Evening star., 1933-03-02
:'PECORA QUESTIONS
:. HIS ONE-T|ME AIDE
Senate Banking Witness En-.
abIed Him to Expose
Scandal in 1920.
BY the Associated Press.

BY the Associated Press.
The changing fortunes Of an event.
full law career yesterday Brought Ferdl-
nand Pecora, counsel for the Senate
Banking Committee, into sharp cross
examination of man whose testimony
largely enabled him to win notable
victory at the bar a dozen years ago.
Pecora told abe 1t it himself after
H. C. Sylvester, vice president OF the
National City Co., had been the target
of many of his sharpest shafts OF ques-
tioning in the committees stock market
investigation.
Recalls Scandal Inquiry.
Chatting about memorable cases in
which he has served, Pecora recalled
obtaining an indictment against the
New York State controller in connec-
tion with administration OF state SILK
Ing funds in 1920, and remarked:
"One of the men who gave me con-
siderable information about that prose-
cution was Mr.. Sylvester, whom l put
on the stand today. When he faced
me across the table it was the first
time had seen him since 1920
Rare is the prosecutor who receives
tributes from those whom he tries TO
trap into damaging admissions.
But the verdict of financiers who
have faced this former New, York
prosecuting attorney since he became
counsel to the committee seems TO pe
summed up in the phase OF one OF
them, who said, Hes hard, but he's
fair"
Prepares Legal Coups.
Swarthy of complexion, with graying
dark curly hair, a pugnacious chin and
fingers toying with a pencil, ne
lunches over the end Of the commit
tee table, sets the stage for coup
with careful questions, then strikes
home with unexpected suddenness.
THE work is very useful and ap-
peals to me strongly" he said when
asked how he happened to leave his
prNate practice and take the JOB.
He likes to tell how he almost De-
came an Episcopal clergyman.
sMy family wanted me to become
one, but I fooled EN- he smHeo'
Now 81 years old. although ne ooho i,o
10 wears younger, Pecora is a native
of italy. He came to New YORK Win
his parents when he was and the
family settled on the West Side.
Went to Work Early.
Tho oldest of seven children, he had
to work at whatever came TO nana.
BuC ne IOullQ lilliS w o.
public schools. .;r,,
When his family decided to make MN
q clergyman, he was sent to st. Stepn-
ems College, now a part OF Coiulnoia
IJniversitv, but had to leave atter a
wear to 90 to work as clerk IN a law
office He took to it Immediately, was
GRADUATED from New York Law Schooi
and began an upward climb by way ol
the district attorneys otflce.
For II years he served there, Ilrst az
deputy assistant, then as chle! assist
ant and prosecutor under Joao II. Dali-
ton. When he resigned to enter prlVaIe
practice on January l, lsoQ, ne ,lis, uao
MANY a memorable case behlno MIN
Outstanding among them we're the
state sinking fund investigation, the
1e23 drive against bucket shops, which
resulted in a score of convictions ana
the closing of 14O more. and the graft
prosecution. of the Health Department
scandals in 1926 and 1927.
Enrolled as Democrat.
Pecora said he has been enrolled as
a Democrat since 1916, when the Pro-
eressiye party, which he supported, DELL
nitely disappeared.
In that year he campaigned New YORK
State for woodrow Wilson with group
which included Walter Lippman ana
Rabbi Wise.
He is proud of his boy, Louis Yelling
ton Pecora, 18, a student at New YORK
University and something OF a sprlnter.
Pecora married the former Florence
Louise Waterman of New York. Ihey
live on Riverside Drive.
A Mason and a member of other fra
ternal organizations Pecora is slated to
be exalted ruler of the New York Lodge
OF Elks next year
He plays golf, he confessed, poorly
enough to really enjoy the game