NERVIEST DEAL OF
THE ENTIRE LOT
President Hegeman of Metro
politan Life Makes a Re
markable Admission.
REBATE ON INTEREST
Wominally Paid Banking Firm 4>/2 Per
Cent. Interest and Received Re
bates of 3 Per Cent, in Per
sonal Checks.
New York, Nov. 15.- John A. McCall,
president of the New York Life Insur
ance company, was called by the com
mittee of investigation of insurance
companies and peremptorily ordered by
the committee, to demand the return
'from Europe to this country of Andrew
Hamilton, the lawyer who lias charge
of the legislative matters of the New
Y'ork Life company. Mr. McCall was
further ordered to demand an account
ing from Hamilton of the moneys ex
pended by him and of the balance
which he owes the New Y'ork Life.
Mr. McCall denied that it was the
policy of his company to have Mr. Ham
ilton remain abroad until this investi
gation had been concluded, and said
that on the contrary he would like to;
have Mr. Hamilton return.
Mr. McCall, replying to Mr. Hughes,
counsel for the committee, said he had:
called the attention of the board of'
trustees of the company to his testi-J
mony relative to Hamilton, and gave;
Mr. Hughes a copy of his statement,!
which said that if Hamilton did not re-j
$235,000 by December 15 he would him-;
self pay it to the company.
Mr. McCall said Mr. Hamilton was|
either in Paris or Nauheim.
Another interesting line of examina
tion was opened up just before the ad
journment for the day, when John Me
Guinness, an employe of the Equitable
Life, was called. He produced letters,
books and memoranda, one of which
Mr. Hughes read, and was in the midst
of reading another when adjournment
was taken. These were instructions of
former Comptroller Thomas D. Jor
dan, of the Equitable Life, to A. C.
Fields, relative to the killing or assist
ing the passage of every bill introduced
into the legislature that would affect
the interests of the insurance company
or any of its officers.
This line of examination will be fol
lowed out when the sessions are re
sumed today.
New Y’ork, Nov. 13.—John R. Hege
man, president of the Metropolitan Life
Insurance company, was on the wit
ness stand again today before the in-,
surance investigating committee. He;
presented a statement of rebates paid,
to him on interest on loans on his per
sonal account.
The statement show that Hegeman,
paid Vermilyo & Co., bankers, interest
at the rate of 4% per cent., and re
ceived in personal checks of various in
dividuals of the firm, at different times,
a rebate of this interest at the rate of
3 per cent.
New York Life Must Disgorge.
John A. McCall, president of the New
Y'ork Life Insurance company, was
called before the insurance investigat
ing committee today and ordered by
the committee to demand the return
to this country of Andrew Hamilton
and account for moneys which Hamil
ton has expended and for which the
New York Life holds no vouchers be
yond the personal receipts.
Hamilton is believed to be in Eu
rope.
McCall said that if Hamilton does
not repay the company before Decem
ber 15 the sunt of $235,000 which Ham
ilton received from the company and
has not accounted for, he, McCall, will
pay the amount himself to the New
York Life before December 30.
Loaned Money Too Cheap.
It was shown that the Metropolitan
Life made loans of $100,000 to $200,000
at one-half of 1 per cent, interest to
William Reade, of the firm of Ver
milye & Co., on various dates in 1901
to 1903. The market rate for call loans
was at the time from 4% to 5 per cent.
Vermilye & Co. were the bankers
of the Metropolitan at that time, and
when Mr. Reade resigned from Ver
milye & Co. and went into business
for himself ho became the company’s
banker. Mr. Hegeman's explanation
for making these loans below the mar
ket fate was that as valuable services
had been rendered the company it
sought to repay favors where it could.
Mr. Hegeman said that through the
watchfulness of Vermilye & Co. the
Metropolitan Life Insurance company
had now $3,000,000 or $4,000,000 that
could be burned without impairing the
solvency of the company.
On bonds and stocks the Metropoli
tan had cleared, according to Mr.
Hegeman, about $1,200,000, and on
syndicates into which Vermilye & Co.
instructed the company to participate
the company has made about $050,000.
G0IV1PERS TO HOLD OVER
National Convention of the American
Federation of Labor Holds 25th
Meeting.
Pittsburg, Pa.. N^v. 15.—The old lity
hall was crowded today when Presi
dent Samuel Gompers called the Amer
ican Federation of Labor to order for
the opening session of the silver anni
versary of the organization.
