New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1916-05-18
Seymour Tol d His
phone Was on lis
tening In" List.
THOMPSON HAS
POLICE RECORDS
Nav Draft Law to End Es.
pionage-Rofrano's
Line Tapped.

I. makes little difference what line
Of investigation the Thompson legis'
lstive committee follows. whether
subway contracts or telephone wire
tapping, counsel for the committee
usually directs the inquiry toward the
firm Of J. P. Morgan & Co. Testimony
was sdduced at Yesterdays hearing,
in the examination Of John 6. Sey-
nour, Of the law frm Of Seymour &
Seymour, whose telephone wires were
tspped FIVE or six weeks ago. connect
ing the Morgan firm with an interest
in a munitions contract with the AL
les IN which the Seymour firm was
interested At the same time.
7. appeared that the listening in"
On the Seymour wires was authorized
bv Police Commissioner Woods. John
l. Swayze, general counsel for the
telephone company. testified that no
wire tapping was permitted except on
request OF the police and for the
one purpose Of detecting crime. Mr..
Seymour declared that no case bearing
the semblanoe Of criminality was un-
der consideration By his firm at the
time the wires were tapped.
Hunts Man Back Of Request.
Frederick Seymour. the other mem
Der Of the firm. took the matter up
with District Attorney Swami yestcr-
dsv. He declared on the witness stand
before the Thompson committee that
he would spend the rest Of his life,
n necessary. in finding out who was
back OF the request Of the Police
Department 20 "listen in" on their
wires. inferring that their firm was
under suspicion. Neither Of the Sey-
mours knew that the overlapping In
their Office had been authorized by
the Police Department. they declared
until told so yesterday by Frank Moss
counsel 10 the committee.
Frederick Seymour went 70 District
Attorney Swami several weeks ago.
after the story that a dictaphone had
been placed in their office and the tele-
rhone wires tapped appearing in the
papers.
1.-TWO men from the Val OTarrell De-
tective Agency came 70 our Office and
said that our wires had been tapped, "
said John Seymour owe didn't be-
lievs IT, It was said that the Burns
sseney had done il. The OFarrell men
Investigated for several hours and
found no indications of a dictaphons.
Then they went to District Attorney
Swami. The District Attorney sent
for Burns and It was said that Burns
had admitted II. Even then we didn't
believe it."
Had Deal for War Contract.
"Wss there anything in the nature
Of a criminal investigation going on in
your Office" asked Mr.. Moss.
"Not the shadow Of one" replied Mr..
Seymour There WAS large business
transaction. a munitions transaction for
the Allies. with large interests on both
sides"
"Wss the Morgan firm interested ?"
asked Mr. Moss.
"My brother and our clients went
down several times 20 the Morgan Of
fees said the witness. at was an
executed contract when the confer
enees IN our Offices began. The Nor
gsn finn had financial interest in the
parties who were not our clients, but
who we're dealing with our clients"
Did oFsrrell say who employed
burns'- asked counsel.
"No; but that is what we want 70
KNOW said the witness.
We'll, it's a fact that there was a
TAP put on your wire by the Police
Department" said Mr.. Moss. eve have
me record Of IT,"
That is news to me-" said the wit
ness
Roirsno's Wire Tapped.
me names Of the Seymours were the
only ones made public yesterday in the
iit Of $50 cases Of Listening in" by
NE police during the last two years
which rs IN the possession OF Senator
thompson. IL was learned, however,
NAT the private wire Of Michael Ro-
Irano had been tapped by the police
several times during his eight months
absence from the city.
.. Mr. Swayze reviewed the history of
listening i'm by the police in his
testimony lie said 10 had been the
Practice Of the company 10 grant all
such requests By the Police Department
Without making any inquiry on their
own account.
What about cases where through
o'er-zesl or political influence, or other
reasons, the police may say We suspect,
Continued on page 2, column