New-York tribune., 1908-03-05
NATHAN VIDAVER HELD.
Continued from first page

mons. The detective then arrested Siu"'' ~
demanded the money
MONEY FOR "A RETAINER'S FEE
"That was for retainer's fee hotly as
serted vidaver.
DO you want me to search you Ior II '9
the detective.
Vidaver then said Take the money But
it was given I say, as a regular lawyers zee
District Attorney Jerome said last night thd'
he had been informed that William r. Mont
gomery had been approached by NldaVer HI
such way that the crime Of attempted eA'oi
ton was committed. and that certain testimony
was available to show that the crime had oeeh
committed. / was also informed as TO certain
phases of the matter in connection With d Ger
tain firm of lawyers some of whom knew all
about it but whose connection did not amount
to wrongdoing
"Irnnoediatelv after that conversation this
morning Beery telephoned me-" continued MI
Jerome land said that in his judgment crime
had been committed. Up to that time all thlS
office was seeking to obtain was evidence thdt
Vidaver had tried TO eXtort money from Mont-
gomery. Beery said he thought II was d cleaI
case and L told him to go ahead and arrest
Vidaver when the money was given him at the
Astor."
When brought down from the District Attor-
ney's office to the Tombs court for fornaI ar
raignrlent Mr. Vidaver was greatly excited He
declared it was all a put up job on the part
of the District Attorneys office, and said he had
been treated outra geously- The District Attor-
ney and a large part of his staff were in court
Assistant District Attorney Kresel had charge
Of the case Mr. Vidaver pleaded Not guilty
to the charge of extortion in obtaining the 500
from Montgomery "by means of threats Oh ul-
lawful injury TO person and property
JACKSON HAS CONFIDENCE IN HIM
ATTORNEY General Jackson when seen after
vidaver's arrest said that he had known him
for year before appointing him TO investigate
the Kissena Park scandal in Queens ana hau
the utmost faith in his integrity
No he was not recommended TO me by either
Mr.. Hearst or Clarence j. Shearn, said MI
Jackson. He has not been in any way
connected with banking Investigations anu
don't know what connection he could
have had with the Hamilton Bank. My Of
fee couldn't have given out any facts or stopped
any facts in regard to the investigation OF thaI
institution because we didn't have charge of IL
/ didn't know anything about it until learned
afterward that there was an indictment against
Mr. Montgomery. AS simply speclaI deputy
Attorney General in the kissena Park mat
ter Vidaver would have a perfect right TO ac-
cept a retainer for some other case. and 90
not want the grand jury 10 confuse the dCIlULi'
of a speciaI deputy with the same circumstances
as applied to a regular Deputy Attorney Cen
eral.''
Moses H Grossman gave out a statement
In which he said
Within a short time after Judge Belts appointed
Temporary receivers for the Hamilton Bank NJ
NontgOmerv it's then president. called at my once
and retained to assist him IN the reHstollIIStIi
of the Hamilton Bank Shortly thereafter. WIN
MIR Montgomery's approval Mr. Nidaver. who at
that time had no connection afilaton with the
rs off
to accept such engagement, was eInplOyed 1% MI
Montgomery as OF his counsel 70 assist MN IN
bringing about the reOpeninS OF the bahh- MI
Vidaver paid a retainer OF 5000 by my IrlIi
thereafter did consult with MI NioitsoiiieiS
and myself time to time
I am sure that terrible mistake has beeIl mace
after an investigation will publicly exonerate Mr.
Vidaver whose relations with Mr. Montgomery
were merely of attorney and client Ine
services which Mr.. Vidaver was employed TO and
able and legitimate and such as an attorney ne
could legally and ethically perform
Nathan Vidaver was born in Boston forty-two
wears ago and was graduated from the law
school of the University of California in 1887
He came here and began the practice of law
twelve years ago He was a Democrat until Mr..
Hearst ran for Mayor, when he Joined the Inde-
pendence League. Mr.. Vidaver is now attorney
for several theatrical managers. but is not a
member of the Bar Association. He has ap
reared as a representative of the Independence
League in the proceedings looking TO the re-
movaI from office of William Leary, Superin-
tendent of Elections.