New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1916-03-11
WEEKS SPIED ON
BYDETECTAPHONE
Prosecutors Secrets in
Osborne Case Over
heard for Days.

Districf Attorney Frederick f.. Weeks
OF Wcstchostcr County paused N the
midst OF his preparation for the trial
OF Thomas Mott Osborne yesterday to
search for the individual who slipped a
detcctaphonc into his private Office in
White Plains when he was not looking.
At last accounts he had no, found him,
nor had he discovered how il was that
with the Office guarded night and day
by deputy sheriff the ever present car
was installed.
Two yoIng men and Young woman
whom Sheriff Wicscudanger and dep
uty found ir an Office on another floor
OF the Realty Building. where Mr.
Weeks has his Office. said they had been
employed b. tho Val O'Farrell Dc
tectiyc Agency 20 take down al con
vcrsations touching on and appertain-
ing to the Osborne case. They did not,
however. know when the instrument
Vas installed or who installed IT,
at was there when Guy B. BiddinCer.
OF the O'Farrell Detective Agency. sent
Us 10 take down What came over the
wire" they told Mr. Weeks and his as
sistant, William J. Fslon. through
whose Office the wire ran. More than
that they could no, or would not tell.
They gstc their names to Mr. Weeks
as Theresa Oscood. late OF Boston. and
now Of II West li5th Street; Joseph
Mcitlich and William J. Mclzinger, OF
$50 Nassau Street. New York City. Al
ter they had been questioned each was
given 4 subpoena and told TO be IN
White Plains on Monday, when Mr. Os-
borne is TO 90 on trial on an indictment
charging perjury.
Osborne Makes Denial.
Mr. Osborne lat night .aId that he
had hired no ono and had authorized no
ono 20 put r. aphouc into the DIS
trict Attorney office. So said George
Gordon Battle. huntington " Mer-
chant and Judge VI. j. rrcmcy OF his
counsel.
IF never saw = dctccta phone N my
life" said Mr. Osborne.
Val OFarrell refused 20 discuss the
matter beyond denying IN the most
positive terms that Mr. Osborne had
retained him.
According 20 the story told IN the
District Attorney office Yesterday
afternoon By Mr. Weeks. the detecta-
phonc was found behind bookcase IN
his private Office on the top floor OF
the Realty Building. From there wires
led 10 the outer wall, and thence TO
Room 500. on the fifth floor. On the
door OF this Office was the sign, up-
lie Stcuographers. English and for-
eign. Private Entrance, No. oIo. IN
this suite the two men stcnographers
and Miss Osgood were found.
There were also four stenoSraphera.
notebooks. which Nr. Neess's stonog-
raphers say contain verbatim reports
OF conversations between members OF
the District Attorneys staff and con
victs and between Mr.. Weeks and ms
aides relative 20 the Osborne case.
There were also typcwriters, and other
paraphcrnalia usually found IN public
stenographcr's Office.
One of the conversations taken wa
between Assistant District Attorney
Fallon and the father Of James Con
molly. convict who was witness be-
fore the grand jury. In that convcr-
sation a. transcribed. Mr.. Fallon Is
quoted as saying: "All We want this
hov to do is 20 tell tho truth An
other was between the District Attor-
ncy and James Harvey, a convict who
accused about twenty others OF i'm
morality. This referred to trip by
Harvey 70 Comstock TO identify, II pos
sible. man with a black sweater.
Both stenographers, questioned yes
terday. said that the matter obtained
did not seem 90 be worth much. IL
was more in vindication Of the state's
side Of the Investigation. They said
they were told they would get lots OF
sensational matter from the inyestiga
tim