Evening public ledger. [volume] (Philadelphia [Pa.]) 1914-1942, 1921-10-27
COUNSEL CONFER
: WITH DONALDSON
Accused Insurance Chief Dis
cusses "Firebug" Case With
Pusey and Kendrick
REF U S ES STATEMENT

State Insurance Commissioner Don
aldson, who Is technically under arrest
for alleged conspiracy in the "frobus'
investigat on here. conferred for an hour
today With Colonel Fred Taylor Puscy,
Deputy Attorney General, and Muir
doch Kendrick also bis counsel.
The conference was held in Mr.. Ken
bricks Office in the Land Title building.
Later the Commissioner and the Deputy
Attorney General walked to Broad and
Chestnut streets They stood on cor
ner talking. then walked to tho Union
League, where the discussion was con.
tinued
81 have nothing to say" Mr.. Don
aldson stated at the close Of the first
conference. 1t is understood a date will
be agreed upon today for the Commits
sioner's arraignment before Magistrate
Beaton. Colonel Pusey was assigned
by ATTORNEY General Alter to defend
Mr.. Donaldson.
The Commissioner is charged with
conspiracy in connection with the ar
rest of George MCCann. detective,
and Harry Fox. wat"hInan. in the
fire insurance scandal. Fox and Me
Cam are under $4,000 bail.
Mr.. Donaldson admitted AicCann was
In his employ and that LIE was respon-
.ible FOR his actions. tlr. Donaldson
in a statement made Tuesday night
said he hired McCann to hunt crooked
ere insurance adjusters in this rity
at the solicitation of several in.uranc,.
,to H., t,,,. ~
tion. During the investigation wiros
were tapped aud papers taken from
several adjusters' Offices i was charged.
In announcing that be thought it his
duty to designate counsel for any state
Official who is attacked whii" in the
performance OF his duty. the Attorney
Genera said in Harrisburg !nSt night
Il am informed by Insurance Com
missioner Donaldson that he has ueon
notified to appenr before a committing
magistrate in Philadelphia. on charges
based on his recent effort TO ascertain
the facts in connection with fraudulent
IRE losses in that city.
Il have designated Deputy Attorney
General PUsey to represent CommiS.
sioner Donaldson at any hearing Nbich
may be held. and have arranged with
Murdoch KeudriCk to assist him. |
deem 1t proper for the Attorney Gen.
eral to stand by any Stat official who
is attacked while seeking, in good
faith, to perform his duty
commissioner Donaldson. in my
opinion, is one Of the most Cousrien-
tious ana valuable servants " the Com
monwea!th. who has Nc thought ,xcc2t
for the N"r,OrmanCp Of his duty and the
prot of the public. for which pur.
pose department was created. If
the 4tiUus ryi%t which he has beer.
seeking > correct. then. in the warfare
between society aud crime, there would
be only one course for him"
Gordon Issues statement
James Gay Gordon. who ..bllincd {, p
warrant as counsel for ttc priyatc pros
Ccutors, issued a stat pnert when asked
as to Why warrant h"d bC"n issued for
Mr.. Donaldson. Mr.. Gordon : state.
ment is as follows:
''ln view of Mr.. DonalGson'> public
statement Tuesday admitting lis hnowI-
edge Of and assuming full responsibility
Tor the criminal acts oF his agents.
have caused a warrant tor his arrest
to be issued on the "haGEe of partlcipa.
tlon in the criminal conspiracy for which
his agents we're OCunI over ior court on
Monday last. Dona1isun's ; statement
supplied us with tho link We needed to
support prosecution against him for
his criminal acts. Without that link
We could not proceed against him, and
that is Why warrant was not obtained
for him before now.
II shall not comment on Donaldson 5
public statement. otnet than to say taal
he was silent until the evidence pro.
duced against his agents, especially that
at the hearing on Monday last. showed
he had received thousands of dollars
from private insurance curporatiun, for
personal work in their i7terc>t.-cor-
porations which he Is supposed officially
TO watch with suspicious and >rruriril-
ing eye, so as 10 protect the p!bIc
against their misdoings. When this was
established incontestably from his own
books at the Learing day before ycStrr-
day, he then, and not until then. pub.
fishes his lame and impotent and ut-
terly irrelevant and uncandld statement.
With the pubIi"a;iou ot that ,tatriAer,
our case against him wns completed
and. therefore, the warrant for Ms ar.
rest was issued