The New York herald., 1920-12-02


Contract Card didn't your
Yes"
Before the deal was closed the man
sent,ip this quotation card, didn't hep
'fHsN - supposed to do So"
''where are those cards2'
''That system fell into disuse.''
where are those cards Miss O'Dea?"
They had been destroyed"
Who destroyed them?'
~ did"
who told you to
II don't remember exactly"
"Gh. yes. you do beg your pardon.
By whose instructions did you destroy
those cards?'
Il don't really remember, Mr., Coun-
sellor: 1t was one Of the members of the
bureau"
Witness Cannot Remember.
switch one of the members Of the
bureau?'
II really don't know"
when were you instructed to destroy
those cards %
''Some months ago"
you have been talked to about this
card system and the destruction OF these
cards?"
mot in connection with this investi-
cation"
Il mean recently. within the last
twenty-four hoursr'
mo, have not"
'And you hadn't told anybody about
your destroying them?"
''Why. no.
"And your memory Is so poor that
you couldn't tell us which of these firms
In that association or bureau told you
to destroy the cardsY'
A,ft hay 4fraf u hn
was"
Suppose we go over the list of men,
bers, do you think you would be able.
then, to tell US who told ysu to destroy
the cards2'
II would only be guessing"
WAS 1t only one man who told you
this?'
II think possibly 1t was"
II understand the system has not been
discontinued; it continues to-day. Isn't
that right?'
mot that I know Of" \
Don't you get these cards to-dayT
mo, 1 get contract cards.
Don't you get quotation cardsY'
mo, have not in months
''How recently since you have received
quotation cardsY'
"Not In months"
did the bureau meet and stop the
quotation card business when this In
vestigation began?'
mo, long before IT,"
"How long before and wInenY'
ITO the best Of my recollection think
It was the early part of this year"
Want to Conboy's ONCE.
"who told you that they had discon-
tinued it?'
IT told you / don't remember who it
was"
when you were first subpoenaed here
this afternoon you were told that you
need not come. weren't you?'
'I reported to Mr.. Conboy's office. and
when they saw 1t was a mistake in the
subpoena they said for me to come right
over"
'Who said for you to come over?"
"One of the lawyers In Mr.. Conboy's
office"
with whom did you speak?"
"Mr. Hall brought me over here.
What talk did you have with Mr.
Hall about these cards?"
"I had no talk with anybody"
"You have not had word with any
one?"
Absolutely not"
But as soon as you got on the stand
you knew they had been destroyed?"
-
"The cards were a pretty bulky thing
to destroy. How did you go about TT"
81 just put them in the wastepaper
basket"
"Were they torn hrst?'
II may have torn them across"
"who were present in the office when
you destroyed those cards?'
Nobody"
"You remember that. Just look at
you were alone when you did It, do you?
And in your own oflce7"
"Yes."
Did not burn them UP. did your"
"No"
who was present when you were
instructed to destroy the cards?"
"I don't know"
You say 1t was member Of the
bureau?"
"Yes. believe so.''
George w. Steele. one of the founders
of the bureau. who left IL 10 go into
service in the war. was the first to
break own the silence which has been
thrown around this mysterious bureau
This price fixing evidence was regarded
as highly important. as II opens the
way to finding what the organization
did In spite of the legal fight made.
Preliminary to the organization OF the
bureau there were several meetings held
by contractors interested In the scheme.
An older organization had been out
grown by trade conditions. The witness
became secretary of the new bureau.
There were sixteen members.
"A uniformity of prices occurred after
the bureau had been organized for a
month or six weeks" the witness ex-
planned. II was only suggestion"
that brought this about and no formal
motion or action. The witness credited
John r. Kane. dealer. with the idea.
Explains Card system.
Thon the card system was inaugu-
rated Each contractor used the cards
This was Just like the Hettrick sys-
ten. wasn't it?" Mr.. Untermyer asked.
II don't recall the Hettrick system
don't know how many cards he used
Explaining how the system was op
Grated. Mr.. Steele continued:
Miss ODea was secretary. Mr.. Kane
explained 10 20 one or two members
who explained II to others.
The purpose was 10 establish this
card system, wasn't itY'
1T was 10 establish some better work.
ing condition for higher prices"
Higher prices. that was the purpose.
wasn't tn"