New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1911-04-25
CUMM|NS TALKS OF HIS
REQUESTS TO Mr.. HYDE
Grand Jury Hears That He Sug'
oested Increases of Deposits
in Some Banks.
THEY LENT HIM MONEY. TOO
Letter from Robin About North
ems Needs Serves to Loosen
Tongue of Banker, Stiff
at Beginning.

William J. Cummins spent uvins
three hours before the grand jury yes
tsrday as witness in the newest as
rect of the investigation Of the carnegie
Trust Compeny-in relation 10 the III
ouirv into the conduct Of the CITY Cnah-
berlsin's Office and its connections WIN
The trust company
Although he appeared to be toviai ana
an 2 tractabe mood, Mr.. Cummlns dio
not carry that mood into the grand jury
room with him. and IT was only AFTER
he had been directed by Justice Davis to
do so under penalty Of arrangement TOT
contempt Of court that he would answer
the questions put to him by the District
Attorney.
Using, IT is said. an ironicsl letter writ
ten bv Joseph @. Robin TO Cummins as
p lever. Mr.. Whitman was able finally
20 prv from the witness at least three
statements which are believed to have
been strong aids 10 the case which is
now being prepared.
The first It is reported. was an ad-
mission that Cummins did ask City
Chamberlain Hyde TO deposit city money
an banks from which he had obtained
loans or did aftervard obtain loans.
This second was a practical admission
that Cummins had not asked his friend
Charley" 10 deposit city moneys in any
bank from which he. Cummips. had
never borrowed money. and the third
was that he had used his friendship with
Hyde as reinsurance to the state
Banking Department when the exam
liners reported that the withdrawal Of
city deposits would be such a blow to the
Carnegie Trust Company as to force 1t to
close its doors.
Robins letter which was furnished
from his private letter copy book. was
dated September % 1910 . little more
than = month after the night conference
concerning which Robin testified that he
was practically held up for a $4,000
loan 10 the Carnegie Trust Company.
Robins Letter to Cummirs.
II WAS as follows
Dear Mr.. Cummins: At meeting Of
the directors held this afternoon the sub
1ect of certain balances was brought up
end discussed and some rather pointed
questions were asked of me. among them
whether one of our mutual friends had
been so displeased by transaction We
put through recently as ia induce him
70 keen practically lower balances with us
than he had before. The inclosed slip
will tell its own story
Won't YOU please do what YOU can
~ nut me right In the eyes Of my ssso-
cistes I am writing this because ! am
leaving for Rochester in few minutes
and the thing has been put 10 me very
strongly. Sincerely yours.
JOSEPH -. ROBIN"
This letter. Robin SAYS was written At
Cumminss suggestion. after ne had called
,por him several times with regard 70
the increased city deposits which the
Northern was to get for ifs Sl"oWW
loan to Cummins. ON August ~. the
date of the night conference At which
Robin says he was assured Of larger city
deposits. the Northern Bank had
sos 900 az city money. Toward the
end Of September, AZ the time the lettef
was written this deposit had dropped to
Sl97 600. which is what the slip. referred
e. by Robin. showed.
The Northeru's city deposits. arranged
hy weekly deposits IN The following
table. show an average city balance sub
seauent to the letter. which strengthens
ihe story that Cumminss appeal to HYDE
for the Northern. which he s said t.
hnno adrniftad Maa not in "a IN