All delegates, representing every
state in the union, Canada, England
and other foreign countries, were in
their seats. -jF +■ w
One of the interesting lights t&siigJq
‘ augurated at tbven flop it
trouble between'"'the plumbers' a lid
steamfUtej*' unions.
It j: <aid officials of the teamste ‘s’
xjtriim will make an effort to unst it
_. William J. Spencer, the plumbers’ re p
resentative in the executive council. J
f Gompers is out for re-election, and sit
is generally believed that he will be suc
cessful. A majority of the other offi
cers are also candidates for re-electiop.
and it is likely no changes will result,
with the exception of Fifth Vice Presi
dent Thomas I. Kidd, who is not a can
didate for another term. W. D. Mahon,
president of the Amalgamated Associa^
tior. of Street Railway employes, will
probably succeed him.
GIRL IS ASSASSINATED
Six Men Are Under Arrest for a Brutal
Crime, Including a Rejected
Suitor.
Cleveland, O.. Nov. 15.--Six men haye
been taken into custody ay the police
in connection with the murder of Miss
Eva Meyer, who was shot by an am
bushed assassin while she wxs walking
with her lover last night. A rejected
suitor is among those under atrest.
BISHOP MERRILL DIES.
Famous Methodist Leader Succumbs
to Sudden Attack of Paralysis
Last Night.
New York, Nov. 15.—The death o.
Bishop Stephen M. Merrill, the Metho
dist Kpiscopal bishop of Chicago, at
Keyport, N. J.. was announced here;
today through a telegram received by
a Methodist book concern of this city.
The bishop died of paralysis of the
heart.
Bishop Merrill had been attending,
sessions of the general committee of,
the missionary societies of the Metho
dist Episcopal church, meeting in’
Brooklyn. Yesterday morning he
preached in Fleet street Methodist;
Kpiscopal church, Brooklyn, and in the,
afternoon went to Keyport to conduct)
evening services there. This illness!
came on suddenly during the evening.
Physicians, who were hurriedly sum-)
inoned, were unable to stay the course'
of paralysis.
Stephen Mason Merrill lias been one of!
the leading Bishops of the Methodist
church since 18*72. He was bom in Joffer-’
son county, Ohio, in 1825. He entered the,
Methodist ministry In Ohio when he was
21. He was editor for several years of (lie;
Western Christian Advocate and has)
written and published numerous religious;
works. Since his election as Bishop he)
has resided in Chicago.
THINK MOTHER A GHOST
One Man Fainted: One Shook—Identi
fied Dead Woman as Their
Parent.
Waterbury. Conn... Nov. 15.—Afterj
Thomas and Michael McDonald had
Iwept over the supposed corpse of their
mother lying on the door of the public i
market this morning and then had1
(made the preliminary funeral arrange
ments and had telephoned death no
tices to the newspapers, they went
home to find their mother alive and sit
ting at the window. Thomas fainted.
Michael thought he beheld a ghost. This
was the end of a most remarkable case
of mistaken identity.
Shortly after noon a woman entered
the market to make some purchases
and fell dead at a counter. Clerks in
the place thought she was Mrs. Mc
Donald. So did the policeman on the
beat. Neighbors made the identifica
tion aparently positive. Then Thomas
and Michael came hurrying from their
work at a foundry, wept piteously over
the body, kissed the dead face and an
undertaker bore away the hotly.
Thomas said death was undoubtedly
due to the fright occasioned by a fire
at their home last night.
When the McDonalds went sorrow
fully home the mother asked:
"What makes you boys late to din
ner?”
Then it was that big Tom fainted
and Michael stood dazed with shaking
knees.
The McDonalds are a very happy
family this evening. The dead woman
was later identified as Mrs. Catherine
•tickles.
MONEY PANIC STILL ON
Call Money Brings 25 Per Cent, in
New York Today, but Relief Is
Now Promised.
New York, Nov. 14.—Just befer^ the mar
ket closed, call money was loaned at 25 per
cent. It was announced that one large
Wall street bank was sending funds into
the market to be lent at (5 per cent.
Washington, Nov. 13.—Secretary Shaw
has not yet decided to come to the relief of
the money market. He authorized the
statement that he will not interfere unless
convinced business interests are likely to
suffer. Thus far no business interest has
asked it. He will not come to the relief of
speculation. Should any business concern |
be denied deserved credit at reasonable
rates, the secretary wants to know facts.
He believes a majority of New York loans
are still made at or below six per cent.
JAP ADMIRAL COMES.
Togo, the Famous Japanese Admiral
Will Come with His Fleet to
Visit America.
Izondon, Nov. 14.—The Tokio correspond-,
dent of the Daily Telegraph sends the fol
lowing:
‘Tt is officially anounced that the Amer
ican legation has been raised to an em
bassy. It has been definitely decided that
Vice Admiral Togo vfith a squadron will
visit the United States and not Australia,
as previously announced. Mr. Yono, for-i
mer president of the diet, and Mr. Otake,
a member of the diet, with other prominent,
politicians, have been arrtided in connec-i
tion with the recent peace riots.”
END OF “TAINTED MONEY’
Or. Washington Gladden Is Confident
That No Further Trouble Will Arise.
Columbus, O., Nov. 15.—The Rev. Dr.
Washington Gladden, moderator of the
Congregational church of the United
States, announced Sunday from his
pulpit that the controversy over "taint
ed money” had been definitely settled
so far as the Congregational church is
concerned.
He quoted the resolution which he
offered at Seattle as follows:
"Resolved, That the officers of the
board should neither invite nor solicit
donations to its funds from persons
whose gains have been by methods
morally reprehensible or socially injur
ious,” and added:
“The principle for which we contend
ed was not voted down at Seattle, the
board simply declined to take' action
upon it. I am now satisfied that the
principle will be respected in the fu
ture action of the board. There need
be no fear that moral issues will be
raised hereafter in the solicitation of
money.”
A DONATION BY CARNEGIE
Ironmaster Sends $10,000 for Relief of
Sufferers in Russia.
NV \\ York, Nov. 15.—It was an
nounced last night that Andrew Car
negie has contributed a qheck of $10,
000 for relief of Jews in Russia. The
gift was attached to a letter sent to
Isjdor Straus, of this city, in which Mr.
Carnegie says:
IT am only too glad to send you the
inclosed as a contribution to the fund
for the relief of your co-religionists in
Russia. The terrible crimes being com
mitted there are such as might lead one
to lose faith in humanity, had not the
history of the past shown us scenes
equally demoniacal.
“Do not he discouraged, however.
Under the law of evolution we must
steadily, though slowly, march upward,
and finally reach the true conception
Of the brotherhood of man.”
CAVE-IN KILLS 68 MEN.
Accident in Johannesburg Mine in a
Vertical Shafe Has Appalling
Results.
Johannesburg. Transvaal, Nov. 13.—
A vertical shaft in Drls-Fonteln mine
collapsed today. One white man and
■ftttv-s«ven natives were killed. 1
'NQUIRY PROVES THE
STUDENT WAS TIED
Stuart Pierson Was Bound t<
Track; Frat Members Re
sponsible for His Death.
NINE D. K. E.’S INVOLVED
I
Evidence Turned Over to County Pros*
ecutcr by Coroner, Who Will Push
Charges of Manslaughter
Against Kenyon Boys.
Mt. Vernon. O., Nov. ID.—Stuart Hj
.Pierson, the Kenyon college student
who was killed by a train on the night
of October 28, while being initiated into
the Delta Kappa Epsilon fraternity,. ;
was declared by Coroner Scarborough
either to have been tied to the track,
or bound in such a manner that he
could not free himself from his perilous
position, and while lying helpless to
have been run over by the engine.
The coroner says in his findings that
because the body was taken out of the
county before he could see it, the bridge
where the death occurred scrubbed and
washed, and all evidence otherwise de
stroyed, he was compelled to rely upon
the testimony of witnesses, and under
the peculiar circumstances of the case
it is Impossible for him to determine the
names of the persons responsible for
Pierson's death. He accordingly sub
mits his findings for action by the pros
ecuting attorney, who will lay the case
before the Knox county grand jury,
which convenes in Mt. Vernon today.
D. K. E.’s May Be Indicted.
It is probable that indictments for
manslaughter will be brought against
members of the D. K. E. fraternity,
who admit that Pierson met death
while being initiated into their society,
but declare he was only sent to the
bridge as a preliminary step in initia
tion, was not bound or tied in any
manner, and that death by accident
was caused by the boy’s own negligence
or carlessness, or some other cause for
which the fraternity is not to blame.
