Evening star., 1935-07-19


fairs Committee, prompted Chair
about his relations with Silver man
and his associates. He said he was
attorney for them in 1882 and had
done work for them since. Asked
to explain this work, he said he spent
considerable time at the War De-
partment in an effort to arrange con-
tracts for Silverman.
On Again. of Again.
Ryan said practically everybody"
in the judge advocate generals office
took part at various times in the con-
ferences which had to do with Silver
mans contracts.
I'VE would al get together" he said.
land everything would seem to be all
right, and the next morning would
find that everything was all off. That
sort of thing went on for days. Finally
I wrote to Col Payne and complained
at the treatment given Silverman."
McSwain wanted to know why
there was need for hurried confer
ences to change Silverman's contract
ION the day before a change in the
administration. Ryan said he had
been urging haste long before that.
The committee adjourned until next
Wednesday, when it plans to call
other witnesses in connection with
| the revelations made by Ryan today
and by Joseph Silverman yesterday.
Nathan Silverman, brother Of Joseph,
probably will be called.
Ryan First on Stand.
Ryan was the first witness today.
In response to questions he said he
was attorney for Silverman in 1882
and had represented him recently in
some matters.
He said the firm Of j. Silverman &
Bros, Inc. consisted of Samuel, Jo-
seph. Nathan and q couple of Silver
man wives" He explained there are
several corporations.
Did you talk with anybody at the
War Department about Silverman's S
surplus property contracts?" Nc
Swain asked
Yes" he replied, many times
Pressed, he said he had talked fire.
quently with former War Secretary
Hurley, former Assistant War Secre-
tary Payne, Gen. Macarthur, Col
McMullen and other officers Mac
Arthur, he explained, said he was a
soldier and did not have anything to
do with surplus property.
Contract Underbought, He Says.
McSwain drew from the witness the
statement that Payne signed a paper
underbuying Silverrnan's contract so
that he could sell Army products in
the United States. Thus climaxed a
long series of conferences at the War
Hotel between Army officers, Silver
man and Ryan. The paper was signed
on the evening Of July 8, 1882, he
said.
Ryan said he had argued with Gen
De Witt, the quartermaster general of
the Army, over what he described as
De Wits prejudice against Jews in
general and Silverman in particular.
The questioning turned to Speicher
and his disappearance at the time of
the grand jury inquiry.
DO you know Speicher? McSwain
asked.
Only slightly" the lawyer said 81
might have seen him. He thinks he
knows me very well. He's the kind
who would call me Tom. He called
me on the phone several times"
Was Sought Then.
"And that was during the time the
Department of Justice was looking all
over the country for Speicher. to bring
him before the grand jury2 While he
was fugitive from justice?"
Ryan said he didn't know Speicher
was fugitive from justice.
"Speicher merely called me on the
phone and said somebody was looking
for him and he mentioned something
about general or a colonel" Ryan
explained.
WAS it Gen. williamsP" Mcswain
asked.
That's the one" the witness con.
ceded.
The chairman identified Gen. vii.
liams as the officer recently convicted
by court-martial of accepting $2,50C
loan from Speicher.
Il had three cr four phone calls
from Speicher," Ryan continued. mop
ping his face. 'I told him he better
give himself up. I told him wasn't
interested In his troubles"
Asked if he had ever handed an
envelope to an attorney for Speicher
Ryan said he handed several envelopes
10 "a young attorney named Schneur.' ;
Stock Ownership Vague.
In his initial public appearance be-
fore the committee yesterday Silver.
man gave colorful answers to a bar
rage of questions fired at him by
Chairman McSwain.
The surplus goods trader was
vague as to stock ownership in the
several companies with which he and
other members Of his family are as
Sociated.
McSwain told Silverman the conn
mittee had learned he spent half .
million dollars in Washington in
connection with his efforts to obtain
War Department contracts for sur
Plus Army materials. The money, the
chairman declared, went for gambling
flowers and whisky for Army officers.
Silverman, under interrogation,
said he had disposed OF the Army
goods, mostly clothing, to foreign
countries, and had tried to sell sup
plies to Emperor Halle Selassie of
Ethiopia, who is preparing to resist
threatened invasion of his empire by
Italy. He, admitted. also, his COM
panies had bargained with Bolivia
and Guatemala. ,gt
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