The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1916-05-17

JOnn II. SwayZe, general counsel 10
the New York Telephone Company, pre-
sented to Senator Thompson yesterday
n list of $50 telephone w~iretappings Or
dered by the New York police in the last
two years IN the ground that the police
believed crime had been committed or
was intended by persons using these
lines. whereupon Senator Thompson
asked Mr.. Swayze 70 take the witness
stand before the Thompson Legislative
investigating committee this morning to
tell what he knows generally and spc-
officially about the practice OF telephone
espionage by the police.
On the other hand. the chairman OF
the committee made It plain that he in
tends to remain strictly neutral so far
as the merits Of the overlapping Incl
dent connected with the recent charities
investigation are concerned. His plan Is
to proceed on the general proposition Of
overlapping. He believes Il a matter Of
public concern. he said, whether wires
rented of this public service corporation
shall be devoted to uses which the per-
sons who rent the wires do not know
OF and which are not mentioned in tho
contract"
The list OF tappings turned over TO
Senator Thompson was not made pub
lie, but some general facts about II were
ascertained. It contains $50 tappings in
the last two years, including a cut In
on n wire leading into tho license de-
partment OF the city-used in relation
TO alleged grating of license inspectors
last month--and cut ms IN two law
firms whose identity was not disclosed.
The list also showed that there are
twenty-five telephone wires now in a
tapped state and being listened In on by
the police from time 10 time.
No Prominent Names.
Senator Thompson said there were NJ,
prominent names or the list unless one
regarded names perhaps familiar with
crime as prominent. Largely tho list Is
made up. II is understood. OF names OF
places which the police considered "sus-
picious." Mr.. Swayze explained to Sen
ator Thompson that the telephone com
pany complied with requests that came
only from the police and were Endorsed
by the Police Commissioner Frank Moss
the committees counsel. said the com
l'''F '"' w "AN'" isNaAt nv u
tap wires. but that the company feared
that surreptitious tapping had occurred :
The statement made by Senator
Thompson for the committee record
was this.
THE chairman Of this committee and
counsel. Mr.. Moss, have had n confer,
cnce with Mr.. Swayze. the chief counse'
of the New York Telephone Company
during which MIR. Swayze exhibited &c
us the list Of requests made on his com.
pany for tapping the telephones for the
last two years. and we ave examined
the entire list. The committee has con.
GUIDED not to do anything further with
this phase of our investigation to-day
but we will have Mr.. Swayze as a
witness before the committee tomorrow
morning.
IL want to emphasize that this com.
mittec's power is to investigate for the
Information of the Legislature to enabl.
II to frame legislation with more or les.
intelligence with relation TO the Publ,
Service Commission and the public ser
vice law and in relation to whether OF
not the public service commission law
transportation acts and the railroad Law
should bc amended II II so. how Ina
the Limit and scope of this investigation
carries us no, only TO the Public Servlc,
Commission. but to the public service
corporations that have been supervised
and regulated. SO as to gain the informa
tion as 10 whether or not they have beer
adequately Supervised and regulated.
within Scope Of Inauiry.