"" *^^"^^ ■""*' f "*awlp^^
V" LXV....X- :m.:uo.
MAYOR CRITICISES OAKLEY
GtOCT OX COSTBACTB.
Gautry Says A aria Job Was Not
Given to Please Murphy.
Mayor McClel'an and Oontrollef Grout were
the star r * Uj ***** in 11l< * legislative lighting in
stigation yesterday. The Mayor was on the
ftand leii than !mlf an tour. H« >a!d that com
jr.issio:n-r Oakley spoke to him about signing
th» lic!.ii"K contracts la?t spring, but that be
had expected to be consulted further about
then:, and th.v« Mr. Oakleys final signing of
them was :i ercat Mirj.n«« to him. He thought
that Mr. Oa'cley hud acted in good faith. The
jlay«T fraid the city was committed to ■ public
lighting r''3"t. and that it would be in operation
Mine time next >ear.
"I may not w*e» it in operation." siid th*
Mayor, "as my term onds on the last day of
December of this year, but my successor will
pee it In operation l>cfoie the end of next year."
loiter b.B s*id his words about his term end
ing had no special significance. "It would not
have sounded well for me to assum- that 1 was
to \>t renommited and elected." siid Jie.
Controller Grout was <m the eUind both In
the forenoon and in the afternoon. Senator
Ptevens did tiot like the way he answered the
questior.s :-u» by Mr. Hughfs, counsel to the
tomv.v.x'to. At rec«sa he sai.l to upaner
men: "The oscillation and vacillation of the
Controller are remarkable.. The id°a of his s=ay
irg that a .;U"t?d utterance was his opinion
Vf that <l:it<-." !e.i\ii;g the inference that it was
a rr.attf-r of little con*equence whether he
changed his opinion »<v n<>i. It peeir.s Be lr<
rhmnged his opinion >!>.:< n> times. He may
chance :': ' a8»i" This afternoon^ jpeserrlng unto
himself a wijman.** prliilcj:* of changing hi«
mind whenever he wants to."
If is expe< t«"-<! that Charles F. Murphy; his
brother, John .1. Murphy, head of the ■-■ ■■ - V"-
Contracting and TrocWng; Company: Alderman
jair*s K. Gaffney .md Commissioner Oakley will
!•* called to The stand to-day. .
PAYMENTS TO MURPHY AM' GAFFXEY.
All th»~ member* of the ... on
hand yesterday v hen the -■hi began. Bo
fore hearing the officials. Mr. Hushes called
Lewis B. Gawtry. one <>f the Consolidated Gas
<"orrrany"s vice-presidents and the secretary of
the Astoria Heat. Lieht and Power Company.
v.h» fail his company up to date had paid the
Murphy-Gaffnry company >::•_•<•. all told on
rix contracts. The company's contract with the
Mnrphy-Gaffn?y company oh the Astoria plant
vas rr^duced. It recited that th» contractors
were to excavate the sites and lay the founda
tions for two holder gas tanks. The excavating
was not to ccrst more than $3(W.000 and the
contracting company was to furnish all tools.
labor, n-.achinery and material for the work
under th<* general supervision of th» rhief en
gineer "f the Astoria Light. Heat and Power
Company.
Mr. Hughe* called attention to the fact that
*hi!e the contract was dated September 17 It
was not accepted by the gas company until Xo
veniber 4. Mr. Gawtry said the contract was
in the hands of gas company officials during
that lime.. There was no competitive bidding.
H* produced four other contracts, made with
th» Murphy concern. One related to filling In
and rradir.g ground at Asiorla. The'cost was
between -.»n» and $100,000.
"Why did you choose that company?" asked
Mr. Hughes.
"We looked around and found they had the
nest suitable plant," the witness replied.
"Did you know their capital was only $10,000
and that all their equipment was covered by
chattel mortgage?"
"I did not know it."
"Did you not enter into this contract with the
New- York Contracting and Trucking Company
because you knew it would be agreeable to
Charles F. Murphy?"
"Not at all."
