Evening star., 1933-06-26
PLOT TO GET FORD
| CHARGED IN PROBE
Detroit Banker Gives. View
That Wall Street Was
Behind CIosings.
BY the Associated Press.

BY the Associated Press.
DETROIT, June 26.-Herbert r. VIII
kin, Detroit banker, told the one-nlan
grand Jury investigating the closing Of
two national banks here today that
"the sole reason for closing Of the
banks was, in my opinion, to get
Henry Ford"
Wilkin. former executive vice presi-
dent of the Guardian Detroit Union
Group. Inc. holding company for
a number of banks. declared he was
Of the opinion that wall Street be-
lieved it had chance, by tying up
Fords deposits in the banks. to SO
deplete his working capital that he
must deal with them or go broke" Ford,
he said, had more than $65, ,000, 900 on
deposit in Detroit banks at that time.
Just before he made the statement
regarding Ford. Wilkin had startled the
open grand jury session by declaring
more than 81 900 900 had been cleared
through the Detroit clearing house be-
tween the time Of the actual declara-
ton of the State banking holiday,
Tuesday, February IA, and the follow
ing Thursday
Withdrawals, he said, were made on
behalf Of Mrs. James Couzens. wife Of
the Michigan Senator, and the Second
National Bank Of Houston, Tex.
New Yorker's Plea Cited.
"The first man to spring the idea
that the two old banks (the First Ma
tional Bank Detroit and the Guardian
National Bank Of Commerce) must be
closed to give way to one new bank
was George w. Dawson of the Central
Hanover Bank & Trust Co. of New
York" wilkins testified.
Dawson told a group Of Detroiters
at the Detroit Club on the morning he
arrived that Detroit must have one new
bank The Detroit bankers. after hear
ing him, came away with the idea
that through Dawson Wall Street was
trying to control the credit Of the whole
State Of Michigan"
In discussing the check clearings. VIII
kins told Circuit Judge Harry B. Keidan,
presiding at the hearing, that nearly
all the personal account" of Mrs. Cou-
zens was withdrawn "the day before
the holiday"
He mentioned only two other with
drawals both by the Houston bank. one
for Sl00, 900 and the other for S65, 900.
Wilkin said that Houston is the home
town Of Jesse H. Jones. then managing
director and now chairman of the Re-
construction Finance Corporation.
Jones Denies Connection.
The Detroit News today said that
Jones, reached by telephone at his
Washington Office, said he has no con-
nection at all with the Houston bank,
and declares the bank did not get any
information from him regarding condi-
tions in Detroit
Wilkin said he was unable to recall
the amount of money Mrs. Couzens
withdrew from the bank, but declared
this item was among a great many"
that were put through the clearing
house after the declaration of the State
wide banking holiday by Gov. William
A. Comstock.
Judge Keidan asked the witness If in
his opinion the post-holiday clearing
was proper.
II don't think So" said Wilkin THAT
is legal matter, but the banks were
closed. I don't think that clearing
should have taken place."
Under Michigan law single Judge
may sit as grand jury for an inquiry
when requested by the prosecuting au-
thorities.
The present hearing, unusual In being
public, was asked by the State attorney
general, Patrick H. O'Brien.