New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1917-05-08
10 Arrests Ordered
For Wrecking of
Life Insurance Co.
Warrants Issued in Pitts
burgh for New York Men
on Conspiracy Charge
BY BRIGGS

Pittsburgh. May Warrants for the
arrest of three more men alleged to
have been connected with the wrecking
of the Pittsburgh Life and Trust Com
pany, a S24,OOO,OOO life insurance cor
roration. were sworn out tonight by
Horace w. Davis, deputy attorney gen.
eral of Pennsylvania. The men named
in the warrants are: F. A. Wallis, Of
the Fidelity Mutual Life Insurance
Company Of New York, who first agreed
and then declined to become president
of the Pittsburgh company; J. S. Grant
and George A. Nichol, jr., both of New
York. -,
The arrests. it was announced, will
be made on the charge of conspiracy to
defraud During the day the following
men were ordered arrested on the same
charge: Clarence F. Birdseye. OF New
York. alleged TO have Oeen the chief
promoter; Kellog Birdseye, his son,
treasurer of the Pittsburgh Life under
the new control; Joseph c. Watson,
assistant secretary of the Commercial
Trust Company of New York. VINO IS
alleged TO have certified check for
S120,000 for Blrdseye, who had no
funds in the bank; Robert P. Moore.
president or the Commercial Trust
Company; Alfred Leury. William ID.
McQueston and George Montgomery.
Tells of Advance knowledge
In statement issued tonight through
J. Denny O'Neil. State Insurance Com
missioner, Benjamin F. Hadley, of New
York. secretary and superintendent Of
agents of the Equitable Life Company,
of Iowa. declared that W Howard MINI
lex, former president, and W. c. Nc
Causland, former vice-president OF the
Pittsburgh Life, had had knowledge
nine days before they turned over the
company to the Birdseye interests that
"the transaction was a fraudulent one
Clarence f. Birdseye. through his
counsel. Charles Craig, Of 66 Broadway,
had agreed TO visit the Offices of Dis
trict Attorney Swami yesterday after
noon for a conference. Birdseye did
not keep the appointment. and Mr..
Craig, the District Attorney said, re-
ported that he did not know where
his client was. Process servers who
the injunction suits started IN the Su-
preme Court to prevent any transfers
of the assets of the Pittsburgh Life
and Trust Company and the Washing
ton Life Insurance Company were also
unable to find him, according to infor-
nation furnished TO Mr.. Swami.
Alfred Luery. former dummy director
of the Pittsburgh Life and the man
who, according to the District Attor-
ney, furnished the dummies for the
Dare Lumber Company, resulting in
the purchase of S6,O00,OO0 of the bonds
of the company by the Pittsburgh Life,
made a statement TO Mr.. Swami yes
terday. Lurey lives at 500 Clinton Ave
nue., Plainfeld, y. j., and is a public
accountant.
Consented TO Act Temporarily"
After relating that Clarence +. Birds
eye had engaged him to make an ac-
counting of the Pittsburgh Life, he said
he had consented act as director and
secretary and treasurer of the company
temporarily" Luery said he was told
by Brdseye that a law firm in Pitts
burgh had agreed TO furnish necessary
directors in addition to those Birdseye
had taken with him from New York.
Luery said he had never heard of the
Dare Lumber Company before it was
voted to sell the Washington Life
Building for S4,000,000 and to take in
payment for it the per cent bonds
of tho lunnho cop,nopv