The Waterbury Democrat., 1939-04-06
Williamson Denies Conspiring To Defraud City OF Waterbury State Witness Also Reutes tmaion of Perjury Claims He's Innocent Expects Be Found Not Guilty Subjects Darien
 Grueling Cross Examination.

Attorney Murray resumed his ross-examination of Charles E.. Williamson when court opened this morning. The testimony was as fol- lows:
 Q. Now, you stated the other day, didn't you MT. Williamson, that you testified in contradictory fashion before the grand jury in this court. Is that correct?
 A. I made some incorrect state ments to the grand jury but the grand jury got the whole truth be- fore I left.
 Q. I say, did you make any con- tradictory statements when you ap- peared before the grand jury? A. I made contradictory state ments, yes.
 Q. And you claim that they were substantially contradictory? A. Not aS a whole. The grand jury got the whole truth.
 e. Now, you're in a position now that you don't want to openly con- fess that you committed perjury? A. NO.
 o. What would you call it?
 A. I would call it incorrect state ments. Perjury consists of incor- rect statements not corrected, but my statements were corrected vol- untarily by me.
 o. You call it incorrect state ments. Is that what you want it termed?
 A. Yes.
 Q. You knew you were under oath, didn't you?
 A. Yes.
 0. And you knew the nature of an oath, didn't you?
 A. made some incorrect state ments. Q. That is, you want to take the curse off by calling them incorrect. Is that it? A. The statements made to the grand jury-and the grand jury has f the whole truth.
 Responsive Answer
 o. Now, I'm asking you to answer the question. You, a lawyer, would know what responsive answer is. Don't you?
 A. Yes. o. Do you differentiate between incorrect statements and false statements? ....
 A. Yes.
 o. Now, MT. Williamson, as a lawyer, you know what responsive answer to question is?
 A. believe so.
 o. And will you try-when I'm asking questions to answer them re- sponsively? Under oath before the grand jury, do you want this trial jury to believe and understand that you made false statements? Yes or no.
 A. They were volun-
 o. Yes or no. Did you make false statements?
 A. Yes.
 o. Then your answer is yes. Isn't it?
 A. You heard the answer.
 Q. I asked you if your answer is yes?
 A. Yes.
 o. And when you were making those false statements you knew thai you raised your right hand and swore to tell the truth? Didn't you? A. believe so.
 @. