Show INVESTIGATION INVESTIGATIONS lION S BEARING fRUIT Chief Officials of Mutual Reserve L Life e Insurance Company Un Under Under der Indictment FIVE TRUE BILLS RETURNED LARCENY AND FORGERY ARE CHARGED New York March charging grand larceny in the first de degree degree gree and forgery in the third degree by Frederick A Burnham president George D Eldridge first vice president president dent and George Burnham jr second vice president of the Mutual Reserve Life Insurance company were found by the grand jury today In all five Indictments were brought brought against each officer two for grand larceny and three for forgery The alleged larceny and forgery was brought about according to the indIctments by payments of 9 of the money t to law firms firma the apparent purpose of which is alleged to have been to settle claims against the company while the real object is alleged to have been to set settle settIe tIe tle actions which had been brought against officers ot of the company as in individuals Individuals The indictments on which a charge of larceny Is based alleged that the officers officers cers embezzled two sums one of 1500 and the other of 1500 on Oct 24 1901 Th The three officers appeared in the cour court of general session where JUdge OSul livan fixed their ball bail at for each and fixed upon next Thursday as t tle e time for pleading Expected Indictment George orge Burnham jr when seen at atthe atthe the office after the jurys action had been announced said We had been expecting this am and have engaged counsel to defend us Aside from stating that if there has been any crime committed it is but a technical one I do not care to discuss the case caseIn caseIn In the first case of alleged forgery the indictment charges that was entered in the cash book as paid to Nichols Bacon attorneys of P J Armstrong to settle a claim of Arm Armstrong Armstrong strong against the insurance company arising out of a contract between him and the company In fact however the indictment charges the money was paid to Nicholls Bacon in settlement of an action which they as attorneys for J Douglass Wells had previously brought against Frederick A Burnham individually Second Forgery Charge I The second indictment for forgery charges that the defendants caused the item of 1500 to be entered on the corn com books as made in payment to James Schell and Elkus for legal services servIces ices rendered by them to the company In reality declares the Indictment the money was paid with instructions to turn it over to the attorney of J Doug Douglass Douglass lass Wells to reimburse Wells for dis disbursements which he claimed had been made by him in defendIng actions brought against him by Frederick A Burnham individually and by George GeorgeD D Eldridge Individually and In order to induce Wells to consent toa to a discon discontinuance discontinuance of those actions Books W Were re Doctored The third indictment for forgery is based on the payment of of the moneys on Sept 24 That payment the indictment charges was entered In the cash book as made to James Schell and Elkus for legal services The real purpose of this pay payment payment ment Is however alleged to have been for delivery to Baldwin White at attorneyS attorneys for J Thompson atterson for forthe forthe the purpose of settling one action which Patterson had previously brought against the company and against Frederick A Burnham and George D Eldridge individually and three actions which had been brought against Patterson one by Georg D Eldredge individually one by Freder Frederick Frederick ick A Burnham and one by the corn com company pany Advised to Wait In addition to the transactions of the Mutual Reserve the grand jury has be before before fore it a general consideration of in insurance companies Regarding this general situation the jury recently asked Judge of the court of general session questions for guidance in th proposed investigation Toda Today Judge and also District At Attorney Attorney torney Jerome advised the jury jur to wait before beginning its investigation un until til opinions of legal authorities can be obtained upon the questions Involved C |