Evening star., 1932-05-25
LETTER Of CREDIT =
DENIED BY WALKER
Tells Seabury He Never Heard
of Bus Agent Said to Have
Financed Tour.
CONTINUED Prom First page.)

Equitable Bus Co., and In answer to one
question Walker said:
II do not know any such thing, and
until hear II from Mr.. Delaney I won't
believe your statement that it is So"
John II. Delaney Is chairman Of tht
city transportation board.
Il don't care what you think" Sea-
bury replied.
"And that goes double!" Walker re.
torted
Again during an excited speech abou,
the connection Of the late Anson W
Burchard. former vice president of the
General Electric Co., with the Equitable
application, Walker declared he had
once summoned Owen D. Young 10
find out about it.
Denies Woodin Conference.
"At that time you were counsel for
the bus magnates, tool" he shouted at
Seabury
Never mind that We will have
the attacks on me later" Seabury said.
Walker denied he had ever discussed
the franchise with William H. Woodin
When the franchise was granted,
you knew, did you not, that the Equi-
tables only chance of securing finan.
cial support was by selling stock2"
Seabury asked.
II did not And you know II, too"
the mayor answered.
Walker denied he had ever been in
touch with Charles E. Mitchell, presi-
dent Of the National City Bank, to
finance the Equitable Bus Co.
He said he did ask Mitchell to make
a study as to whether the Equitable
franchise was financiable. The trac-
ton interests had closed the doors Of
several of the banks to the Equitable Co
He said Mitchell replied the franchise
was not financiable because it favored
the city too much.
That never happened" Walker an
swered when Seabury asked him if he
ever told State Senator John A. Hast
ings he required his assurance he had
no stock in the Equitable before he
would help find financial backing for
the Equitable franchise
Il told Hastings and everybody else
the same thing. I wanted no watered
stock in this proposition"
Describes Board Meetings.
Walker then proceeded to describe
what he said happened at meetings of
the board of estimate while the Equi-
table franchise was pending - at
tended" he said, by representatives
of the traction companies, disappointed
politicians and Communists
Il never knew what Hastings inter-
est in the Equitable was" Walker said.
Did Hastings ever ask you to sup
port the equitable bus application?
Seabury asked
He knew better than that"
Did you hear that those connected
with the Equitable refused to testify at
an investigation by the deputy con-
troller in February, 1922"
Il did not"
Who's on trial here?" Walker de-
manded.
You're making a speech, Mr.. Mayor" :"
Seabury said.
We'll. they're good speeches, Judge, 4"
Walker retorted. Did you ever listen
to one of them?"
IT'S q better speech than you made
in Cincinnati" Walker added while the
crowd laughed. And I don't have to
go to Cincinnati to make speeches.
either
The questions had begun with matters
of some years ago and in several in
stances the mayor replied that he
could not remember details.
Il never recommended the Equitable
franchise; I voted for it," Walker said
in answer to a question.
Denies Urging Franchise.
you urged it among your political
colleagues, didn't your" he was asked.
Il did not. The mayor never has in
six years asked the Board Of Estimate
to vote for or against anything"
The hearing had not gone far before
brief verbal tilt occurred between the
mayor and the gray-haired former
Judge. Seabury was still asking about
the Equitable franchise and questioned
the mayor as to why he voted for It,
Mayor Walker leaned forward to ad.
dress his examiner.
Il don't think you have any more
right to question an executive and cross
examine him on the official working of
his mind" the mayor asserted than
you have to question the Governor on
an appointment or the President of the
United States - However,"
Applause drowned out what he was
going to say.
A few minutes later Seabury engaged
in brief argument with one Of the
members Of the committee as to the
purport of recent testimony.
fAAlo yOu doh lllCs IllC 11AdyOl Ca
claimed to Seabury,. Ito remember
things that happened five or six years
ago. when you can't remember wha,
happened here last week"
A burst Of laughter resoundeo
through the packed court room and the
committee chairman threatened to clear
the room.
Seabury asked the mayor again re-
garding his vote for the bus franchise
and he answered:
Il can only repeat what I said before
that voted for the Equitable franchise
because it provided an initial 5 cent
fare. which have consistently advo-
Gated"
What was the financial support you
understood the Equitable to have?" Sea.
bury asked him.
Walker said he remembered repre-
sentatives Of ]. 8. White & Co. appear
ing at a hearing and stating they were
prepared to back the Equitable Co. of
the extent Of $40 200. 600 and could back
1t to the extent Of $1,000, ,000, 900 II
necessary.
Denies Knowing Burchard.
seabury asked Walker If he ever saw
Burchard or written statement that
Burchard was going to finance the
Equitable Co.
Il never saw any such statement and
never saw Mr. Burchard in my life,'
Walker replied. THE only thing I know
is that the j. s. White Co., known all
over the world, was willing to back the
Equitable Bus Co."
Continued ripplies of subdued ap-
plause and laughter led Seabury at one
point to remark to the mayor that he
seemed TO have AN appreciative
audience"
Il don't have to come here to get an
appreciative audience" Walker replied
and there was more laughter.
Senator McNAboe shouted that Sea-
bury had had an appreciative audience
all through the hearing. F1@
WOMAN ENDS 42-YEAR