New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1917-05-06
Decided Away St. James and
Washington Life Build
ings, He Tells Swami
Grand Jury to Get Case
New York and Pennsylvania
Authorities Cooperate in
Pressing Charges

Stoucwall j. Jackson, alleged
dummy" iu the transactions which led
Tho Pittsburgh Life and Trust Company
into the hands Of a receiver appeared
AZ the Dis.ric, Attorneys Office ycstcr-
day and told his story 20 Mr.. Swami.
Jesse S. Philips superintendent of In
surancc; Deputy Attorney General Ilor-
ace W. Davis and lie Roy Lincoln,
counsel for tho Insurance Department.
BY his tale, which dealt with the
transfer TO HIM of the Washington
Life and s.. James buildings. worth
$5o0o,0o0. Jackson proved himself the
posscssor OF two prime virtues. lie
never asked questions. and his Obcdl-
encc to orders might have satisfied
even the soldier whose name he bears.
Stonewall J. Jackson is twenty-four
years old. a citizen Of Windsor. On
tGrio. and is employed by Henry t..
BirdSeyc son Of Clarence f.. who ne
Eotiatcd the purchase Of the Pittsburgh
Life. He made his debut as a dummy"
four weeks ago.
Did Is lie Was Told
Apparently he possesses little real
knowledge Of what he has done since
then. All he remembers is that he
was told 10 sign certain papers. which
he did Obedlently. In most cases he
diSclaims any knowledge of what these
papers were.
Sir. Birdseye," the young man said.
told me to go and see his father in
regard TO taking title 20 some real
estate. When | got 20 Clarence Birds
eyes Office at % Church Street. ] was
told that | was to take title for some
property for the purpose of bringing
transaction with an insurance company
before the public. They handed me a
deed to sign.
Il have since decided the St. James
and Washington Life buildings away
from myself, ! believe. | am not sure
of that, however, for have since been
told that the properties were still in
my name.
81 also signed two papers. but don't
know what they were. They may have
been deeds. or they may have been
agreements Of some kind TO deed the
property back again TO some one else.
! told real estate agents and reporters
who questioned me about the transfer
what Mr. Birdseye told me TO say
that | was acting for interested parties
and was not in position TO say any
thing. ! received no money for what
I did"
A. soon as he had finished his state
ment the obliging Mr.. Jackson was
served with a Supreme Court order re-
straining him from signing any papers
or taking any action in connection with
the deeds Of the buildings.
Superintendent of Insurance Phillips
yesterday obtained another order from
the Supreme Court permitting him to
take possession of the Washington Life
Insurance Company in order to con-
serve its assets. When this concern
went into receivership in 1903 the
Pittsburgh Life took over its policies
ard has maintained since then what is
known as the Washington Life fund
account"
This order legalizes the cooperation
of the Pennsylvania authorities who
have applied for a similar order in ref
crence to the affairs of the Pittsburgh
Life and Trust Company.
Case to Grand Jury Wednesday
District Attorney Swami will prob.
ably present the facts that he has gath
cred concerning the wrecking Of this
latter concern to the grand jury on
Wednesday.
Frederick A. Wallis. of III Broad
way. who. according to ". Howard
Nimick. former president of the Pitts
burgh Life. was represented by Birds
eye as being behind the plans to cause
the transfer of stock in the concern.
denied the truth of Birdseye's state
mcnt last night.
He said that the man had offered him
the presidency of consolidation of
insurance companies" and he had &C
cepted the offer, on condition that the
insurance departments Of New York
and Pennsylvania approved of the en-
tire transaction.
"lf BirGseye represented to any one
in Pittsburgh that | was arranging
syndicate TO take over the stock of the
company" Mr.. Wallis said last night,
my connection with the matter was
wholly misrepresented. As a matter
Of fact, knew nothing of the details
of negotiation for the stock, the terms
upon which it was being taken over,
who was buying it, or how it was to
be paid for"