• 'AT.I you swear you never said that?"
"I do swear it."
Dr. James E. Bennett, treasurer of the Astoria
L'gr.t, Heat and Power Company and cf the
Consolidated Gas Company, was asked if he
knew of ar.y investigation into the financial
Ftandir.g of the New-York Contracting and
Trocklnc Company previous to the awarding
f.f the Astoria Contract. He said he did not
know of any. He said the ?4."i(»,0fi0 Astoria con
tract wag merely one of seventy-nine, all In
volving- tbe expenditure of t.000.000.
GROUT AND LIGHTING CONTRACTS.
Controller Grout, the next witness, told of the
hold up by the lighting companies and of his
oeci*icn lo pay a percentage of the bills ren
dered. He said he first saw the contracts for
1904. executed by Mr. Oakley on October 29.
c:i November 10.
It struck roe that the signing of those con
tracts would make it very difficult for the city
to defend its position In refusing to pay the bills
f>r liphtinjr in 11*03," he said. "I did not cv.en
know It was in contemplation to sign them. I
had gained the contrary Impression from Mr.
Oakley's communications to the Board of Es
timate."'
"Did Mr. Oakley confer v.\th you before exe
cuting those contract*?*"
"He did not. but then there was no reason why
he should. Th» matter of th*» contracts was
quite within his jurisdiction and was outside of
xnir.e."
"An: I to Understand that Mr. Oakley's action
in signing thost- contracts w.is satisfactory to
you?" &sk"d Mr. Hughca
"I have not t=aid ho. Ido not think that Mr.
Oakley obtained an ideal result, but they are the
best contracts the city evi-r had. You must un
derstand that there was no real competition,
•fid that the only possible competition could
"me from the erection by the cjty of a munici
pal !! F ht; :i g plant."
OAKLEY SURPRISED THE MAYOR.
-layor McClellan. who enme next, said he was
surprised when h' learned that Commissioner
Oakley bad signed the lighting contracts for
I'j<j4.
"Then, I assume, you did not »<]visp him to
fi£n the contracts?" ;i?k*-d Mr. Hughes.
"Most assuredly not."
"I tent "for Mr. Oaldey and ask^d an explana
tion." the Mayor said In response to more ques
tions. "He told me he had secured i practical
reduction and that the Controller approved the
bargain. Horn« time later the City Club sent
me a, letter almost preferring chat-pea against
the Commissioner. I sent the letter to Mr.
Oaldey end ;.>k-i him to answer it to me. Mi
Oakley told m? all the details of the agreement
he had reached, ard I v.'as convince that h"
h&d acted in good faith."
'And you never have appro\ed his course in
"No, I never huve. There was . -..■■• bet ::dver
- Continue* «hi (mad pace.
MONTEBELLO BRUT 1893,
••* ti« only oh*;.v*--'.e a,erii»<l Mt • sal* b.-ciJraiit o #
11 o\rrr. ,-i.t v l»> 'the Ouv«-rnor of IK- -1 !» !B lionor of
''■•-I'- M«>?'!.. the Kin* at:d <ju«»-n < t Kn«!an'l «n<i ihrjr
«. if. th« i-v.r.- > ao<j l-r-.-i ••- of Uenmark.— t.\i".u
_. , To-day, fair and warmer. ___ . '" , ~~«
ir™-*-^*-^*-**^^***. NEW- YORK, THURSDAY. APRIL 20. 1905.-SIXTEEN PAGES.-^Th^rffi^J^Utto.
PROMINENT WITNESSES BEFORE THE LEGISLATIVE GAS INVESTIGATING COMMITTEE.
FINDS BURNING FUSE.
Policeman Discovers Plot in Time 16
Save Building.'
A sputtering fuse, leading to a bundle of
Hat paper, matches and a bag containing
what the police believe to be gunpowder, was
discovered late last evening by Patrolman John
P. Flood, of the East Macdougal-st. station. In
the rear of the third floor of the five story build
ing at No. 535 Broadway, occupied by Phillip
Khon. a doaler In leather goods. The fuse was
two-thirds burned and would in a short time
have reached the inflammable material.
