New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1911-08-31
UTTLETON DEFENDS CIRCUIT.
DenounCes Union Bank Probe as
Without Warrant in Law.
SUGGESTS ULTERl0R MOTIVE
Attorney Generals Deputies
Urge That He Be Compelled to
Testify-Decision Reserved

7, took Martin ". Iittleton Just ] hour
and 81 minutes and three glasses ~ GU"
water 70 tell Justice Putnam in the H"-
nreme Court Brooklyn, yesterday molhIne
exactlv how he regarded Edward NJ Trout
the former president Of the Union I7anA
~ that borough. the state Banking Depart
! -. ,ho Attorney General. Assemhymah
c,oias,oir and all others interested in shed
ding Hight upon the various financial Trans
actions Of the Union Bank.
Tho occasion for his oratorical display was
the motion for the issuance OF "arIan'
IN compel Mr. Grout 10 appear before r"-
ward Lane Dodge. Deputy superintendent
/ NJ Parks and testify as 10 what ne Khe"
about the Union Bank and Us operations
When Il was all over Justice Putnam
rave both sides until Saturday To submit
briefs and reserved decision.
August Merrill and Wilter ". Chamoerr'
deputy attorneys general, oontented INC"
selves with sticking 20 the law ana ''NhE
nrecedents which they believed would o",er
the case in hand
Mr. Merrill opened the argument He
told briefly of the hearings Mr.. Dodge n'"
heen holding and Of the latter's ehorts ~ Se'
Mr. Grout 10 appear before him and ies''N.
He said Mr.. circuit was material witness
ana that n he We're permitted 20 d'sohey
the subponna of the State Banking Depart
r,ent the whole investigation Of the Union
Rank must Of necessity come 10 naush'' a.
other prospective Witnesses would IN an
probability follow Mr. CIRCUITS lead ana
refuse IN testify. He added that Mr.. CIRCUITS
! Testimony was particularly desired In re-
gard 70 certain alleged false reports.
Then Mr. Iittleton began by declaring
/ that the Attorney General. through his
deputy. lad not given the court Iuil
! l,n~u,ledce Of the facts in the case. ana
/ that Furthermore the present investigation
/ ~ the affairs Of the Union Bank was the
most remarkable proceeding ever CONDUCT
Cd without a parallel in the annals OF
banking and law in this state
Taking M the question ot whether or not
Mr. Circuit had signed alleged false reports
as president ~ the bank, he argued tnat
the reports signed by his client were based
an that made II the bank when Clark VIII
Jams was i'm office. and II they were not
correct il was up 20 NJ Williams and not
Mr. Grout. re continued.
This investigation and It's conduct is an
Infamous proceeding There ~ InollN =
behind II an. The most OUTRAGEOUS sHi
f1lG
,Inst know that when M. Grout was
uresident OF the bank he, himself ar
fated ,eutits for the Banking Department
~ tbev have not dared 10 use these re-
rorts they do not dare to. II would snow
Mr.. CIRCUITS detractors have used the
columns of the daily press with the NJ
rSost liberty. If not with the West il
CrDse Whv, Godstein is always care
ful TO close the hearings OF that one
~ Attorney General and Godstein and
the Banking Department have forced on
the people at few minutes 70 Twelve ear
ldavi TO be sure that both morning ana
af;ernoon papers may have plenty 81
lime 10 get fun stories in their hrst edl-
lions they are prosecuting Mr.. Grouti II
is persecution pure and simple.
He declared that the present investigs-
ton Of the Union Bank was most con
tcrrtible proceeding and asked Justice
Putnam not only TO refuse to issue
warrant. but to condemn severely the
whole business. Furthermore. he Wanted
TO know If the state Superintendent oi
Ranks was conducting the inquiry nom
legtly: if there was not some Interior mo-
tive behind II ALL else why so many
malicious and false accusations against
T. NJ Grout?"
Then Mr.. Littleton proceeded to eN-
main why Mr.. Grout refused to TESTIFY
IL, fore Mr. Dodge. In doing so he read
s, veral letters from MIR. Grout TO Mr..
Dodge in which Mr. Grout said he was
willing 10 testify if they would let him
know in advance what questions they
would ask him and gave him an opportun-
Iit,, IN examine the books Of the bank to
refresh his memory.
AIr m
To testify" shouted counsel. THE atu-
tude Of the community which condemns
man bocause he stands squarely on his
rights and refuses to appear before a
farcical tribunal is one of contemplate
CCwardice Mr. GrOut has shown the
proper spirit and example.
Mr.. Littleton then launched into an at
tack upon Mr.. Goldstein, 1ut MI Me NE Nv
cot up ans said that while he heid no
Irief for the Assemblyman he dld not
see how the attack was IN any way pei
tlnent'to the question being argued; NJ
Merrill got up. Your honor he began
III / thought Mr. Littletons remarks
were addressed against the Office OF the
Attorney General l might reply to themi
but as / understand it they are not
Then he went on to say that he dldh I
care how big man Mr.. Grout was mar
his position should not ahect me question
as To whether he should testify or not.
| Then Mr. Chambers took up the arSu-
rnent lie pointed TO various decisions or
different courts to show that Justice Put
lam had authority to issue warrant in
the case. and opposed Mr.. Littetons ar
eument that the section under winch TINS
Trocecding was brought was unconstitu-
tional. lie further pointed out that II the
Union Bank should be reopened to-mor
row. under the banking law Mr. Circuit
would still be its president, one OF its
directors and a large stakeholder. lie
concluded by asking for the issuance or
q warrant
HELD AS HOTEL THIEF