New Britain herald. [microfilm reel] (New Britain, Conn.) 1890-1976, 1928-10-17
WATKINS TAKEN
TO PRISON TODAY
CONTINUED from First Pase)

1t from the mouths of witnesses
that the charge here. the main
charge. is conspiracy to defraud the
public. Watkins has succeeded In
various other places in the country
with his enterprises. and his purpose
in coming here, was. of course, to
enter into the same conspiracy that
he had succeeded in in other places,
and when he arrived here flrst-his
plan was frs: to enmesh and en-
barrass public officials and men
prominent in the life of this state.
Now. that is laid in the information.
That is part of the charge of the
state. So he came here. Your Honor
will remember. in May of 1927, and
with this sole purpose in mind he
then began to take into camp as
many public officials and prominent
people as it was his power to take
into. camp; so on May 26, 1927.
which about comedies with Wat
kins' appearance here, as Your Hon
or will remember. he became con-
noted with Callahan & Company at
a special meeting Of the board Of di-
rectors of the then Callahan COM
pany.
LAS appears from an exhibit which
was offered in court last week the
following vote was passed: Upon
motion, duly made and seconded.
it was resolved that the secretary
be, and he hereby is authorized 20
interview His Excellency the Cover
nor. in accordance with PROPOSE
ton submitted to the board of di-
rectors at this meeting That was
attested by J. Werner Anderson who
was then secretary of that corpora
ton, and who was a witness here
in this case.
Nov, at that time. or very short
ly afterwards, the governor bought
10 shares OF Winthrop Gregory &
company and held it until sometime.
as think the record will show
here. in July, when it was sold for
$3.50. The certificate of stock is
here and the check is here with
records the sac.
Has Documentary Evidence
Nov, next on December 80. mark
YOU, II Your Honor please. this was
after the bank commissioner had eX-
amind into the affairs of Winthrop
Gregory & company and The Ma
tional Associated Investors: 1t was
after the two leading newspapers OF
the city of Hartford had refused TO
accept the advertising Of this con-
Germ; 1t was after Mr.. Conlands ac-
countants had been there and had
examined the books and said that
the books were so bad that they
would not proceed further with their
Investigation. that on December 80.
in pursuance OF his conspiracy whlch
he had formed upon his arrival in
Hartford, he sold to His Excellency
the Governor. on December ~. loo
shades OF The National Associated
Investors at price of SIS per snare
and the market price at that ume
was $26 or $27 a share. and between
January 5 and January ?, toloWlng'
these shares were sold at pront OF
something very near $1,000. NOW.
am not interested in any controversy
with the states witnesses, but the
documentary evidence, which ] have
in my possession. if Your Honor
pleases, establishes the truth OF the
witnesses Anderson testimony Win
resnect to those two stock transact
lions with His Excellency the Gov
6rnor.
Pallotti Had Shares
Nov, if l have overlooked any
thing. Your Honor. it is certainly IN
Intentional. think should have re-
TERED to the fact that Mr.. Pallotu'
who was then secretary OF the STATE
had substantially the same dealing
with the stock of Winthrop Gregory
e. company, and with the stock OF
The National Associated investors
that His Excellency the Governor
had. Mr.. Pallotti also bought 10
shares of Winthrop Gregory d. COM
pany early and sold it early and ne
also bought 100 shares OF The Ma
tional Associated Investors ana sold
n at a profit to himself Of nearly
$1,000"
Enmeshcd Hurley
Mr.. Alcorn was severe in his con-
demnation of Commissioner Hurley S
interest in the case, saying:
Now, there is one more feature
to count that is of importance IN
this case, because, / say. as saio
at the outset, it was Watkins plan
not only TO embarass but to enmesh
nublic officials. 4 he could do SO.
and so he carried on the books OF
Winthrop & Gregory company an
account which was known as ac-
count No. IS. That account was er-
roneously referred to by a, witness
the other day as the account OF
Robert Z. Hurley. 1t is incorrect
insofar as the middle initial IS IN
error. The account was No. Is. but
il was under the name of Robert
Hurley, and that Robert Hurley IS
Robert r. Hurley, who is the COM
missioner OF state police OF the state
of Connecticut Now, Watkins de-
sired no interference in his opera
tions. He knew that the day of
reckoning was coming. he kne"
that sooner or later the crash would
come and he wanted TO get just as
MANY Vi tI| oiLi'ia'S Vi 'iii' ''
enticed as it was possible for him TO
get. He knew that II was not un-
likely that when the crash did come
and he should flee the state, as he
did, taking with him everything that
was at hand. that it was not unlike
ly that the bark commissioner might
turn, very naturally would turn. to
the commissioner of state police for
lnVesti gation OF the crime.
NOW, fortunately that was not
the course that the bank commits
sioner pursued But that account.
il Your Honor please. shows on Jan
uarv 5, 1928. after the bank COM
missioner had been there and in
vestlgated, and was investigating.