Abraham Rubick smelted smoke, but being
unable to find it. told Flood. The third floor
was found to be filled with smoke. On a shelf
in the r*ar of the place, at about th* height of
a man's* head, they found the fuse.
After making sure that there was no other
similar contrivance about, the policeman tele
phoned to the utation ana. acting under in
structions, took the entire outfit there, where v.
hurry call was cent to Deputy Fire Marsha!
McGough. Tfl • fire marshal went over the
building, making a thorough investigation.
There are many firms in the building, but
there was no one in the building at the tiire,
Rubiok being the' last to 1 a-. •■ it. It is not
known when, the proprietor of the place went
out. The door was locked and there was r.o
evidence that the lock had been tampered with,
frr did the windows bear any marks.
(). 11. PL ATT WORSE.
Suffers a Severe ('hill -His Condi
tion Critical.
. Apn! 10 ii. li.
Platt suffered a severe chill to-night, which
an hour, and his physician, l>r. W. .1.
Ford, sai'i that there was a return of the bron
chial trouble in the rlgh' side. "The chill." Dr.
Ford said, "has Riven a serious aspect to th^
situation, and. after a careful examination, I
find that there is ;• reappearan< c <>f pneumonia,"
lie added that while he thought Senator Plait's
condition critical, there was a fair « hance of re
covery.
:ior Pintt pasaed a restless night, but im
proved to-day, and it was believed up to the
lime of the chill that he would escape a serious
setback.
JEFFERSON BETTER.
Distinguished Patient Passes Com
fortable Day.
Wtst Palm Beach, Fla .. April 19.— The chanse
for the better In the condition of. Joseph Jefferson
has been so encouraging to the physicians and
the family as to lead to the hope of ultimate
rec<'\ .
Mr. Jefferson le stronger to-night Through
out th»- day, and especially in the afternoon, he
called for f 1. and was able to retain chicken
broth, brandy and milk, after h>' bad < ntt'ii with
a gnat deal of telish half of a one-pound grape
fruit, ill' is able i<- with those about
him.
' AITOS IIVRT TWO MEN.
Run Down in Brooklyn — Drivers
Elude Police.
Two men were seriously injured by automobiles
In Brooklyn yesterday, one probably fatally. Luigo
Lenslello of No. 139 West 33d-tt.. Manhattan, was
run over by a big red toanUng car at Vanderbilt
ave. ■..i Coney Islan«l-av<-. at midnight, ne:ir tli<*
Circle Parkway. Witnesses say the automobile
contained two men and two women, the women
wearing big white hats. This vague description
and .i fragment of an automobile lamp are tlie only
clews the police have.
Early la the afternoon an unknown elderly man,
weli <'.:• down by a i<i»; touring car at
Pad ford and Qates ayes. ti,- w.is taken t.> •
ncr «j ri . -
■■nimnncd th< automobile and the men i;. I' re
tßiiwwl They said thai as the man need*
dical attendance thej «.*. • . . 1 1 < i tal
in th»-ir automobile t.i thair own physician Plai Ing
liim in the automobile they diaappeuretl, and by ii:-'
tim»- ih»- police arrived th*-rt- w.is no clew left to
th«-lr Identity. The man waa unconai loua ai
ii;g from an apparently serloua wound In t'
SAINT GAUDENS TO MAKE FOUNTAIN.
Magee Memorial Committee Awards Contract
to Well Known Sculptor.
[iir TEi.n<;nAPit to tiik tribune.]
Plttiburit, April 19.— The C. L. .\i.i r memorial
committee, at a meeting held here this afternoon
awarded th« lontrad i'> a iwagninVent drinking
feunttiln pprroounted by ■ bust or dalllon of the
lan- Senator Magee. " Augustus Saint CJaudens, the
well lifowii e'ulptor. It T.ill cost W.OOO, v' 1 v/ilj
i. completed within three years It Is to be located
In Urn downtown district.