The active members of Lambda chap
ter, D. K. E. fraternity, of Kenyon col
lege, are: P. R. Tschan, La Grange, 111.:
E. A. Duncan, Clarksburg, W. Va.; Al
fred K. Taylor. Quincy, 111.; E. York,
Akron, O.; J. H. Starr, Richmond, Jnd.;
G. Conover, Utica, O.; W. C. Russell,
Mt. Vernon, O.
In addition to these, two alumnus
members of Lambda chapter were pres
ent on the night of the tragedy. They
were N. L. Pierson of Cincinnati, father
of the young man killed, and Herbert
Brown, of Zanesville, O.
The coroner's investigations covered
a period of more than a week and in
cluded the examination of thirty-three;
witnesses, among them being President:
Pierce and Dr. Reeves, secretary of the:
faculty, and all the active members of!
the D. K. E. chapter. Preliminary to,
the inquiry he went to Cincinnati to
view the body. His findings also said:
Carefully Destroys Evidence.
The theory the coroner deduces from
the evidence is that young Pierson in
the ordeal of initiation was bound, laid
on the bridge track in a lonely place at
night and left there alone after being
assured with great solemnity that he
was to remain there until a train
ground him to pieces. That the mem
bers of the committee then retired into
the woods, expecting to return in a
short time and long before the arrival
of the train and remove the candidate
he is positive, but believes that before
they could get back an engine running
wild passed ancj killed the student.
The coroner did not hear of the death
until the next day and then in a
roundabout way. but finally Dr. Work
man of Gambler called him up on the
telephone and told him that a college
boy had been killed by accident and
the body had been shipped away.
When the coroner arrived he found
that the corpse had been taken at 4
o’clock that morning on a special train
to Cincinnati. All fragments of the
body were removed carefully from the
bridge when he got there Sunday noon,
and even the blood stains had been
washed from the ties and rails.
College President Talks.
President Pierce was at his house
when the coroner’s verdict was read to
him. He said he was not surprised, as
the attitude of the coroner had been
such that no other sort of verdict could
have been expected.
“The fraternity,” he said, “has made
it the custom to send their-candidates
out to lonely places to await the com
ing of various committees appointed to
take care of each particular initiate.
“Pierson could not have been bound
to the track because no one went with
him to do it. The fraternity members
remained in their lodge, a mile deep in
the woods, while the candidates went
away to their stations.
Says No One Is to Blame.
"Young Pierson was sent to the
bridge. In some way unknown he got4
in front of the train. He was tired out
and might have fallen asleep. I do not.
know, but at any rate the awful aeci-;
dent occurred, for which no one was to
blame.”
“Do you not think it was reprehensi-:
ble of the fraternity to send Pierson to
a place so hazardous that he lost his(
life?" the president was asked.
That place to which Pierson was sent!
was not hazardous,” declared the pres,
ident. He was not told to stand on,
the bridge but on the abutment at the
end of the bridge, which is quite wide.
It is exactly the place that young iner^
might select as a meeting place if they
were going fishing."
ARRESTED FOR FRAUDS
Large Number of Bench Warrants Arc?
in Hands of Officers in New
York Today.
New York, Nov. 15.—A large number
‘of indictments in New York election
ifraud cases were issued by the grand
Jury today. Immediately afterwards
bench warrants were issued.
TO DEFEND MERIWETHER
His Friends Say Evidence Will Put
Case in Better Light.
Annapolis, Md., Nov. 14.—Midshiprnan
Minor Meriwether,jr., was plaeed under
arrested Sunday to await his trial by court,
'martial for engaging in a fistic combat
•with Midshipman James R. Branch, jr.,
who died of his injuries.
The arrest of young Meriwether occurred
(Shortly after the receipt of the order from.
fthe navy department. He is confined to
|his room under what is known in the ser
vice as a “military arrest."
' Mr. Meriwether, sr., arrived In Annapolis
last night and had a talk with his son. It
ns said that evidence will be adduced be
fore the court that will place Meriwether’s
case In a better light than has been indi
cated.
REQUESTED AUTONOMY
HAS BEEN DENIED
Russian Government Returns
Its Final Answerto Attempt
to Wrest Autonomy.
POLES ARE EXASPERATED
Declaration of Martial Law on Chargt
of Revolt, May Prove Signal
for Renewal of Dis
turbances.
Odessa, Nov. 13.—The death list
of Jewish victims in the recent
outbreak has been increased by 114
who succumbed to injuries.
