The sun., 1919-04-07

JOHN ROGERS HECEMAN.
married Miss Evelyn Lyon. who also
lived In Brooklyn. He survived her by
a few months more than four years.
Apostle of Small Policies.
At the time Mr.. Hesemnn Joined the
Metropolitan II had only 1881 policies
in force. The offices of the company
were at 243 Broadway. In 1879. through
the efforts OF Mr.. Hegeman and the late
Joseph +. Knapp, then president. the In
dustrial department was organized. This
department at the present day has out
standing moro than four million policies.
1t was his work as vice-president Of the
Metropolitan that brought him wide
recognition as big insurance man.
He did much to popufarise insurance
among the great body OF laboring and
middle class people, who knew little
| about insurance and cared less. He
sent a vast army OF agents throughout
the country preaching the doctrine Of
care for the future and for dependents.
Very small policies were written by the
| company.
In October. 1891. he succeeded Mr..
Knapp as president Of the company. with
powers which he used to build UP the
company to greater proportions than be-
fore. He found time frequently to
| emerge from the maze Of insurance ng-
ures he penetrated more deeply than the
less gifted. TO insist upon surroundings
of great splendor and impressiveness for
the company.
The constant growth of tho company
m nd ~ N IN <Ita n
several times. From the building at 243
Broadway the business was moved to
319 Broadway and later II found a new
home at SO Park place. In April, 1898.
| less than two years after Mr.. Hegemahs
accession to the presidency, tho last move
Of the company was made. A corner
building on Madison avenue and Twenty
| third street was selected and on this
; site has risen the great Metropolitan
Building Gradually under Mr.. Hege-
mans direction the block has been ac-
quired. In addition the company now
\ occupies Offices in the sixteen story build
ing at II East Twenty-fourth street
DR.. Parkhurst's church on Madison ave-
nue. at Twenty-fourth street II In few
months to be demolished and new Office
| building erected At present the business
| of the company occupies twenty-five
acres of floor space.
|
decorations on which money was lavishly
expended was also a part OF his theory
| Of business.
Following the widespread Insurance
! investigation of Gov. c. e. Hughes and
during the term Of William Travers Je-
rome as District Attorney. Mr.. Hege-
man was indicted ten times in May. 1907.
seven being for forgery, and three for
perjury. The charges grew out of an in
| nuNl trV, TNAtW UNat -
OF the company to the state Department
OF Insurance. Mr.. Hegeman fought the
indictments with De Lancey Nicoll. John
| G. Milburn and Morgan J. OBrien as
his counsel. and all were subsequently
dismissed as groundless. He was finally
cleared after n long legal battle in June,
| 1910, when Justice Vernon M. Davis in
the Criminal Branch Of the Supreme
Court dismissed the last two perjury in
dictments.
Looked Like Edwin booth.
| Mr.. Hegeman was a man of striking
appearance and personality. He did not
In the least resemble a captain Of in
dustry or business man as those types
are generally described. Indeed. he has
! on many occasions been nkened by busi-
ness intimates to the late Edwin Booth.
| His hair was worn in long ringlets flow
] ing TO his shoulders. somewhat after tho
fashion OF Benjamin Franklin. making
him an instantly recognizable and I'M
| forgettable figure in any gathering Of
! Insurance men or bankers. His face was
smooth shaven. his features clear cut
and his eyes gray. His associates re-
member him as always wearing an old
| fashioned stock and standing collar. a
! frock coat and light trousers
| During the past twenty years Mr..
| Hegeman's health was not good. al
thugh he was far from being an invalid.
He returned from a trip to japan and
| other far Eastern countries nearly
twenty years ago with a love Of Jspa-
nese and Chinese art. Many beautiful
| specimens of Eastern craft, including
pictures. worries and carved woods, or
namented his home, Rosedene, at Orienta
Point. He made another trip TO the
Orient, in which no circled the globe,
later, and came home in poorer health
than before. After this he discarded a
large part OF the burden OF chief execu-
tive OF the company, hut still retained a
great interest in its affairs. In the sum-
mer of 1914 while In Europe his wife
became I'll and they escaped the war and
returned to this country in September.
She died on October "a, 1914. leaving
an estate OF $4,000. Mrs. Hegeman
was for many years noted soprano
Both she and Mr.. Hegeman were in
terested in many charities. Through
his contributions and efforts Salem Bap-
list Church in New Rochelle was built.
| A memorial window was placed in the
church after the death OF Mrs. Hegemnn.
and Mr.. Hegeman recently expressed a
wish that his funeral might be held
there. as had been his wife's,
For some years Mr.. Hegeman was de-
voted to yachting and was a member
OF the New York. American and Laroh-
mont Yacht Clubs. His business inter
ests were not confined to the Metropoli-
tan, for he was A director OF the Metro
politan Bank and OF the National Surety
Company and was a trustee OF the Union
Dime Savings Bank and OF the Hamilton
Trust Company. He was a member of
the Holland Society, tho Kings County
Historical Society, tho National Geo
graphic Society and the Westchester
Chamber of Commerce.
Mr.. Hegeman leaves one son. jor
John r. Hegeman. assistant secretary
OF the Metropolitan, who was for many
years prominent IN the National Guard
of New York State; a sister, Miss Abbie
Hegeman OF Flatbush: his sister-in-law
and her husband. George w. Rogers
and Fred Lyon. a brother-in-law. Mr.
and Mrs. Rogers and Mr.. Lyon made
their homo with him in Mamaroneck.
Funeral services will be held on
wednesday at IL 80 o'clock in Salem
Baptist Church. New Rochelle, Of which
the Rev. DR.. T. B. johnson, IL pa stor
IntermeM will be in WoodlaWn Gene