1U Hit ••>•
MAYOR MCLELI.AN.
A GOOD DAY FOR GRAB BILLS.
SIX PASSED OR ADVANCED BY SENATE OR ASSEM
BLY AT ALBANY.
Protests of Citizens 'Against Goodscll Measure Ignored — Leaders Ukely
to Stop Niagara Scandal To-day.
Ir>T TEI.ECKArH TO THE nuatrwst.]
Albany. April 19.- Six distinct legislative
measures, all of which have been fully and ap
parently justly described as "grab" bills, four
granting to railroads, through the medium of
blind bill*, widespread privileges Irrespective
of local authorities or compensatory provisions;
one tiding a bill to standardize the banking
Inw of the State with reference to savings banks
by inserting a "joker" to take care of a certain
company, and the Niagara power "grab," were
tdvancfd or passed by the legislature to-day.
The bills thus treated were as follows:
1. Eisberg charter validating bill; passed by
the Senate.
2. Goodsell railroad condemnation bill;
passed by Assembly. ,
3. Goodsell Steinway tunnel bill; reprinted
by committee.
4. Goodsell Bronx abandonment bill; reported
by committee.
5. Stevens banking bill; amended by com
mittee.
6. Niagara bill; put on to-morrow's calendar
for passage.
The reporting of the Goodsell hills was the
!';i^iaiit action of the day. since it was
done only a few minutes after the representa
tives of a inmi!)t>r of New-York civic organiza
tions bad pleaded against the bills after expos
ing all the trn<> "grab" characters of these meas
ures. The action on the banking bill was merely
a shift of ;i few words to evade the criticism of
the measure made by the Governor and jet t»
take care of the Chicago and Eastern Illinois
Railroad bonds. The fact that the spirit of the
Governor's criticism was dodged, while his
words were quoted as showing the objection, is
removed by this blunt statement by the Gov
■ rnor in response to a statement by Senator
Gardner in the Senate:
"Senator Gardner is not authorized to speak
(or me on savings bank matters."
NIAGARA BILL VP TO-DAY.
Evidence That leaders Will Tn/ to
Defeat It.
Iny TEi.E.aiAPH to the tribune.]
my, April 10. — The Niagara power Mil will
come ni> for final passage to-morrow, bat at a
late hour to-night h. sensation was sprung in
:his lipht which seems to ni.ike possible the de
feat of ihe measure, namely, the declaration by
Assemblyman Jean 1.. Burnett that h«» woald
the opposition to the measure to-morrow.
Tfcis means that the open and scandalous man
ner in which a campaign of corruption and
has bei n waged for this hill has K<me
mi far that th""*. in control have been obliged
Mr. Burnett Is chairman of the Assem
bly cities Committee and uni> of the most 1n
... r.r the members of the lower nous
pposition will at least put the hill in
• ly.
All day long the lobbying for this bin was
kepi up, buf the publicity that has been the 10l
of This measure in the last w*-pk has damaged
while the lobby support is still
strong, there is reason for believing that the
. Republican leaders of the Assembly
led that the passage of this t.ili will
;... ioo de*p a legislative disgrace, even if Gov
ernor )fii:iri;is. like- Governor odell. should veto
the measure, and have decided to kill It. The
supporters "f the measure, however, remain
confident, and declare that they will have all
tne nd some to spare.
ELSBERG GRAB THROUGH.
Senate Passes Bill Allowing Correc
tion of Charters.
lllT TELEGRAPH TO THE TRIBUNE]
Albany, April 19.— Behind closed doors Sen
ator Elsberg to-day secured the passage by the
Senate of his railroad bill, introduced on the
same !.,-. that an attack was made through the
Attorney General's office on the charter of the
New-York, Westchester and Boston Railroad.
mid drflnltely lined by its opponents as curing
the - .fects in this charter, which are the basis
for the attack. The bill is merely a slightly
changed form of the notorious WHecs-TVallace
bill of last session, which was defeated only
tfter long public agitation. Like the majority of
railroad "g-rab' bills, it is so blind that even th"
introducer do^-s not know its purpose or the
railroad It applies tr>, or much, except the as
surance that he received from the person who
gave him the bill that it does not apply to th*
New-York and Westchester.
