Evening star., 1938-02-09
STATE QUESTIONS
AUTHENTICITY Of
NOLAN DOCUMENT
Genuineness of Letter Pro-
duced by Defense ChaI-
Ienged During Trial.
POINT AT ISSUE TURNS
ON SALES CONTRACTS
Head Of Bankrupt Motor Firm
Charged With 16 Cases of
False Pretenses.

The authenticity of a document
produced by the defense in the Dis
trict Court trial of William j. Nolan,
head OF the bankrupt Nolan Motor Co.,
was challenged today by Assistant
United States Attorney John J. VIII
son.
MIR. Nolan and his former employe.
Benjamin D. Jenkins, have been on
trial for two weeks charged with l6
cases of false pretenses and one Of
consplring to commit false pretenses.
Throughout the trial, the testimony
mas been dull, and spectators and
Judge were startled from their bore.
dom this morning by pointed questions
shot at Mr.. Nolan on the witness
stand by Mr.. Wilson which concerned
the genuineness of letter introduced
late yesterday on Mr. Nolan's behalf
The letter, which bore the signature
OF r. M. Sigwald, former Washington
manager of the Universal Credit Co..
indicated Mr.. Sigwald knew As condi-
tlonal sales contracts Mr.. Nolan nepo-
tiated with Universal Credit for an
proxlmately 100000 previously had
been sold to the Munsey Trust Co.
IL Is this alleged double hypotheca-
ton OF the same contracts, represent
ing the same automobiles, which forms
the basis of all the charges.
Appears to Have Come Apart.
The letter appears to have come
apart just above Mr.. Sigwald's sigma
ture and to have been taped together
again.
Did You discuss with your counsel
"nether the lower part of this letter
is wider than the upper part?" Mr..
Wilson demanded today of Mr.. Nolan.
who had gone on the stand in his own
defense yesterday.
I did not" Mr.. Nolan responded.
Did you discuss with your counsel
that the pieces of paper on which this
letter is written are of a different
color?' Mr.. Wilson pressed.
The witness replied in the negative.
DID you discuss whether the type
writing on the two parts was the
same?' the prosecutor continued,
Letter and Copy introduced.
Mr.. Nolan gave the same answer.
Ihe questioned letter and q carbon
copy OF another letter which Mr.. Nolan
said ne wrote to Mr.. Sigwald were pre-.
sented in an effort to substantiate Mr.
Nolan's explanation of the transac-
ions which resulted in his indictment.
He testified that Mr. Sigwald told
him to put the As contracts tempo
rarlly in a bank until the Universal
Credit Co. could take them. He ex-
planned that the arrangement was that
he was to repay the Munsey Trust Co.
as soon as Mr.. Sigwald could get au-
thority from his home Office to take
the sales contracts.
All the sales contracts concerned
taxicabs sold to c. B. Ryan, president
of the Yellow Cab Co. of the District.
The Government contends Mr.. Nolan
sold spurious contracts for the same
automobiles to the Universal Credit
Co.. and that the second set puSpor.ed
to be for the sale Of automobiles to the
Minute Cab Co., which Mr.. Ryan also
headed.
The theory of the Governments case
that the second set Of contracts was
sold to the Universal Credit under
false representations is contradicted
by Mr.. Nolan's testimony, supported
by the letter.
This letter, which bears the date
March 80. 1896. was presented as the
reply of Mr.. Sigwald from q letter
from the Nolan Motor Co., a carbon
copy OF which was presented to the
jury.
How Document Reads.
The questioned document reads. In
part:
you no doubt will see that the in
surance policies covering these taxi
cabs will be sent to us from the bank
which I understand is carrying these
contracts, or some one from our
branch will stop in and pick them up."
The effect of this letter, Mr.. Wilson
explained. would be to show that Mr..
Sigwald knew all the details of the
transaction and that there was no
Misrepresentation on the part of
Nolan.
Cross-examined vigorously by Mr.
Wilson. Mr.. Nolan said he never no.
ticed the tape holding together the
two parts of the Sigwald letter until
about a week ago" He denied that
he taped the letter or had any one
do IL