St. Petersburg, Nov. 15.—The format
proclamation of martial law through
out Russian Poland and the promulga
tion of the government's intention to
suppress the Polish movement to se
cure autonomy almost created a panic
on the bourse today. Imperial 4s again
fell to S*> cents. Industrials seein to
have no bottom.
The city is full of rumors to the ef
fect that the imperial ukase was is
sued over Count Witte’s head,at the
instigation of the reactionaries, which
is equivalent to the count's retirement;
but it can be stated with positiveness
that the action was taken up on the
.•premier’s advice. Count Witte favored
and impressed upon his majesty the
advisability of restoring Finland’s con
stitution and reversing the policy of
the russification of the grand duchy,
but to surrender autonomy to Poland
after all the old grievances of the Poles
had been redressed and they had been
'placed upon an equality with Russians,
the count considered would only be a
prelude to an attempt to set up the
ancient kingdom as a separate entity
and would involve ultimately either the
dismemberment of the empire or the
necessity for bloody suppression such
as marked the revolutions of 1831 and
1862.
It was regarded as wise, therefore,
to take the bull by the horns and let
the Poles understand that the separate
movement would not be tolerated, and
that until they came to their senses
further efforts to place in operation the
reforms of the manifesto would be sus
pended. It is generally believed that
both Germany and Austria have given
Russia assurances of support, but of
what nature cannot be learned.
Whether or not this is true, Ger
many and Austria naturally are inter
ested, each of them having a Polish
problem on their hands, and in not
raising the Polish hopes of a restora
tion of the ancient kingdom of Poland
the present movement In Poland cer
tainly will not receive the sympathy
of the governments beyond the west
ern border.
Warsaw, Nov. 13.—In Ostrowtecka
■ street at 9 o'clock last evening an In
fantry patrol without provocation fired
into a crowd of Jews, seriously wound
ing eight
Relief for Peasants.
Ixtndon, Nov. 13.—The St. Peters
burg correspondent of the Daily Tele
graph says that an imperial manifesto
will shortly bo Issued granting relief
to the peasantry by the cancellation of
some twenty million roubles of arrers
of the land redemption tax which has
been levied since the emancipation of
1861, together with the extension of
the operations of the peasant banks.
No Liberty for Poland.
St. Petersburg, Nov. 13.—Poland Is
not to be pefinitted to become a second
Finland. The Russian government, in
a strongly worded communication pub
lished this morning, serves notice on
the Polish nationalists that for good
or ill the ancient kingdom of Poland
has become an intergral part of the
Russian empire and that while the
government intends to fully observe
the national rights of Poland any at
tempt to wrept Polish autonomy from
»he emperor would be considered an
fict of revolt and would lead the Poles
Into the paths trodden by them in 1831
and 1863.
■ The Russian authorities recognize
the gravity of the movement in which
two antagonistic parties, the national
ists and the socialists, under the lead
ership of such Poles as Henrik Sienk
iewicz, the novelist, has joined forces,
and they declare that none of the
benefits of the emancipation manifesto
can be conferred on "a country in re
volt."
An Ultimatum to Poles.
An official communication issued thh.
morning recalls the fact that the impe
rial ukase of December 23 last estab
lished bases for the gradual renovation
of the civil life of Russian subjects and
points out that the measures adopted
in pursuance of that ukase affected
equally the Polish people. The ukase
says:
"In accordance with the ukase, the
exceptional laws hindering the free de
velopment of the nation were abrogated
and the Poles were given the same
rights as the Russians. Educational,
municipal, and judicial reforms were
introduced, as stipulated by the decis
ions arrived at by the committee of
ministers on June IS, and by the ukase
of April regarding religious liberty. The
general measures adopted by the gov
ernment were extended to Poland,
which also was given the right of par
ticipation in the douma and freedom
of meeting.
"Finally on October 30 the Poles were
fully recognized as free citizens, there
by obtaining full opoprtunity to prove
their capacity. By participating In a
great creative work they would conse
quently have gradually attained the ul
terior progress of the Polish nation
with the aid of the electoral institu
tions, which naturally would have sym
pathized with their fate.
“Forgetting the painful lessons of the
past, the politicians who are directing
the national movement in the kingdom
of Poland are making attempts as dan
gerous for the Polish population as they
are insolent toward Russia to bring
about the separation from the empire.
Government's Ultimatum.