The New-York and 'Westchester charter was
attacked on the ground that th?re was not an
nexed to the certificate of incorporation the nec
essary affidavit that !•» per cent of the capital
stock had been paid in. On the sans day the
Elsb»rg bill was introduced, so drawn that, it
was assorted, it would cover this case.
Senator Elsberg at once declared that he
would amend the hjll so thai it applied to no
such case. To do this he inserted a cause that
the bill should affect no pending litigation. In
quiry developed that this application to the At
torney General was technically not a pending
litigation. Then the Senator amended it so
that it would not apply to cases of companies
incorporated for many years after the West
ehester, but th^ amendment was declared not
t© cover the case in a debate recently, and Sen
ator Carpenter, of Westchester, declared in
voting against the bill to-day that lie did so on
legal advice that the bill might without difficulty
apply to the Wtstchester case.
At first the explanation was offered for the
bill that it applied to a Queens County road;
later it was conceded that it applied to a case
In the borough of The Bronx and the oounty
of Westchester, but to-day, as in all other in
stances. Senator Elsberg declared that it did
not apply to Weatcheater. In the former de
bate on this bill in the Senate the bill was char
acterized as a "grab" bill; evm Senator Klsberg
admitted he had no prld» ir, the bill, and was
then forced to lay it aside to escape defeat.
Since that time, however, active work has been
done for the bill, and while the rollcall was
going on to-day Senator Goodsell, who has three
other "grabs" pending before the legislature,
urged Senators to vote for the bill, and thus as
sisted Elsberg In passing it. Senator Marks
alone spoke against it, and only six Senators
voted against the measure, while thirty-three
voted for it.
The measure has been severely criticised by
representatives of various civic bodies which
opposed the bill in the Wik-ox-Wallaee form of
last year, in the earlier form of the Qrady bill
of Ul'i.'l and in various other forms. A measure
embodying the general principles of this bill has
been kicking around tli- legislature for many
years. In speaking of this bill to-day Julius
Henry Cohen, representing the Citizens Union,
said:
The Elsberg Mil allows railroad companies
which have failed to comply with the !aw in
the particulars st«ted In Section *_' of the Rail
road Law, t<> tm ahead and by simply filing an
amended or supplemental certificate patch up
defects and supply omissions.
A defective route may be patched up. or a
vital omission of the statement that the Railroad
l«iw has b^en compiled with In its detailed pro
visions supplied. Laal year at s conference In
which representatives of forty-eight civic or
ganizations participated, the following rule was
adopted concerning bills c,f this sort:
"No particular railroad should have it;; defects
patched up by amendment t<i the genera] Rail
road Law. Such ;> bill ts n?cessarlly and essen
tial a 'sneak' bill, for nobody can tind out how
many corporations are affected by such an
amendment <>r What they :ire. This end should
be accomplished by less objectionable means."
Clearly Senator Elsberg*s ''ill falls within this
criticism, and it will be a great disappointment
to many of his friends In New-York, and cause
sincere chagrin amon^ many, to learn that he
is the father of a bill falling within the class
known as "sneak" or "grab" bills. We are loath
to criticise him. but when he deserves it he
must take the consequence?.
REPORT GOODSELL GRABS.
Committee Acts Immediately After
Their Vicious Character Is Shown.
[bt telegraph to me Iwwmsj.]
Albany. April li>.— Without amendment nnd
In their objectionable entirety the Aasembly
Raiiroads Committee to-day reported the two
floods*!! bills, one granting a perpetual fran
chise In the ia«e of the old St.-inway tunnel,
the other conferring on th- Mm beneficiary.
Continued an tkinl p»ge
DEWEY'S PORT WINE AND GRAPE JUICE
Csnnot be excelled for the aide.
H. T. Dewey* Sons Co . US Fulton St.. New Tork.
-Advt.
