and such. parading TO the wit
ness stand.
PROMINENT WITNESSES
Mr., ONen intends to nave FORMER At
torney General John C. Bell answer ques-
tions as to why the receivershlp proceed
ings were not begun two years ago, as re-
quested and ex-Insurance Commissioner
Charles Johnson will probably be witness.
| also Ex-Governor Stone, who as a member
| of Stone & Stone. was legal adviser of the
| Pension Mutual Life Insurance Company.
Commissioner O'Nels only uneasiness
| thus far in the insurance situation is a
| fear that the people of the State will get
| the idea that he is posing as a crusader
in all fairness to Mr.. O'Nell, it should be
| said he is doing exactly what he thinks Is
| his duty and has no particular regard for
the way II is put before the public, so far
| as he Is concerned
! Mr.. Woods statements in the last
| twenty-fOur hours include an appeal di-
rected to Governor Brumbaugh asking him
| 20 stop the campaign of abuse which he
! says the insurance department is directing
| against him and his companies.
The Governor has told the EVENING
! LEDGER that he considers this while matter
! in Mr.. O'Neil's province and that he won't
| nterfere--at least not yet.
I