"The government will not tolerate at
tacks on the integrity of the empire, in
surrectionary plots or acts of violence.
It declares in a decisive manner that as
long as the troubles in the Vistula dis
tricts continue, and as long as that part
of the population adhering to political
agitators continues its present sway,
these districts shall receive none of the
benefits resulting from the manifestos
of August 18 and October 30, 1903.
"There could obviously be no ques
tion of realizing pacific principles in a
country In revolt. Therefore, for the
restoration of order, all the districts of
'the Vistula are temporarily declared to
be in a state of war.
BANKER GETS EIGHT YEARS.
’ St. Paul, Nov. 13.—Thomas II. < lemerl.
'president ff the First Na oral harik cf
Faribault, 'linn.. eon»i ’.e-l ■' e.nbezHan
■funds of the batik, eani-iav ..s failure, v,. ■
'today sentenced to eR.ht r.i n . Uo
ACTOR NATHAN FREED.
Grand Jury Indicts Others for the Suit
Case Murder, but Ignore
Nathan.
Boston, Mass., Nov. 14.—The grand:
Jury today reported an Indictment
against Dr. Percy D. McLeod, the
charge being accessory after the fact
to tlie abortion which resulted In the
death of Susanna A. Geary, a Cam
bridge chorus girl.
Indictments were also returned In the
iGeary case against Louis W. Crawford
and William E. Howard, alias Hunt,
now under arrest In New York.
The grand Jury failed tc Indict Mor
ris Nathan, the suitor of the Geary girl,
a fellow actor who confessed illicit re
lations with her.
The police this afternoon began a
systematic raid on all illegal medical
establishments in the city.
AUTO FOILSLYNCHERS
—
Sheriff Dashes Through Mob in Fasv
Car and Rescues Negro, Who Had
Rope About Neck.
Atlanta, Ga., Nov. 14.—By a spectac
ular automobile dasli Into the midst of
a crowd of men who already had fas
tened the rope around the neck of John
Walker, the negro charged with as
saulting Mrs. Moore, and were on the
verge of pulling him up, Sheriff Nelms
of Fulton county frustrated the plans
for a lynching near this city. Thej
sheriff's automobile crashed through)
the mob of lynchers, knocking the men
right and left and running over several,
and reached the scaffold in the nick of
time for the sheriff to cut the rope sus
pending the negro.
The negro assaulted Mrs. Moore, a!
prominent Atlanta woman, some days)
ago and was caught at Fairburn, Go.,]
and brought to the outskirts of At
lanta, where he was identified by Mrs.]
Moore. The Atlanta police refused tO|
go to Brookwood, where the negro wasj
held, as the place is outside the city.!
The sheriff then set out with a possej
in his fast motor car.
NEW YORK SHY OF CASH
National Banks There Are Far Below
the Legal Reserve and Can Loan
No More.
I New York. Nov. 14.—New York clear-,
[ing house hanks hold $2,428.800 less cash,
(than the legal requirement of 25 per
Tent, of deposits. Tills is exclusive of
[government deposits, on which the gov
ernment has decided it is not necessary
ito hold a reserve. Counting In govern
Iment deposits, cash holdings are J293,
'550 less than the legal reserve.
Washington, Nov. 11.—Comptroller of
Currency Rldgely, being sifown the
(New York bank statement today,
said the statement is one made to the
'clearing house and is entirely unoffi
cial. He has no knowledge of it except
that which comes through newspapers.
IThe fact that the reserve of national
■banks is below the legal requiremeut is
,nothing very unusual, he said. A bank
'Is not required to suspend payment for
'the purpose of maintaining a legal re
serve. The law provides the bank shall
(not make any further loans until tho
reserve Is made good.
ANTI-SUICIDE SCHEME.
Cleveland’s Mayor Takes an Origina
Method to Check Epidemic of
Self-Slaughter.
Gleveland, O.. Nov. 14.—Mayor Tom
Johnson, alarmed at tho official report
that theiv have been eighty-six sui
cides i:i Cleveland in the last nine
..v.onths, has taken steps to check the
carnival of s If-destruetion.
lie has appointed a commission,
w’..cs duty it will be to attempt to dis
suade v suicides from taking
their own lives.
The commission is made up of Direc
tor of Gharities Cooley, \V. A. Green
.lund, a member of the charity bureau,
and State Senator-elect F. C. Howe.
Every man or woman in Gleveland,
who is contemplating suicide, is in
vited to write a letter to the anti-sui
cide commission and till their troubled.