CONTROLLER GROUT.
STOCK TAX BILL SIGNED.
GOES IN EFFECT JUNE 1.
The Governor Issues Statement Ex
plaining His Action.
Lbv tei.e«;raph to ttik tribune.]
Albany. April 10.— The Stock Transfer Tax bill
became a. law this evening when Governor Hig
gins signed it, barely six hours before the ex
piration of the ten days allowed for its con
sideration. His action fulfils the prophecy of
The Ti ibune, which exclusively announced the
contemplation of such a measure on January 5.
With the announcement of hfs approval the
Governor gave out the following statement of
his reasons:
I have given my approval to the ahove bill. It
imposes a tax of &2 a hundred shares on transfers
of corporate shares, or 'Z cents on each $100 par
value thereof. The tax is moderate in amount.
and similar taxes are levied in other countries.
and were levied In the United States under the
War revenue tax. It has been argued with much
it deal of truth, that the busi
;' dealing in corporate shares is necessary
and useful, it has been assert el that even a?
small a tax as that imposed by this act must
either suppress the business abnnsi entirely or
dri\e it out of the State. Expertei* c with taxes
of this sort <>n the continent of Europe does not
Been to indicate thai the business of stock
brokers has he-n suppressed or even serioualy
> becked by th« m.
I in favor of the tax that there
no ..th«r sort of capital which at
present escapes taxation as completely as that
employed in stock transactions. It is generally
ed ih;.t th- Imposition of a like tnx hy
resa during the Spanish war did not drive
it of th*- United St.it<-.s an.} di<l not
great hardship to those engaged in the
business of dealing in stocks.
A Btati tax of this kind is undoubtedly to
some degree experimental in its character. If
its results are those which we have every r
t. it will produce a substantial revenue
without seriously burdening the business Inter
ests and financial welfare of the Stare. If. on
the other hand, it should prove that the hill is
a disappointment in the way of producing rev
enue, or inimical to the welfare of the State,
rh» deliberations and recommendations of the
commission to consider revenue and taxation,
which I trust will be provided for at the present
session of the legislature, will suggest a more
equitable and productive substitute.
FRANK VT. HIGGINS.
The law takes effect Immediately, but its
actual operation does not begin until June 1.
and meanwhile the Controller will arrange for
the preparation of stamps, which are the medium
by which the tax is collected. This evening
Controller Kelsey said that his dep;>rtment had
waited for the bill to be signed before taking
any steps for its operation.
The law provides that th^se stamps shall be
affixed to the document showing evidence of the
■ale, to the company's books, the transfer cer
tlflcats or the memorandum of sale, -is the case
may be.
The Governor a!.=o signed th<^ companion bill
penalizing forging or tampering with the new
Sttate revenue stamps. Stamps must be can
celled by perforation and the initials of the
user and the dat_\
The enactment of the Stock Tax Transfer bill,
which has just become a law. has been vigorously
opposed by the New-York Stock Exchange and the
Consolidated Stock and Petroleum Exchange. At
■ bearing held by the Senate Committee on Tax
ation, in Albany on March '2. arguments against
the proposed measure were made by leading mem
bers of the two exchanges and by counsel for the
institutions.
It has been urged in opposition to the bill that
the tax would he inequitable, as directed against a
special class of business men; that it would be a
new fo,rm of taxation, levied on trade and not on
property; thai its effect would be to destroy the
financial supremacy of New-York, diverting a «r»-at
part of its business to rival cities in other States;
that stocks once the specialties of cities like Phila
delphia and Boston would again rind their princi
pal market in those cities: that, with the diminu
tion of stock trading here, real estate values in the
financial district would shrink; that the Imposition
of the same tax on a transfer of ICO shares of a
high priced stock and 100 shares of a low priced
stock would bo unjust, and that the tax would
operate to wire out the "floor traders" and the
"two-dollar broker*."
