New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1911-05-16
BOOKS MUST Be PRODUCED.
Supreme Court Approves Sem
tence OF Contempt on Wilson.
VICTORY FOR GOVERNMENT
Important Ruling Relating to
Corporation in Case of United
Wireless President.

washington, May l5.-The Supreme Court
~ the United States to-day approved the
recent sentence Of contempt imposed In the
%ew York courts IN Christopher =. Wilson
president OF the United Wireless Telegram
Company. because Of refusal TO permit the
examination Of the company's hooks.
By this decision the federal government
won an important legal controversy. In that
officials u corporations cannot refuse 10
give ID possession of corporstio books for
examination by grand juries. lest they
themselves 20 incriminsted thereby.
The sentence 81 contempt imposed In The
New York courts on Vilson was based IN
his action IN defeating the attempt ~
grand Jury n examine the books n his cor
porsiion
n 1910 subpoena. addressed 10 the United
Wireless Company. and not 70 any moi
,i6ral. O. is usually the case. was served
IN me officials OF the company. directing
.ha, certain books be produced To- exam
nation by the grand jury. which was IN
v.s,igatine AN alleged violation ~ the
statutes If tire United states BIZ 'nrist'-
,her O. Wilson" Il is said that the inves-
.iga.ion had 10 do with alleged violation
~ the rost8l laws
U-uson himself appeared I'm court 10 an
euer n the subpoena. but he declined N
allow the grams jury n examine the BOOKS
~ % -urn them over 70 the directors or
the company for production IN court me
ground for his refusal was that the BOOKS
would tend n incrimirate him re was
finally adfudsed IN contempt Of court ano
nlsced in the custody Of the marshal Two
attempts 70 procure his release on naoeas
corpus proceedings resulted in failure. HIS
csse WAS then brought 10 the Supreme
Court
Justice Hughes in announcing the opin-
inn said that Wilson could not Under these
circumstances assert personal privilege
which the obligation Of the corporation 10
the government required = 70 perform
Justice McKenns dissented.
The court also approved tho con'Nmp'
sentence imposed on William Dreier. or
New York secretsrv Of the lAchenSteih
Millinery Company. who had also refused
~ produce books under circumstances SINH
lsr 70 those in the Wilson case.
Henry 4. Wise. United States Attorney
who argued the case for the government
expressed himself yesterday as highly graft
fed with the decision 81 the Supreme Court
CHRISTOPHER G. Wilson and five other ON
Gals n the United Wireless Telegraph
Conparv are on trial now in the United
states Circuit court. I'm this city. charged
with conspiracy and using the mails In
& herne 70 defraud investors Mr wise
said ne I'D not think II necessary IN Use
tho hooks that have been withheld and will
have 20 Re surrendered now IN the triai'
as there was sufficient evidence - prove inc
governments case against the defendants.
Tire trial proceeded yesterday under tne
r.rsorsl sunervsion Of the prosecution nv
Mr. Wise who announced that ne expected
n clcse the governments case this week.
From various Indications an impression has
prAvailed in the Federal Building that no
long defence will be interposed by the de-
terdants
P,.rrors have been spread that several ~
tbor1 have begun to contemplate the ad-
Instability OF a change in THEN plea from
not guilty to guilty. but they could not
reach a decision. as Il proved inn ossible
for them 10 ascertain whether the govern
rn.nt would accept such step az this stage
Of the irlal as ground Tor .enienty in Inc
imposition Of the sentence.