Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1931-04-24
FOUR RACKETEERS
HUNTED IN ATTACK
New York Probe Witness
Sent to Hospital and Sea-
bury Told on Phone.
BY the Associated Press.

BY the Associated Press.
NEW YORK. April 24.-Pclce hunted
today for four men described by Luz
drico d. Ferrari, labor union official, as
members of the racketeers' reprisal
squad that attacked him after he had
given information to Samuel Seabury
about extortion for laborers on the EN-
pire State Building, worlds tallest sky
scraper.
Ferrari, business agent for the Hold
Carriers Building and Common Labor
ers' Union Of America, was questioned
several times in private by Mr.. Seabury,
who is investigating charges against
District Attorney Thomas C. T. Grain
One of the grounds on which the re-
moval Of Mr.. Grain is asked is that he
failed to suppress racketeering.
Anonymous Phone Call.
Yesterday an anonymous telephone
call was received at Mr.. Seabury's office.
The caller said: III you're looking for
Ferrari, you'll find him in Harlem
Hospital"
Police found him there. He told
them four men entered his office last
Wednesday. demanded $1,000 in cash,
and, when he refused, dubbed him
and slashed his face. His condition
is not critical.
Detectives found a revolver in Fer
rari's of1lce and arrested him under
the anti-firearms law. He was re-
leased in $500 bail.
Ferrari is reported to have told Mr..
Seabury that racketeerS took $4,000
a month from men working on the
Empire State Building.
The Grain inquiry marked time to-
day, Mr.. Seabury having granted an
adjournment until Monday. It was
rumored that he had decided he OBJ
tanned about enough Information for
his report to Gov. Roosevelt, in which
he will recommend either that the
district attorney be kept In oflce or
that the Governor GUST him.
Cooperation Is OffeSed.
James A. Higgins, city commissioner
Of accounts, has called on Seabury,
counsel for legislative committee in
vestigating the city, and offered his CO.
operation. AS a result Mr.. Seabury as
signed his assistant, Jacob Gould
Schurman, jr., to examine the records
Of Mr.. Higgins Office and determine
what material was needed
At various times the commissioner of
accounts has conducted examinations of
city affairs. His inquiries, however are
not related to the present investigations
Newspapers reported today that the
Tammany board Of strategy had de-
cided to attack the legislative investi-
CATION on the ground that the reso-
luton authorizing the committees
work gives it powers in defiance TO the
constitution.
Testimony Compulsory.
The part Of the resolution on which
Tammany is prepared TO appeal stipu-
lates that no witness may decline to
testify on the ground that it may
| incriminate or degrade him. The New
York Herald-Tribune said the first wit
ness who believes his constitutional
privileges invaded will find himself
protected by a staff of attorneys.
In the custer proceedings against
District Attorney Grain yesterday Wat
son Washburn. former assistant attor-
! ney in charge Of the Bureau OF Sc
curities, testified that Mr.. Grain had
obstructed the prosecution Of stock
racketeers who swindled New York res
idents out Of 500 ZOO 900 last year.
The charge was made after Mr..
Cram, taking the stand in his own
defense, had defended his own inquiry
into the Magistrates Courts. He said
| that his work had made possible the
| present investigation.