A movement is under discussion by members of
the Consolidated Kxehange for the organisation Of
an exchange in Jersey City or Hoboken. to which
orders for the purchase or sale of stocks, received
In this city from customers of Consolidated Ex
change houses, would be telephoned for execution,
such operations being subject to no tax.
The principal provisions of the law are as fol
lows :
There Is hereby imposed and there shall Imme
diately accrue and bw collected a tax as herein pro
vided on nil sales, or agreements to sell, or memo
randa of sales, or deliveries or transfers of shares,
or certificates of stock In *ny domestic or foreign
association, company or corporation, made after
the first day of June. 1905. whether made upon or
shown by the books of the association, company of
corporation or by any assignment In blank, or by
any delivery, or by any paper, or agreement, or
memorandum, or other evidence of transfer or
sale whether entitling the holder In any manner
to the benefit of such stock, or to secure the fut
ure payment of money or the future transfer of
any stock, on each hundred dollars of face value
or fraction thereof, two cents.
It is not intended by this act to Impose a tax
Coniiaoed « •ocoad page.
.After all. I'SHWS. the Sjubtch that made- the
hichbail taraou*. It is tn« best.— Advw
PRICE THREE CENTS.
HYDE IS ASKED TO RESIGJ'
RIVALS TALK TO AGENTS.
Threats to Drive Out Alexander
and Tarbell Arc Made.
After four hours of violent discussion the gen
eral agents of the Equitable Life Assurance
Society, at their meeting at the Hotel Pavoy
yesterday, passed a resolution authorizing a,
communication to James Hazen I|yde. asking
him to resign from the society, that harmony
might be restored. The vote was 170> to 14 lri
favor of the resolution. A committee was ap
pointed to convey the communication to Mr.
Hyde, and it informed his office that it would] co>
to see him.
Mr. Hyde, with his lawyers. Samuel Unter
myer. Wlnslow 8. Pierce and. W. C. Gulltver.
waited until '»:?.(* p. m. Then Mr. Hy<2s wont
home. Before he l"ft th- office he said he didn't
. Intend to resign right away because the agents
a skid him.
"I have not seen the eo-rnnttee." salil he. "I
have not seen the resolution. I will say that It
is impertinent, extraordinary, insulting and moat
preposterous. I have no intention of resigning."
Mr. Hyde later made an appointment with
the committee for this morning at 0 o'clock.
A HOrSECLEANIXG PREDICTED.
Instead of Mr. Hyde's resisnaticn It was pre
dicted last night by his friends that within
thirty days there will be resignations from tha
leaders of the other party. "Mr. Alexander ami
Mr. Tar bell will be forced to sever their con
nections with the Equitable." said one/ of then*,
"and with them will po Mr. Woods, Mr. Tir
bell's pet agent. Not one of the mea who have
declared themselves against Mr. Hyde in this
; tight will be retained when the general house
■ cleaning come 1 ?. The Hyde party i.s glad; the
| agents, urged by Mr. Alexander and Mr. TarbeU.
I held this convention, for by Its proceedings, the
: Hyde leaders are abie to pick out unmistakably
: their enemies."
The resolution empowering the communication
to Mr. Hyde was about the only important bust
j ness transacted by the agents. The bitterest
; discussion, in which were many personalities.
i grew out of this action, toward which all the
j proceedings of the meetings on Tuesday pointed 1 .
, It was preceded by a reaohitfßii from one of th»
Western firebrands, demanding In uncensor^d
phrases Mr. Hyde's resignation, attributing to
his conduct personally and as an Equitable offi
cial the present trouble in the society. John
C. Eisele. of Newark, jumped to his feet, de
; nouncing this attack on Mr. Hyde on accusa
tions which he declared, were unfounded and
had never been substantiated by the slightest
bit of fact.
Other Westerners and many of Mr. TarbelTs
agents decried this defence of the vice-president,
declaring that until he got out of the society, no
matter how much harmony was fixed up osten
sibly, there would be no getting the Equitable
back to its old place In public opinion, as people
would always be shy of the society with Hyda'a
name attached to It.
