New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1912-09-28
Commended Only as Type.

Mr. Whitman explained that when Mr.
Curran came 10 him for advice az 10
counsel for the committee he had men
toned Mr.. Steuer as the type OF lawyer
that the committee ought 10 have-a man
who had long experience and broad
knowledge Of affairs IN the city and who
could pound" a wituess-but he had not
urged Steuer, for the very reason that the
latter would oppose him in the Hyde
case and was counsel for Weber He
thought such suggestion as Mr.. Curran
now made was absurd he said. and he
was charitable enough to believe that the
alderman had misunderstood him.
when Mr.. Curran called on me at my
home a day or two after the aldermanic
committee was appointed and asked my
advice about counsel FOR tho committee
we talked over ten or dozen names.
said Mr.. whitman. among them James
Ely. Judg" Wadhams. James ". osborne.
Ex-Governor Frank Black. Mr. Buckner
and others did say to Mr.. Curran that
] thought Max u. Steuer would make
good man for the committee II II was not
for his connection with the Hyde case
ana Weber. tlI UlfNlI'l'l WI Islst' n
and Mr.. osborne most fayorahly.
Il spoke well OF Mr.. Buckner and told
Buckner gfterward that 7 had spoken ia
vorably Of him 10 Mr. Curran. certainly
did not mean the slightest reflection on
Mr. Buckner az | think very highly OF
him. but / believed that his experience
was perhaps limited In comparison with
some OF the older men,
Mr. Whitman said that when he heard
Alderman Curran had told Mr.. Buckner
he had urged Steuer In preference to
Buckner he called up the latter yesterday
and asked him about &C. Mr.. Buckner
told the District Attorney that Mr.. Cur
ran had told him just that As Mr.. Cur
ran happened to be in his office at the
time. Mr. Buckner put him on the wire
TO talk to the District Attorney.
rs this Alderman Curran:" asked tho
District Attorney.
Yes" replied the alderman.
This H. District Attorney Whitman; do
YOU say that ! recommended that Max u.
Steuer be engaged as counsel by your
committee?" asked the District Attorney.
IL certainly do" replied MIR. Curran.
That is a lie" Mr.. Whitman retorted,
and hung up the receiver.
Merely Laughing Matter.
Both Mr.. Whitman and Mr. Curran
practically agreed as TO tho telephone con-
yersation, except that the Alderman said
he laughed at the District Attorney when
he called him "a liar" and remarked that
Ia h. hal ha
persons were cultivating lately to call
. each other liars But Mr. Currans YER
sion of the conference with Mr.. Whitman
at the atters house, and I'm regard to
subsequent developments. differed quite
materially from the version OF the Dis
trict Attorney.
Il called on Mr.. Whitman" said Mr..
Curran, lat his home on the night after
the aldcrmahic committee was appoint
ed, TO consult him in regard to retaining
counsel He suggested Max ID. Steuer at
the start. We talked over other names,
including Mr.. Black, Mr.. Osborne and Mr..
Buckner, but the District Attorney re-
verted to Mr. Steuer three times. saying
he would be the best man for the place.
] was rather startled at his suggestion,
and remarked that al Steuer was counsel
for Hyde and for Weber, / thought II
might shake the public's confidence In the
work of the committee If he were APP
pointed counsel
II asked Mr.. Whitman why he recon-
mended Steuer. He said that we wanted
a man vino would pound witnesses, like
he had done himself at times, and that
Steuer was a good man for that Also
that Steuer had had broad experience
and a good knowledge of city affairs"
Mr.. Curran said Mr. Buckner told him
a Few days later he had heard from
Judge Whitman. and that the District
Attorney had told him he had recon-
mend d him TO Mr.. Curran The COM
mittce met Oh August L. and appointed
Mr.. Buckner. Mr.. Curran called 10 Dis
trict Attorney Whitman on that day and
told him OF the choice and said nc was
glad to hear that he, Whitman had in
dorsed Buckner Mr.. Curran said. Judge
Whitman denied al the time that he had
indorsed Buckner Mr.. Curran said and
also denied that he had recommended
Steuer when Curran reminded him Of a.
"Well. we Will put II this way. Judge. :"
Alderman Curran said he told Mr.. whit
man, that our recollections differ
The alderman said he afterward told
some Of his friends OF the incident 10