New-York tribune., 1922-06-29
Letter Asking
Loan Charged
TOMcWhinnev
Contractor Roth Turns Over
to Legislative Committee
Note Reported To Be
Signed by Assemblyman
Amount SoughtW as 5000
Weeks Denies Strong Asked
That the Case Against
Thompson BE Reopened

Just before tho legislative commit
tee appointed 20 determine II Supreme
Court Justice Selsh b. Strong should
be impeached adjourned last night n
letter. said 70 bear the name Of As
semhlyman Thomas A. McWhinney and
asking for a loan Of 5000. was turned
over 20 tho committee by John Both.
II the contracting firm of Both &
Weston
This letter was written on the sta
uonery Of the Hotel Ten Eyek, where
Assemblyman Mcwhinncy lives during
the legislative session.
II was Asscmblyman McWhinncy
who introduced the resolutions creating
the investigating committee and en-
bodying the charges against Justice
Strong.
II was brought out yesterday that II
was Justice Strong's persistence that
resulted in the indictment for alleged
padding of pay rolls Of the members
% the firm Of Both & Weston. which
has built bridges and roads in Nassau
County.
Indictment Twice Refused
Twice. at least. the testimony
showed. during the time that the talk
Of impeaching Justice Strong was being
broached among Nassau County poll
ticians. grand jury in Nassau County
failed 10 rctura indictments against
Both and Weston. The indictments
finally were found after the impeach-
ment proceedings had been completed.
The McWhinnev letter was produced
after Edgar Truman Bracket. chief
counsel for Justice Strong, called the
attention Of the committee 10 the fail
urc Of the members Of the firm to pro-
duce the letter. along with all the
books and papers Of the concern. which
were brought 20 the Bar Association
Yesterday in response 20 subpoena
issued AZ tho instance of Mr.. Brackctt.
Assemblyman Edmunds II. jerks.
chairman Of the committee. who re-
ceivcd the letter. had previously ruled
that the books Of Both and Weston
should be returned. saying the com
mittce could not impound property for
the inspection Of counsel for Justice
Strong.
Charles r. Weeks, District Attorney
OF Nassau County. was the principal
witness Yesterday. Harry c. Perkins.
counsel for the committee. sought %
establish that after the Grand Jury
handed up a presentment exonerating
Senator George L. Thompson Of Mas
sau County bf a bribery charge. Jus
ticc Strong asked District Attorney
Weeks 10 resubmit the case TO the
Grand Jury. This Mr.. Weeks denied.
Strong Advocated Inquiry
Justice Strong. Mir Weeks testified.
informed him that he had been con-
vinced that the charge that Senator
Thompson had killed bill in the
Legislature affecting the incomes Of
Nassau County officials should be in
vestigated after a conversation he had
with Franklin Lord. former counsel 10
Governor Charles &. Whitman and
Harry Lee. another Nassau County
politician. The bill in question would
have prevented county judges from ac-
cepting private practice.
Coming down 20 the Both and Wes-
ton indictments Mr.. Perkins asked:
Didn't Judge Strong say that he
didn't care II there was a conviction
that al he wanted was an indiet-
ment?"
"No. sir" exclaimed District Attor.,
ney Weeks. Judge Strong never said
that. He never said anything like
that There was no such eonversa-