The New York herald., 1921-01-08
HELPS CROOKS BAIL ,
JUST AS A FAVOR
Continued from, First Page.

Continued from, First PGge.
I have TO turn over TO Espresso 6
! O'Leary 21a per cent. of which 2 per
cent. goes to the company for its regular
premium. So l only get for myself or
- or per cent, and sometimes don't
get nothing but promises. My income
from all the bonds stood for last year
did not amount to $1,000. don't know
| just how much. but less than $1,000.
| Just do II as a favor"
"In these cases you have stood for,
what have been the most frequent
charges that have been preferred against
your friends. the boysT"
COnvicts Among Clients.
We'll. I couldn't remember all Of
them. but mostly robbery and grand lar
| ceny. / should say"
And pickpockets. too?'
"No, don't handle no pickpockets"
"In the last three years have you ever
| arranged with Espresso to furnish bonds
for some of these boys who are friends
of yours and who previously had been
| convicted of crimes?'
You see. Mr.. McQuaid. II they was
friends of mine / would never ask them
no such unpleasant questions as that"
Magistrate Simpson, not to be put off,
asked: Have you ever. in association
with Espresso. furnished bond for the
same man tw:ce?'
The bond writing bounccr hesitated
! and then replied that he really could not
remember The record showed that he
had underwritten as recently as last
month several second or third offenders
who since have pleaded guilty to bur-
glary charges.
"Do you keep any kind of a record
of the men whose bonds you guaran-
tee?" asked the Magistrate. Albert said
he did not.
Mr.. Pecora. taking UP the examina-
ton. asked: Some of these friends OF
yours have been convicts. have they
not?"
Sure. the majority of them was con-
victed."
And you are sure you never took
| from them any kind of collateral or Sc
curty to indemnify yourself?'
Il never took no security that crowd
never offered me nothing"
Pressed by the examiner to tell why
he had broken relations with Joe Tup-
per two months ago. Albert said: "Oh.
had few words with him. that's all"
"Was 1t about a division of the
profts?"
mo. nothing like that
ing business with him because he
wouldn't permit you to take stolen prop
erty as collateral?'
Denies Taking Collateral.
NO. l don't remember just what It
was about, but 1t was nothing to do with
collateral. cause l never took no COL
lateral off nobody in my life"
Albert said none of his friends. except
one ever had walked out on him."
With an occasional reminiscent chucklc
he told OF an instance where one of the
boys--whose name and address he could
not recall at the moment-had run
away. The bond was forfeited, and that
experience in philanthropy cost Albert
S3,100, including the costs. Most for
tuitously he chanced to have S2.SO0. the
savings of a long time. in a bureau
drawer. The remainder OF the obligation
was made up by a check for 5000 given
him by a friend who has a small shop a.
the corner of Eldridge and Grand streets.
and 500 which he realized by making
a touch" upon one of the ushers In the
movie theatre where he is employed. He
could not recall the name of the usher,
who has now gone elsewhere.
You mean TO tell us that once in
your experience a friend cost you SO. 100
you a $50 a week man with no other
sources of income and with no real or
personal property-and yet you cannot
remember the name of the only man who
ever ran away on your asked Mr..
Pecora.
Albert insisted that he did not recall
&C. though he could look II up. He had
known the girl this defendant had mar
ried. and II was the young wife who had
come to him weeping and intercedlng
for her husband. That worked upon his
sympathies.
do any of these boys who are your
friends belong TO gangs OF professional
thisves?"
The unabashed witness said he did nor
know as to that. but they seemed to
have hang out on the corner there In
a cafe" The man who often brought
10 him the cases OF these youths In dis
tress was one. Harry Silverman.
And what business Is he IN ?" asked
the examiner.
"Oh, don't know: he Just hangs
around no business that I know Of"
You mean that he's just a ioafer7 7
Well. is he also the leader OF a gang Of
thieves?" When the witness said he
did not know, Mr.. Pecora exclaimed !:
Then. on the recommendation OF n
loafer who has no legitimate means of
Support unu WnOs lot Hugnt you KNOW,
may be n crook working at night, you
habitually pledge your personal credit
TO procure for them bail2"
Albert said he usually knew enough
about these fellows TO believe they
would not bolt their bail. but he ad-
mitted that about many of them he had
not enough knowledge. 10 know whether
they gave him their right names or an
alias. nor did he know whether they are
old offenders.
Before Albert was sworn Louis Es-
presso was recalled. Despite his state
ment on Thursday that about nine
months ago his company had ordered
that no more bail bonds be executed for
men accused of robbery. long list of
such cases was read from the District
Attorneys records. wherein Espresso or
some OF his lleutenants working for the
Fidelity and Casualty Company had
bonded since last spring many men ac-
cused of that crime.