The Washington times. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1902-1939, 1917-06-23
ASKED ABOUT PAST,
PERLMAN FORGETS
Corporation Head Vague
About Arrest.
JUDGE DEMANDS ANSWER
Accused Of Being Fugitive From
Justice, He Says Maybe"

L. H. Perlman, head Of the So
900, 900 Perlman Corporation, makers
Of detachable automobile rims, was
on the stand in the United States dis
trict court last week, testifying in a
patent infringement suit he brought
against the Firestone Tire and Rub
Der Company. when Martin W. Little
ton, counsel for the Firestone Com
pany, in the midst of what seemed
an interminable cross-examination.
suddenly shot at the witness a rapid
FIRE series OF questions eliminating In
a demand that he tell the court
whether or not he was a fugitive from
Justice.
The witness gave a halting, indis-
tinct answer. Then. going back
twenty-three years and reading from
a sheaf of records Mr.. Littleton ask
ed Perlman, who is known to the auto
mobile trade of the world, IL he was
not ]. B. Quint, who formed the
american Ozyone Syndicate" in Lon
don in 1894, was arrested in January
OF 1895 lodged in the Bow street Jail.
released in April, and later fed a cash
bail of 5000.
Threatened with Jail.
When Mr.. Perlman said he could not
answer, could not remember" Judge
Hand threatened to commit him to
jai, unless he did answer. After much
parley he told the court II might have
happened and he might have forgot
ten #. The next moment his lawyers
asked for an adjournment of the case.
This was the climax Of the latest
-.
against other concerns which have
been manufacturing demountable
rims for automobiles. 1t was not
the first such suit that Mr.. Littleton
had defended, with Mr.. Perlman as
the complainant. Since he obtained
his patent and started to making de-
tachable rims in 1918, other COM
pauies have gone into the business,
only to meet a suit by Mr.. Perlman,
several Of which have been successful.
Mr.. Perlman was his own chief wit
ness. His cross-examination had gone
answered with ease until Mr.. Little
ton and an assistant asked him Ques-
lions at length about his life prior to
1894 and following It. The witness
answered with east until Mr.. Little
ton resumed the examination and
asked Mr.. Periman II he had not,
while stopping at the First Avenue
Hotel, Holborn, London, organized
"The American Ozyone Syndicate"
with & man named Edwin Ames Web
Der.
81 have no recollection of it." was
the witness answer, as the court rec
ords show. Mr.. Litleton then asked
the witness II he and Weber had not
inserted advertisements in London and
rural newspapers scontaining a word
puzzle with the statement that those
who answered successfully would get
q prize of "a
81 have no recollection. of it." was
the reply.
Said He Could Not Remember.
Mr.. Littleton then asked IL Mr.. PERI
man, as Quint, had not replied to those
who answered that IL they sent in 10
shillings, 6 pence they would be sent u
can of 'ozyone" and pounds 10 shiI-
lings and pence cash. The witness
said he had no recollection of it The
lawyer then demanded to know
whether Henry Marshall, an inspector
of the investigation department of the |
London police, had not taken the wit |
ness and Weber from their hotel on |
January Il, 1895. to the Bow street po- |
lice station, where the two were held |
for examination before q magistrate |
named Bridges.
II have no recollection" was the an !
swer. Mr.. Littleton then wanted to
know whether or not the witness and /
Weber were not indicted for larceny |
and put in jail for two months-Feb- |
ruary and March of 1S95-had not 1
finally been bailed out and fed the |
bail, ending with: Are you not q |
fugitive from justice?"
Il have no recollection OF that Incl
dent" was the answer.
You have no recollection OF that in
cident," demanded Judge Hand
Il have not" replied the witness.
do you deny it?" asked the court
i have no recollection OF it your
honor" was the answer.
Do you mean to sit there, SIR" de-
manded Judge Hand. and ten me that
may have happened and you not recol-
lect it?"
Il have answered that question to the