The Waterbury Democrat., 1939-02-10

cell. discovered being an HTesu- larity with respect to a duplicate payment of sum Of money 10 . contractor of $3,500.
 Took Up Matter With Mayor
 ssThen propose to show that tne witness took up the matter witn tiae mayor and the latter told the witness it was @ mistake and he shouldn't question 1t.
 Purcell said that when he was told by Leary in connection witn the fund. which he recovered from the contractor, and then alegedly failed to return to the city treas ury, Certain people put us nefe' and they had to be taken care oi. You wouldn't underssnnd-youre not politician" .,.
 The palefaced- Purcell, testfy. ing in a halting and low voice, told of conference with Mayor Hayes about the failure of Leary to re- t,,rn the $3,5O0 to the ci;y, and of being told by the mayor that MT. Leary is a man of integrity anc that I should not question that m-
 Leary Called By Mayor
 "He then called Leary to his office" continued the witness, and that as A result T was told that MT. Leary was running his office and not MT. Purcell This latter was said by Leary, according 10 Nae witness. oo
 Concerning the check for s3,5oO, which had been paid in duplicate to a contractor. whom Purcell said he could not remember, the witness testified, Immediately after 1t was noticed Leary was notified and ne went to the contractor to make re- covery-on the same day-l tnink' I learned later that he did make re- coyery of the amount of the dupn- cate payment"
 Alcorn asked Purcell to proceed to show what was done with the money.
 'When bank reconciliations were being made at the end of June" he said. T looked for 1t and asked Leary for it. He said he'd take care of it later. I don't recall mention- ing it to him again until the end of February"
 Purcell said that 1t was not re- ported in the reconciliations at the end of February, T went to see him again to tell him the money had net been returned to the city treas
 :After the February reconcilations were made he said he'd take care of it later-I then wondered what else I should do."
 Consulted Robinson
 Purcell said he consulted with MT Robinson of the Griffenhagen firm "a ,countants."
 'sSometime thereafter I went to the Mayor-I think 1t was in the early part of March" he continued. T told him about 1t. I said a dup licate payment was made to a con- tractor-I don't recall his name Il told him that MT. Leary had made recovery but had not returned 1t to the city"
 Purcell said that he was chided by the mayor he should not aues- ticn Leary's integrity - that Leary waS a man of means"
 Leary Running Own Office
 sHe then called MT. Leary to his office. continued Purcell, "and the conversation then, as near as can remember was to the effect that he was running his office, not MT. Purcell"
 Judge Inglis asked Purcell who he meant by "he." Purcell answered, "Leary." ..
 Purcell continued that he spoke T should say week or so later" with Leary about 1t.
 .Leary called me into his private once and told me he had deposited the proceeds of that check in his name as controller at Waterbury Trust.
 'The reason was that certain people had to be tasen care of'.' Purcell claims he was told by Leary
 May Be Spectacular
 The testimony which Purcell will have to offer is expected to be of highly spectacular nature, as well as possibly at time, of highly tech- nical description. As chief account ant in the controllers office during the complete tenure of office of Daniel J. Leary, he has par ticular knowledge of the workings of that office, particularly in con- nection with the issuance of checks and keeping of books.
 From the start of the investiga- ton of the grand jury, he was key witness, and speculation at the time the charges were preferred against the 27 men was that he would be one of the states prin- clpal witnesses.
 It has been speculated that he will be kept on the stand for weeks, before the state concludes Its di- rect examination and the defense takes up what undoubtedly will be . cross-examination of even more gruelling nature than that put to Edward G. Levy.
 Lone Member Held Over
 Purcell Is the lone member of the CoutfOllcT OIiCe, WHO was lleAu OVeE from the employ of Daniel J. Leary. The office was cleaned out by the new controller, Sherwood L. Row. land, with the exception of Purcell. During the early days of the grand jury probe Rowland and Purcell were together as witnesses.
 It Is reported that much ot the testimony given before the grand jury by Purcell was from private records kept by himself during the eight years of Leary's regime.
 A little notebook" Is said to tell the story of payments which were obliserated with the alleged destruc. ton of other records of the con- troller's office.
 Purcell has been a daily habitue of the courtroom since the first day of testimony. It was anticipated that he would be called even earlier than he has been.
 T don't recall what I said in an- swer," continued Purcell, but MT.