New-York tribune., 1921-01-07
Two Legislators
To Face Swami
And Jury Today
Robinson and Steinberg
Will Be Questioned on
Their Charges of Corrup-
ton in City Government
Whitman Not to Appear
Prosecutor Denies Inquiry
bv Ex-Governor Is Move
to Thwart State Probe

State Senator Theodore Douglas Rob-
inson and Assemblyman Joseph Stein
berg will appear before the additional
grand Jury In the Criminal Courts
Building this morning to be questioned
by District Attorney Swami and AS
sistant District Attorney Banton as to
the information on which they based
their recent charges against the city
government in general and the Police
Department in particular.
While former Governor Whitman
has been appointed by District Attor-
ney Swami TO act as special counsel
to this grand jury and has accepted
the post, it is known that he will not
appear to-day to question Senator Rob-
inson and Assemblyman Steinberg.
Mr.. Whitman will not be sworn in
by Swami until late this afternoon, and
by that time the questioning of Rob-
inson and Steinberg is expected t. be
finished.
Whitman Not to Appear
Mr.. Swami said last night that he
had hoped that Mr.. Whitman might be
available to-day for the purpose of
discovering what the legislative wit
nesses might know about the CORFU .
ton they charge exists in various
municipal departments. Ho added,
however, that Mr.. Whitman had Aound
1t necessary to wind up lumber Of
important matters in his law office at
l2o Broadway and could not actively
undertake the duties connected with
his new appointment until next week.
The Tribune has been informed that
the Z, subpcenaing Of Robinson and
SS,te,l.nberg was carried out Without Mr..
Whltman's knowledge or c4nsent, and
that he is not interested in what they
may have to say to the grand jury to-
day. lie feels that the information
they may give is only that which has
been public for many weeks, and will
be OF little assistance in achieving the
ends at which he aims
1t s entirely pr>5ahlc that Mr.. Whit
mans first moves as special counsel to
tSe additional grand jury will not be
made until Tuesday.
District Attorney Swami, in talking
to newspaper men last night, denied
that the inquiry being undertaken by
the additional grand jury was designed
to defeat leg slative investigation. He
said that, on the contrary, it would be
of assistance to such a committee if
one was sent here. He asserted that all
the minutes of the additional grand
jury would be at the disposal OF the
committee, and that the District At
torney's office would lend any assist
ance it could.
Mr.. Swami declared that his office
has no evidence Of any corruption in
any public Office.
Jury Minutes Available
"Some people profess to believe that
the grand jury inquiry into the charge
made will interfere with or impede q
legislative inquiry" he said; "but how
could it? Certainly nothing the grand
jury would do would interfere with an
investigation by a Legislative commit
tee.
"The grand jury inquiry will be in
secret, it is true, but the legislative
committee, if one is appointed, could
have what we find here. ] would be
willing to ask that the minutes of the
grand jury be opened to the committee.
GLOW could this inquiry retard, pre-