The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1916-1920, 1918-10-25
PROSECUTOR TO SEE
TAX LIEN EVIDENCE
Magistrate Appleton to Send
Copy Of Testimony Also
to Weeks.

At the end Of the examination OF
Frank +. Hurley. manager Of the ia
maica branch of the Title Guarantee and
Trust Company, in the tax sale investi-
CATION before Magistrate Appleton in
the Municipal Building yesterday Samuel
S. Bresl!n, counsel to the Mayors COM
mittee on taxation. said he would send to
District Attorney Charles r. Weeks of
Nassau county all tho testimony and
evidence, in order that the Nassau
county authorities might determine
whether any one should he prosecuted.
Mr.. Hurley, who previously had tes-
tilted that he lent his son. Eugene II.
Hurley. about $4,000 for the purchase
Mt tax sales of lots which young Hurley
and Charles II. Fabans intended to sell
back TO the original owners at a hand
some profit, made a statement for The
record in his own behalf. He said that
in the. last twenty-five years he had
handled without criticism hundreds of
thousands Of dollars for his company,
and that in helping his son and Fabans
in their private transactions he was
merely trying to protect Ill advised in
vestments they had made.
Thought He Had Right to sign.
He said he had believed, and still be-
ieved that in indorsing checks in the
name OF Fabars he acted legally, as his
son had delegated TO him the power of
attorney given the son by Fabans
In answer TO questions from Mr. Bres-
lin. Mr.. Hurley admitted he may also
have signed the name Charles H. Fa-
BANS at the Baldwin. l.. l.. post Office in
receipting for registered letters ad
dressed TO Fa ADAMS.
lie had come to the conclusion that
Eugene Hurley and Fsbans were in a
bad business when they undertook TO
make money out OF small landowners
who had lost their property at tax sales,
but In mitigation he explained:
MY son found. you might say, that
buying property at tax sales was the
principal occupation at Mineloa, the
county seat. Everybody was doing it.
My son thought II was an honest bust
ness"
Then why did he arrange it 81 the
original owners of the property that he
bought could never meet him person-
ally?" asked Mr.. Breslln, but Magistrate
Appleton ruled that such question
should be put TO the son rather than the
father.
He can't be responsible all through
M" sons life for the condition of his
~" il4Iu' tEc -hdBlStrate said.
Mccarthy Vanishes.
Through Mr.. Hurley Mr.. Bresl!n was
unable to get any light on the present
Whereabouts OF Charles r. Mccarthy.
Mr. Hurley's brother-in-law, whom
young Hurley and Fabans used as a
dummy in their real estate operations,
The witness said Mr.. Mccarthy lived at
his home In Baldwin and was paid 81
or - week for doing chores until
three or four weeks ago when Mr.. Me.
Carthy said he was going away TO get
n Job.
Mr. Hurley said his salary from The
Title Guarantee and Trust Company WIS
$4,000 year. Magistrate Appleton
asked him II he is stil employed by the
company lie answered that ne ought
10 be- but did not know what the result
OF this investigation would be.
He admitted he was sponsor for Mr..
Fabans when the latter rented a lock
box al the Baldwin post Office.
why was 1t necessary to get this
box? Why could not the mail for Your
son and Fabans be received at your
homer MI. Breslin asked.
81 did not want to he connected with
the business" Mr.. Hurley said. He said
that the tax laws should be amended so
that owners could not lose with theJ"
propert. without having been indiyiu-
ually notified by the county that hack
taxes were not paid