Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1910-01-02
WIFE'S LAWYER SKEPTICAL
Court Accepts Document as Evidence
of Property Owned.
BASIS OF AWARD OF ALIM0NY
Defendant Shows Ignorance Of His
Financial Condition-Broker' His
Attorney With Full Power.
SneciaI .Disnafrh to The Star.

Special Dispatch TO The Star. :,
+ MINEOLA, l.. l., January 1.-THE state
ment showing W. Gould Brokaw's imam
ciaI condition was submitted TO Justice
Putnam in court here this morning
|. 1t was drawn up by his attorney, Eu-
gene L. Bushe, to serve as basis tor
award of alimony in Mrs. Mary Blair
Brokaws suit for separation and $3o0oO
year alimony. All the evidence except
| that relating TO the statement vas in
| Wednesday, the seventeenth day OF the
trial.
| The fair plaintiff was not enough inter-
ested il the details of the financial
| statement TO appear in court. The defen-
dant had laid aside the conber blue suit
which he had worn far throughout the
trial and appeared in i costume COM
prising a number of melodiouS shades OF
away, a gold satin necktie, saffron shirt
and orange handkerchief with white
pollladotS.
Wife's Counsel Not Satisfied.
When the statement was presented the
court asked If it were satisfactory to the
plaintiff.
1T certainly is not. your honor" replied
Arthur j. Baldwin. Mrs. Brokaw's coun-
sci. Il don't see how Mr.. Bushe could
hope to offer this as proof of anything"
The statement gave Mr.. Brokaw's CAPT.
tai as $l.6SS,939; his gross income as $1l.-
lilo. with net income only OF $46.-
1OU.1J
Looking over the schedule. Mr.. Bald
win called attention to a balance OF $214.-
900 with J.. S. Bache & Co., carried as
liability, involving a charge of $3.50,
whereas he said it should be carried as an
asset. Mr.. Baldwin said the statement
presented in court the other day by the
manager of j. s. Bache & Co. had shown
that he had carried on speculative &C
count running into the millions.
Il cannot permit this statement to go
on record" Mr.. Baldwin said. We have
no proof this is all his PROPERTY.
Attitude Of Court.
Justice Putnam held that he could re-
ceive it only as an admission that the de-
PENDANT owned certain properties and not
as evidence describing all his property.
Mr.. Brokaw was then put on the stand
and testified that to the best of his
knowledge the statement represented his
assets. liabilities and income, his real and
personal property and the fixed charges
thereon.
Mr.. Baldwin then started to take up
the property the defendant had received
from his father prior to the latter's DEATH
AS the matter had been taken up before,
it was not allowed. The confidential man
of his father had testified that w. Gould
Brokaw had received two and one-quarter
millions from the estate in the last four
years.
Brokaw said that he had not consulted
books In making up the statement, as he
had not kept books for a year and a half.
!. The witness had NO information about
the statement, he said, except what his
attorney, Mr.. Bushe. had told him. He
did not know what his deposits for the
past year had been and had not balanced
his accounts.
Bache His Attorney.
+ Mr. Brokaw explained that Mr.. Bache
had power of attorney for him, and that
without question. whether they were a
profit or loss. He did not recollect wheth-
er he got any slip showing separate trans
actions, and could not recolIect that he
had ever dealt in stocks himself.
Have you lost money or made 1t this
year?" asked Mr.. Baldwin.
II really do not know" was the answer.
II know it cost me $500 to carry on the
account"
Mr.. Baldwin had to ask twice before
the defendant admitted that perhaps he
had been extravagant. He did not know
whether he had spent $4,000 in the past
year, and could not tell within $4,000
how much he had spent the year before
The $500 that he had lost in the auto
mobile business was the only business
venture he had ever made
Now, Mr.. Brokaw, what are you
worth? asked Mr.. Baldwin
''One million and something or other
Whatever the statement says"
There was no list so far as Brokaw
knew. showing what bonds he held. He
did not know whether the books he
formerly used to keep showed anything
of the kind.
Finally MIR. Baldwin moved that the
statement be stricken out, as it was
based on hearsay. Justice Putnam de-