New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1917-01-07
4 |. Wilson Held as
Witness Against
Breckenridge
SllRRENDERED BY
HIS OWN LAWYER
nenies That He Passed
Money, but Refuses
TO Talk

..s;rs 20 District Attorney Swami
- money from the garment manu-
,'..r,.rs into the hands Of Lucian 5.
p,,.Einri6ee when he was special
.,.i.tspt District Attorney in charge
. ,hs prosecution Of indicted labor
r,;o, officials, was committed to the
~,rb. Yesterday afternoon as a ma
.,5sl witness in default Of $1,000 bail
:. by Judge Mulqueen, Of General
Sessions
III, witness is A. L. Wilson, Of 2O6
w,,, 14otb Street, and according to
Ii, counsel. J. Ward Toilette, former
Assistant District Attorney and for
r.r associate Of Mr. Breckinridge in
,,s homicide bureau under District At
.ornev Whitman, he was an agent for
no Division Street Merchants Asso-
cation. an organization Of retail cloth
~ dealers who had strikes on their
hands last spring.
District Attorney Swami, Acting Dis
,riet Attorney Dooling and Assistant
District Attorney Eder, with Mr.. Fol
stte, appeared before Judge Mulqueen
when Wilson was held. According to
he affidavit signed by Mr. Eder, VIII
son has been subppnaed TO appear
next Thursday before the grand jury
IN an action entitled. Henry L. Jacobs
vs. John Doe" Jacobs IS said 70 be a
nember of the Division Street Mer-
,hsnts' Association.
Wilson Not Planning to Leave
The affidavit further sets forth that
Wilson is q material witness for the
people and that ne mad just returned
rom Bridgeport, Com. where he had
5een employed. and that he was about
0 leave New York for Detroit 20 get
work In the Ford automobile plant.
The sfioavit also sets forth that "the
said Wilson further states that a GER
'an offer was made 20 him on January
> 10 depart from the State Of New
York"
Opposing the commitment, Mr.. Fol-
lette assured Judge MulQueen that Will
son had no intentions of quitting the
Jurisdiction He said that he got in
touch with Wilson a few days ago in
Bridgeport, and when he learned the
police were looking for him he called
up Deputy Commissioner Guy Scull and
notified the latter that Wilson could
be found at his home in West 140th
Street, where he was staying with his
wife and child Toilette said that De-
isetiyes Wood and Jessup found him
here. After spending nearly an en-
IRE day IN the District Attorneys Of
ice, Toilette said, his client returned
here voluntarily on Saturday.
This man." he said, "is inferentially
charged with being a notorious East
side CRATER, and ] appear here 70 pro
isct nm IN view Of possible criminal
charges
District Attorney Swami interposed,
saying that Wilson was 2 notorious
CRATER but his activities were not
cenhned TO the East Side.
Swami Raps Police
Judge Mulqueen was about TO sug-
Essi 10 Mr. Toilette that he would send
wilson 70 Police Headquarters.
Beng, as | said, notorious graft
oo-setor Police Headquarters is the
aN place he should be sent" said Mr..
eEsnn. "The influence there would"--.
AZ that point the District Attorney
asesed himself in an unfinished state
ment
Later in the anteroom OF the Dis
fet Attorneys Office and i1 the pres
.lee Of Mr Toilette and acting District
attorney DoOlng. Wilson was asked If
ge hSd ever admitted passing money to
Nr. brecknrdge he replied that he
asd not When asked whether he had
gef passed the money as charged, he
geeiined to answer Mr.. Breckinridge
geeilned 70 answer for him, saying that
-e himself would probably be a wit
lsss in the magistrate proceeding
against Nr. Breckinridge.
nave YOU ever told tho District
nuorney that you were offered money
70 leave New York" Wilson was asked.
No be replied.
Nhen Nr Toilette was asked TO OK
pam how ne happened 10 get Wilson
Gown 10 the Office Of Martin W. Little
Nn' a. l45 Broadway. on Friday, ne
"sded a direct reply.
Letter a Link, Swami SAYS
District Attorney Swami last night
produced call for meeting Of the
,lsaieS' Hat Manufacturers Associa-
.9n az The Hotel St. Denis for January
1916, signed by Wilson as clerk.
ga nc letterhead the name Of Mr..
''eennrldge appears as Attorney"
I'D, nis letter is dated as Of January,
lsie' said M Swami, "but We have
g.ners showing that Mr.. Breckenridge
ss connected with the association as
'vorney until the following June"
,aar Toilette admitted that this A. L.
" ssAson and his client were Identical.
le sad he would take steps on Mon
ss'y 70 obtain a writ Of habeas corpus
V' wilson. Mr.. Swami said last night
=, would confer with Mr.. Littleton,
ounsei for Mr.. Breckenridge. on Mon
SSsy 70 arrange the date for the "John
zoe hearing Of the evidences against
ae latter before Mag strste McAdoo.
Littleton Tells Wilson's Story
Martin w. Littleton. counsel for Mr..
eeklnrdgc when Informed last night
Visions arrest, said:
wilson made very full and frank
ealement TO me Of his entire connec-
soh with Breckenridge, and while !
earthly dislike the idea OF trying the
sss IN the public press, this seems to
me only forum iu which the District
uorney viii press the charge, and
IN obliged therefore 10 do the best
Cont fInucd ou maze rotufun