The Washington times., 1932-08-18
'" '"SNOOP" LABEL
; ST|RS IRE Of
!. SEABURY
Mayors Counsel HAS No Idea
! When He Can Conclude
| Speech, Governor Told
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(Continued on Page 2, Col. -
alleged the Mayor accepted $26,
900 in securities from j. A. Sisto
& Co., brokers, alleged to have
been interested in taXicab com
pany securities, and thereafter
sponsored taxicab legislation de
sired by this concern. Curtin
said:
THAT charge is without any
evidence. There is no Sug
geStiOn in any of the testimony
that SistO was deSirOus of
getting a limitation of the
number of taxicabS. He never
discussed that with the mayor"
He pointed out that a time
came when Mayor Walker could
have done something for the taxi
interests but, on the contrary
''he vetoed a bill which took
away at least $1,000,000 a year
from the Parmalee Company"
Seabury Angered
A flare-up between opposing
counsel occurred when Curtin
referred to Judge Seabury's com
mittee and his snoopers."
Seabury, his face flushing
leaped to his feet. He said:
II move to strike that out"
Curtin replied:
"That is not a bad word in
describing them and their tao
tics"
"It'S just another insult"
"All right" drawled Curtin,
"we1l call them investigators"
Resuming his plea. Curtin de-
clared that when the whole
world knew the Hofstadter com,
mittee was aiming to have Mayor
Walker removed from office he
signed a bill creating a board to
control the taxi business in New
York"
Sherwood Account Viewed
In Number three" Seabury
charged that Russell T. Sher-
wood, who he alleged was the
mayors financial agent, received
$4,000 from Samuel Ungerleider
& Co., as brokerage firm. Curtin
said Of it:
Gall that Sherwood did was
to get his money back. There
was nothing wrong in that. II
Seabury had brought cut all
angles to this transaction be-
tween Sherwood and Unger-
leider there would be nothing
strange about it,"
Curtin declared that because
Sherwood drew some money
from a special account for mem
bers of the mayors family, there
is no reason to say all the money
in that account was the mayors" "
He ventured the opinion no one
knew when the account started
except Seabury and his aSSo-
Ciates. He declared:
81 say that real disclosure
will show that the account was
opened away back before
Walker ever thought of becOm-
ing mayor. They have insinu-
ated that this account was
opened by Walker for an ulte-
riOr purpose after he became
mayor. It's only the person
who is looking for something
wrong who could jump to that
kind of q conclusion"
Court Case Up Tomorrow
So prolonged were Curtin's
arguments that the question of
how long he would talk became a
matter Of comment in the court
room.
It was pointed out that to-
morrow in Supreme Court before
Justice Ellis j. Staley arguments
are to be heard on the question
of whether Governor Roosevelt
has jurisdiction in the Walker
case.
The governor has been ordered
to show cause why he should not
withhold decision in the case.
If Curtin'S argument continued,
conceivably Walkers counsel
might be able to delay the put
ting on of defense witnesses until
after Justice Staley's decision.
And, If Judge Staley ruled ad-
versely, Curtin, it was limited,
would be in a position to appeal
to the higher courts from that
ruling. further complicating the
legal aspects of this political
drama.
Bus Action Defended
Curtin attacked Seabury'S con.
clusion number S" which is to the
effect that Mayor Walker. to the
detriment of the city, sponsored
the Equitable Bus franchise IN
1927.
Curtin insisted Walkers whole
thought in looking favorably upon
the efforts of the Equitable pro,
moterS was to preserve the five
cent fare in New York city. He
said the Equitable Company had
agreed to a five-cent fare.
When recess was taken until
2 p. m, Curtin was still discus,
sing Conclusion number five"
Governor Roosevelt asked:
"HOw much more time will
you need?"
81 have no idea" replied
Curtin.