Again Mr. Eisele made a vigorous speech, de
claring that Mr. Hyde was practically Tinder
Investigation by Superintendent Hendric,&3 of
the State Insurance Department, and the com
mittee of directors headed by Henry C lYick.
To force* him out at this Juncture womd fc4 un
; Just, he said.
S. H. Reck, of Rockford, 111., the only other
man who spoke for Mr. Hyde, declared that
I there was much doubt as to what really had
I caused the trouble in the society. Mr. Alex
ander was just as much concerned In the fight
as was Mr. Hyde, he said, and apparently wasn't
showing any disposition to drop it.
SUGGESTS ALEXANDER'S RESIGNATION 1 .
"If the agents are going to ask for resigna
tions." he shouted, "why don't they ask for all
at once? Why single out Hyde? Why rot .ask,
for Alexander's and bell's as well, to clean.
out all who are In the fight?"
The vigorous opposition by these two IT.»- and
the quiet work of some of the more conservative
agents prevailed, and: the resolution originally
presented was amended to empower a commit
tee to present a communication to Mr. Hyda
| asking him to take all measures to promote har
| rcony In the society, and. if it became necessary,
to retire from bis office. Th« committee/ ap
pointed to present this document was made up
of Charles Wake, of this city; Frank L. Levy.
of New-Orleans; Charles J. Edwards, of Brook
lyn; Joseph Bowes, of Baltimore, and W. J.
Roddey. of South Carolina.
Mr. Eisele was so disgusted with the action
taken by the agents that he left the me-
before the day's session hail been completed.
"I'm one of th«» men who voted against the
resolution," he said, "a.nd I'm proud of it. Most
of these people seem to be under the thumbs of
Alexander and Tarbell."
AGENTS HEAR ALEXANDER.
President Alexander and Gage E. Tarbell were
asked by the agents to speak at the meeting
yesterday morning. This, it was explained, was
purely formal. Youns "Jack" Wilson, brother
of George T. Wilson, third viee-pre.sident. who
is doing his best to promote good feeling In the
' Equitable instead of the factionalism which 13
' rampant, declared that it was "very significant™
j Mr. Alexander and Mr. TarbeU should be so near
' th ■ meeting that it took the committee only five
■ minutes to find th«>m and escort them to th*
meeting rooms.
The applause which greets Mr. Alexander and
Mr. Tarbell whenever they appear in an agents*
meeting sounded cat liberally. Mr. Powell.
I chairman of the meeting, thanked thorn for tho
; hospitality the agents had received. Mr. Alex
ander declared that he could not express the
great affection and esteem he felt for the agents).
•1 have every confidence in you." he ' ski
them. "I thank you for the expressions of your
affection for me. and I thank you v for your
hearty support of my actions Jn regani to
mutualiztng the society. I appreciate this more
than I can say. You may be sure that I shall
ever remain true ■»■ '- loyal to the polieyholdersj
whom you represent. I pledge to you my ut
most endeavor in guarding their interests.**
GAGE E. TARBELL SPEAKS.
Mr. Tart" told how for twenty-five years he
had labor- d for the Equitable, for twelve cf
which he had been In most pteasant relations
with the agents and managers. He would con
tinue those pleasant relations, he said, and
would try his best to make pleasant the lot of
the agents hustling for business. He paid his
customary tribute to Prest lent Alexander.
Then, much to the surprise of the agents who
had summoned him and the president ti> thank
them for the hospitality, he saltl the agents
would have to pay the expenses of the conven
tion. Whatever expense* for lawyers' ftes or
any other expenditure became necessary in the
campaign for mutualizatlon he and President
Alexander were waging would be paid by Mr.
Alexander and him personally, he said. The
agents, li purely persona! capacity, seemed
EASTER AT OLD I-OINT COMFORT.
p..i day tour ria Penr.sy'.vanla Railroad to Old
Point Comfort. Richmond and Washington April 22.
Rat* covering necessary expenses C*. foetlii
tickets to Old Point Comfort. |iT. Be« ticket agtafe
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