New-York tribune., 1920-10-19
NJ cndel1 Bank
Accounts Kept
Out of Court
Justice and Attorneys in
Travis Inquiry Will In.
spect Them and Read
Data Into the Records
Result of Privacy Plea
Testimony of Deputy State
Comptroller Ends; Con-
AictsWith PreviOusS Stories

Tne testimony of Deputy State Comp
troIler James A. Wendell in the John
iloe inquiry being conducted before
Justice Kernochan into the methods
smployed by the Comptroller's Office in
rurchasng bonds for the state came to
sn abrupt halt yesterday afternoon
when Ferdinand Pecora, Assistant Dis
trict Attorney, began TO question the
witness as to his personal financial
affairs and the deposit and loan &C
counts he may be carrying.
Mr. Wendell, in answer to Mr.. Pc
,ora's opening question along this line.
lad said that he had a deposit account
With the National Commercial Bank of
Albany. The witness then was asked
il he carried any loan accounts with
snv other financial houses. To this
o,;ery the Deputy Comptroller's at
tcrney. Colonel "Bll' Hayward, dur
irg the war cmomander of the famous
18Th icolored) Infantry. objected siren
uously. declaring that it was unfair to
"drag Mr. Weadells private affairs
into the public prints"
I'VE do no, wish to conceal any
thing" said Colonel Hayward, but we
do not think it proper or fair that my
clients private affairs should be pub
lshed in the newspapers"
Court Cphoids pecora
Justice Kernochan called the law
sers attention to the fact that large
Srofts had been made by Albert l..
tudson. bond trader, in the sale of
securities 10 the Comptroller's Office
and that most Of this money was un-
accounted for
"One Of the objects of this inquiry,
rs understand it." said the judge, "is
10 find out what Judson did with ohis
cash, and if Mr. Pecora's questioning Of
the witness as TO his private accounts
will throw any light on this subject
the questions and answers Will have to
20 into the record.
Colonel Hayward suggested that rec
ords or transcripts of any of Mr.. Wen
dell's accounts be produced and that
they be inspected by the court and
Mr. Pecora in private and that any
that are found to be pertinent be read
into the public record of the inquiry.
Mr. Pecora said that if Mr.. Wendell
would give a list Of the banks and
cher financial institutions where he
has carried accounts since January,
1915, he would subpoena the records
and would be glad to 60 over them IN
private. This was agreed, and the
witness left the stand. He will be re-
called later in the week.
Mr. Wendell is the Republican can
ddate to succeed Eugene NJ. Travis as
State Comptroller.
Letter of Authority Produced
A letter was introduced, which was
alleged to have been written from the
COmptroller's Office to George C. Van
Tuyl jr, then president of the Metro
pOlitan Trust Company, on the
strength of which Mr.. Van Tuyl wrote
to the Guaranty Trust Company that
Ildson was authorized to purchase So
10000 of bonds for the state. This let
Ter, Mr.. Wendell declared, was ridicu-
lOus, although it resulted in the Guar
anty Trust Company carrying these
bonds for Judson without collateral of
any kind, merely on he assurance tina.
Judson Was authorized by the state
to make the purchase.
The witness declared that he had
10 recollectlon of ever having written
such letter and that no record of it