The members of the commission will
thin make an effort to remove the
,i; i sable.
For people despondent from non
mployment. the commission endeavors
to obtain employment, while- the needs
.and wants of others seeking aid are
'looked after. All three men are ex
perienced in such work, and their
■labors so far have proved satisfac
tory.
KING WAS REALLY WED
Papers Opened Telling of Marriage of
George IV. to Mrs. Fitz-Herbert
After Seventy Years.
London. Nov. 14.—By permission of
living Edward VII.. the Daily t'nronicle
asserts, a package of papers consigned
ito the care of the Coutts bank by Mrs.
.Fitz-Herbert under the stipulation that
it was not to be opened for a long
iperlod. has now. after seventy years,
'been opened and proved to contain the j
'marriage certificate and other indisput
able proofs that George IV. was actu
ally flank'd to Mrs. Fitz-Herbert.
Mrs. Fitz-Herbert became the wife
of the prince of Wales, afterward
i George IV.. In December 1185. The
j marriage of the prince was invalid un
' . |er English law. though it was sanc
I tioned by the Roman Catholic church.
■of which Mrs. Fitz-Herbert was a
' member. It was expected the papers
[in the Coutts bank would ^settle a ques
• Ion which has agitated the British
■public for over a century as to wheth
er there was issue from the marriage,
[but there is nothing in the foregoing
dispatch to indicate that the question
!nas been solved. It had long been re
ported that there was a male child,
jnnd that this child emigrated to the
■United States and settled in Washing
■ 'lion, when ho died some years after
I living very quietly, but in good circum
stances. _ _
SHOT DEAD FROM AMBUSH.
Marinette, Wis., Nov. 11—Frank Lucas
of Menominee was murdered while driving
dong the state road north of here, a rifle
I tmllet entering his heart. A coroner's jury
| [''ound Lucas died by a shot fired by un
i [known persons. It was at first believed
; lie shot was accidental, but an investi
gation showed there was a clearing on
' ich side of the road, giving a view for
pome distance, and the shot was fired from
clump of bushes near the road.
IS DIVORCED FROM COUNT.
Detroit. Mich., Nov. 11.—Countess Louisa
May de Sz'.tassy was granted a divorce
there from Count Gyula de Szilassy of Aus
tria on the grounds of desertion and non
support. The countess was Miss Heeker,
daughter of Colonel Frank J. Heeker of
■this city, former member of the isthmian
Canal commission.
The couple were married December 22,
1898, when the groom was secretary of the
Austrian iegatlon at Washington. Not
many month3 afterward stories of her un
happiness began to come to the friends
of the countess here and later her father
went to Austria, where it was said he had
a stormy interview with the count.
Ifrenzied insurance
2 How the Metropolitan Company,
j Insuring the Poor, Receives Rates
J Twice as Large as Those Paid
Iby the Rich to Other Companies—
Nearly Half of Policies Lapse and
Many of the Insured are Mere
Babies.
From the New York American.
Among the Insurance mysteries being
Ideveloped by the legislative investigate
fug committee, is the disappearance of]
;a billion dollars of insurance from thej
[books of the Metropolitan company.
John Tt. Hegeman, president of thej
(Metropolitan, was on the stand during)
ithe greater part of Saturday afternoon^
[and was subjected to a constant fire of]
(questions as to the business of his com-j
[puny by Charles E. Hughes, counsel of|
[the committee. Mr. Hegeman admitted]
(that he had but a slight knowledge of]
(the matters on which he was being)
questioned as he left all such details to)
his actuary.
• The statistics called forth by Mr.
[Hughes showed that the insurance
[written by the Metropolitan company
'during 1901-1904 amounted to $1,600,000,
000. which, added to the $923,877,917 lit
force in 1900, aggregated $2,523,877,917.
In 1904 the official figures of the cora-i
pany showed only $1,470,000,000 Insur-j
ance.
"So," said Mr. Hughes, "about $l,000,-i
000.000 of Insurance has gone off your)
hooks In some way."
Much Insurance Lapses.
"Yes," said Mr. Hegeman, “but. a
great deal of it has come back."
That which has come back undoubt
edly has been set off by other insur
ance going off," said Mr. Hughes. “A
great deal must have come to maturity,
but a good deal must have lapsed."
