Evening star., 1933-08-23
FATHER COUGHL|N
DEN0UNCES BANKS
Judge Rules Today on Further
Efforts for Hoover
Testimony.
By the Associated Press.


DETROIT, August 23-In striking
language the Rev. Father Charles z.
Coughlin, bitter critic of Detroit bank
ing methods, today denounced before
the one-man bank investigating jury
the "mismanagement" which, he said,
wrecked the Michigan banks and
brought about the closing of the city's
two national institutions.
The priest pounded the witness stand
and shouted that God Almighty
could not raise the First National
Bank"
When questioned as to whether he
believed that bank and the Guardian
National Bank Of Commerce, closed
since the State bank holiday, February
IA, could be reopened, he said, how
ever, that he believed depositors in
the two banks would receive 80 per
cent Of their deposits ultimately. At
present they have received 40 per cent,
or $131 100000.
Although he said a statement prob
ably would be made today, Judge Harry
B. Keidan, sitting as the one-man open
grand jury investigating the closing Of
the two banks, today made no reference
to the telegram of Herbert Hoover, in
which the former President yesterday
said information he had was insufficient
to justify trip to Detroit to testify.
Father Coughlin offered his testimony
in dramatic tones before q court room
that could not hold all who tried to
enter. He said he had telephoneo
Gov. William A. Comstock of Michigan
from New York City, two weeks before
the Detroit banks closed, and urged him
to call Detroit bank holiday At that
time, he said, he was a guest in New
York Of former Mayor Frank Murphy
now Governor General Of the Philip
pines.
Names Not DivuIged.
The witness said he could not give
the names Of men who had informed
him of local banking conditions, but
said, Il had information from men in
| Washington who were waiting for the
bomb to 60 of, from men who had evi-
IDENTIFY warned the directors that dis
aster was impending" Father Cough
! lin. making plea for support of the
new National Bank of Detroit. organ
lied by General Motors with r. F. c.
backing several weeks after the two ma
tional banks failed to reopen. said he
had been asked on March "a by Secre-
tary Of the Treasury William H. woodin
to make an address in support of the
new bank.
He came to the court room with q
portfolio containing what he said were
| "photostatic copies to back up every
statement I make" about the banks.
OMcials said he will be on the stand
! for two days
Father Coughlin declared both the
last public statements of the First Ma
ticnal Bank, Detroit, were false in that
cash on hand item was padded" and
that the testimony Of Wilson w. Mills,
former chairman of the banks board
Of directors. offered recently before the
jury, was false. He demanded that
Mills be recalled to the stand.
When Mills testified that on Feb
ruary II the First Nationals cash on
hand and Government securities item
was $l08,5S5, OTIS and that the bank was
| 25 per cent liquid he did not tell the
truth" shouted Father Coughlin, bang
ing the table.
Deposit Fund $1,000, 600"
when Mills testified the bank had
$50, ,000, 900 with which to meet general
deposit Withdrawals, again he did not
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