New-York tribune., 1919-03-12
Court Permits Becker and
Counsel for Jacob Cohen
to Question Witnesses
Musicals Alias Explained
Attorney General Granted
Right to Visit Sorro, Wit
ness i'm tho Cohen Trial

The John Doe inquiry into the Qucs-
tIon Of whether perjury was commit
ted In the ttinl Of Jacob Cohen. now
awaiting tho death scntencc for the
murder Of Barnett Baf. yesterday
passed out OF the exclusive control
OF the District Attorneys Office. From
now on representatives of the Attor
nev Generals Office and counsel for
Cohen will he allowed TO take part in
the hearings, to cross-exnmine wit
nesses and to introduce Witnesses ON
their own account If they care to do 80.
This action was taken by Judge Mic
1niyte. before whom the inquiry has
been proceeding for two weeka, after
spirited eoloquy between Assistant
Disftiet Attorney recora aud Deputy
Attorney General lleeher over the pro-
duetlon Ia court of lnmes A Nofro,
wltnens Ia the Cohen onsa who con.
feased perjury mud afterwards with
drew hia confession,
QUESTION: by Judge Mclntyre as to
why Sorro aud Philip Musica. whose
names have been freely and frequently
used by Witnesses and counsel In the
hearing, hnd not been brought into
court, started the train of events that
resulted In the issuance Of the order
widening the scope OF the investigation.
MIR. Becker was waiting to be called
as witness. Banjamin Simon, proc
ess server in his Office, who first was
collol kinpIoN a bc
stand when the question of the relation
Of Musica to the Attorney Generals
Office and the use by Musica of the
alias Of "WIiliam Johnson was raised
II would like to have il clearly un-
derstood if Musica, while in reality
only an employe of the Attorney Gen
erals Office, was masQuerading under
the name of Johnson as a deputy AT
torney General of the State of New
York said Judge Mcintyre.
Ihe witness explained that Musica
had been employed by the Attorney
General to aid i'll the prosecution Of
espionage cases and had done very
valuable work and that in doing his
work 1T was necessary for MIN tC use
an assumed name. The fact that he
was using the name of Johnson, he
said, was we'll known. to the officials
by whom he was employed The wit
queraded as deputy Attorney Gen
eral.
Judge Mcintyre asked why Sorro was
not in court. Mr.. Pecora explained
that Sorro had been paroled by court
order in the custody of the Attorney
Generals Office, and that the District
Attorney had no control over him at
has been my intention to ask for a
modification Of that order" said MIR.
Pecora, "to provide that Sorro be held
in the House of Detention.'
Mr.. Becker stated he was willing
that Sorro should be taken to the
House Of Detention, with the stipula-
ton that he is not to be visited by
any Of the police, but may see repre-
sentatives of the District Attorneys
Office and the Attorney Generals s
Office" An agreement to this effect
eventually was entered into between
the two attorneys.
MI Becker expressed himself re
garding the character OF the proceed
ings.
1--WE have had no opportunity to an
swer the attacks that have been made
upon U.S. he said. "or to cross-examine
witnesses or lntrC duce witnesses &c
show our side the case.
II asn interested primarily in the