Investigation along this line showed
that industrial insurance In the Metro
politan, paid for in pennies in weekly
instalments, costs twice as much as in
surance in the ordinary life insurance
companies where payments are made
quarterly. It was shown that a man
of 22 years can take out an ordinary
life Insurance policy for $1,000 for $16.55
a year, while a policy for $984 In the
Metropolitan costs $31.20 a year, or 60
cents a week.
It also was admitted that children of
lender years are taken as insurance
risks by the Metropolitan without med
ical examination, being merely sub
jected to an examination by a physi
cian. who receives only 25 or 50 cents
for each risk inspected or examined.
Pennies of the Poor.
The great profits of the Metropolitan
were merely indicated yesterday, but
sufficient was developed to show that
this company, existing on the pennies
of the poor, Is by far the richest insur
ance mine yet brought to light by the
insurance 1 investigation. With its
$2,000,000 capital and $500,000 paid up,
the majority of the stock owned by
President Hegeman, the Metropolitan
had added millions to Its income yearly,
and has paid out an infinitely small!
sum in comparison. j
■ The returns made by the actuary of,
the Metropolitan Life for his own use,
showed that of policies written In one,
week in 1903 T5.40 per cent, lapsed in
three months; 43.Ui per cent. In six]
months; 48.28 per cent. In nine months,;
and 51.46 per cent. In twelve months, i
At the end of a year less than half
the policies written In that week were
In force. More than 50 per cent, of
those Insured had made presents to the
Metropolitan of the pennies, dimes and
quarters they had paid In. ’
Insurers Give Up Policies. t
Of all the policies Issued in 1901 32.16|
per cent, lapsed In the first year and
19.83 per rent, in the second year. Of,
■ hose issued In 1902 33.90 per cent,
■apsed In the first year and 19.33 per,
cent, in the second year. Of the pol
icies issued in 1903 33.95 per cent, lapsed1
in the first year and 19.82 per cent, in
the second year. Of those Issued in
1904 35.35 per cent, lapsed in the first
year. j
These statements and figures are add
ed to the record by Mr. Hughes with
out comment. In its way this was as
sensational a development as anything
that has been brought out with regard
to the other companies, with the differ
ence that while the companies of the
"big three” combination wrote large
policies on yearly premiums, paid quar
terly, and made their profits out of
deals engineered with the great mass of
money coming into their hands, the.
Metropolitan received a constant sup
ply of millions of dollars, paid in pen
nies weekly, 50 per cent, of which entail,
no obligation, as they lapse at the end
■of the second year.
IT ACKNOWLEDGES MUCH
Asphalt Company Makes Confession,
but Seeks to Shift Blame
Upon Castro.
New York, Nov. 15.—Allegations that,
high officials in the Venezuelan gov
ernment deliberately attempted to ex
port from the company the sum of
•$400,000 are made in a statement given!
out by the New York and Bermudez
Asphalt company in reference to the'
suit brought by the Venezuelan gov-,
ernment for $11,000,000 against it for
aiding the Matos rebellion.
The means used by the officials, ac
cording to the allegations, included,
blackmail, confiscation of the com
pany’s property, the manufacture of
false testimony and the making of de
crees without regard to law. The alle-!
gations made In the statement are,
based upon letters which, it is de-j
dared, were received from A. P. ear
ner, now receiver, holding the com
pany’s property for the Venezuelan,
government1, but who in 1900 was the;
company's agent at Caracas and the,
representative of Colonel Victor M,
Backus, who was sent to Venezuela ini
1900 as an independent agent by the,
asphalt company.
The statement concludes with an ex
haustive review of what it describes as
"the asphalt company’s actual relations
to the revolution.”
In this connection it is explained that
$100,000 was given to General Matos
by the officials of the National Asphalt
company on the general’s request. Fur
ther sums aggregating $30,000 were!
paid the revolutionary leader soon aft-’
erward. The money was paid, the,
statement says, to guarantee protection
to the company’s property at a time
when the territory in which the com
pany's property is located was in con- ,
trol of the revolutionists.
The statement maintains that the
company at all times observed absolute
neutrality, even going to the expense
bf paying customs duties to both the
government and the revolutionists
.when the custom houses were con
trolled by the insurgents.
The statement does not deny any of
; he c harges that it aided the rebellion,
’rut counters with the claim that Cas
tro is s. eking revenge because it re
fused to pay him $120,000 which was,
demanded in a veiled manner by hiai
brother-in-law.