The New York herald., 1922-06-15
Kept Promise After Judge
Went Ahead With Road
Graft Charges.
NASSAU HEARING FOUGHT
Judges Counsel Withholds
Substantial Reason Against
Taking Case to Mineola.

Assemblyman Thomas F. McWhin-
ney at the jerks legislative commit
tees investigation into the conduct of
Supreme Court Justice selah B. Strong
yesterday admitted calling the Judge
q liar and threatening him with the
legislative inquiry.
The Assemblyman said he arrived
days after the charge to the Grand
Jury in which Justice Strong said
that "a prominent State official had
been involved in bribery. When he
read of it he went over to the Judges
chambers at the Mineola courthouse.
There he demanded to know whether
ne was the official who was said to
have been promised denomination pro-
viding he would not further the Lor-
ing Black bill. preventing county
Judges and surrogates from practicing
law
The Judge talked to him in a friendly
manner patted him on the back, and
told him not to get excited as the per-
son referred to was Senator George L.
Tompson of Kings Park, who was later
exonerated of the charge by Grand
Jury.
Warning a Judge.
"I told Judge Strong that Senator
Thompson had nothing to do with de-
feating the bill," Mr.. McWhinney testi-
fled. 'I told him 1 had defeated the
bill in the Assembly and anybody who
knew anything about the circumstances
would believe the man referred to was
me. He said ne had two affidavits from
very reliable people. l told him these
two persons had committed perjury and
I was going to see that they were In
dicted and punished"
Some days later Justice Strong's
an inquiry into road graft in Suffolk
county and rip things open" again in
censed the Assemblyman, who is said
10 exercise a considerable political power
in the county. and on this occasion he
warned the Judge in emphatic terms.
''If you've no more justification than
that for the bribery charge. you had
better be careful" said Mr.. McWhinney,
because you'll get your damn monkey
In a muss."
What did you mean by that?" asked
ex-senator Edgar r. Bracket, counsel
for Justice Strong.
Il meant that harm had been done to
honest officials before by judges charges
and that if he continued these tactics
there ought to be some investigation of
his actions" replied the Assemblyman.
you didn't mean to threaten him with
impeachment, did you?"
mo. l meant to warn him. told
him that / would have a Legislative
committee come down from Albany and
make an inquiry"
The Lie Direct.
How effectively he kept his promise
!s shown by the present investigation
into Justice Strong's actions, which is
the result of a resolution introduced
into the Assembly by Mr.. McWhinney
The actual drafting of the document, he
said. was done by special committee
Of the Nassau County Bar Association.
Questioned about his talks with JUS
tice Strong. Mr.. McWhinney said lie saw
nothing peculiar in addressing Su-
preme Court Justice in the terms he
used. He felt justified because the
fair name of the county had been
bcsmirched" and Judges were exploit
ing themselves and getting their names
IN the papers,"
He testified that he was subpnnaed 10
Justice Strong's chambers in the John
Doe proceedings after he had gone to
the District Attorney In search OF the
two alleged affidavits in the bribery mat
ter, and was surprised to find that JUS
tice Strong wanted to retract an alleged
former statement. The conversation as
related by Mr.. McWhinney was as fol-
lows:
Justice Strong: Now you know
didn't say had two afidavits. said
/ had statements"
Mcwhinney: "If you say you didn't
say you had two affldavits you're a liar
and you know you are"
The Assemblyman added that when
the record OF the conversation was tran
scribed and filed he believed the part
In which he called the Judge a liar"
had been stricken out He denied under
cross-examlnation by ex-senator BracK-
EFT. having written a letter to Booth &
Weston. the road contractors, asking
them for 5000. According to McWhin-
ney this Is the firm that built a good
ten years"
Senator George L. Thompson denied
unqualihedly that any one had ever ap-
preached him with reference to the Lor-
ing Black bill.
The decision Of the committee to hold
q hearing at Mineola on June 2s drew
forth a protest from ex-senator Brack-
EFT.
'I submit that this man (stfong)
t.o1 he faL fNfn Ma
said Senator Bracket. There are sub
stantial reasons which do not care to
disclose now why the hearing should not
take place there. I challenge the right
of the committee to bring us to Mine
OLA"
The committee decided to hold It's next
meeting at the Bar Association on June
2s