The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1916-06-07
BARBER HELPED TO
DISBAR OPPENHEIM
Testifies in Damage Suit He
Changed Sides After Get
ting Much Cash.
GAVE FALSE TESTIMONY

The part played by an italian barber
In a Madison street shop in bringing
about the disbarment Of BENJAMIN II.
O%ppenheim at the behest Of the old Metro
politan Street Railway Company was
told yesterday by the barber. Joseph
Porchia, when he took the witness stand
before Justice Con and a jury. Open
directors. Henry A. Robinson. the gen.
eral counsel. and other members Of the
legal department who took part In the
disbarment proceedings. to recover $780,
600 damages Ia on trial.
The testimony of Porchia was brought
out through the introduction In evidence
OF Metropolitan vouchers found In a
trunk left by George II. Bagg. one OF
the company's investigators. when he
jumped his bill in n West Side boarding
house. This occurred when the proceed
ings to Gust District Attorney jerome
FOR not taking criminal action agains,
the Metropolitan directors were on trial
The papers resulted In the reinstatement,
or O~ppenhelm. the disbarment OF Robin
son and the payment OF n $1,000 judg-
ment to a crippled girl which had been
set aside on false testimony that Open
helm had been guilty OF subornation OF
perjury.
Porchia. who quit the barber shop 70
become a shepherd Of Metropolitan wit
nesses. who was originally the chief wit
ness In the Nugent case brought by
Oppenheim. said he abandoned Nugent
and went TO the Metropolitan on n prom
ise by Lewis r. Julian. a Metropolitan
10, t1pgYfUntar that hn ,A,,t1 Aa..n IN no
job. He said Julian gave him money
70 many times he could not remember
how much he received. He Identified
vouchers for s2.741.
mfr. Robinson told me that any rom
tract made with me by Julian would be
binding" said Porchia IN reply 10 ques-
ions by Edmund l.. Mooney. He told
me they couldn't put me on the regular
payroll because the legal department
wouldn't stand for a man Of my intelli-
genCe as an Investigator. After I had
testified before Referee Mcbride in the
proceedings to set aside the Nugent
Judgment Julian said. Your testimony
gave the Oppenheims a knockout blow.
Keep up the good work. I'll get YOU n
life job"
The witness said the greater part Of
his testimony. including that against
oppenhcim. was false. He told Of taxi
ing Sadie Mcdonnell. one OF the Nugert
witnesses. to Philadelphia to keep her
away from the ~oppenhcim disbarment
hearing. under Jul'an's orders. Julian
told him at that time:
"Porchia, II YOU are a witness IN this
case we have lots Of money. Those two
Jews iOppenheim and HIS brothcr). W.
want 70 get rid OF them"
porchia told of attending n ball Of the
Callahan Association with Sadie Nc
Donucll and Mamie Langstaff. another
Nucent witness, when Julian c~haperoncd
the party attlred In a high hat and eve
ming dress. and bought wine at the ball
and paid for a wine supper a; a res
taurant afterward. on that occasion
Julian told Sadie Mcdonnell that II she
would sign an affidavit for the Metro
poli,an against Oppenheim Julian would
see that her father got a life Job. She
signed the affidavit II her father got
tho jon.
Il peddled money round for the
Metropolitan for two years and n halt
between the time OF the verdict in The
NuCent case and the disbarment ~ OPP
peuheim.' said Porchii. Julian told
me Robinson said he would pay $4,000
rather than settle the $4,000 Judgment
| told them ! was afraid Sadie MELON
nell would sue me for breach of promise
and Julian said the company would Ak
It"
The case will 60 on to-day.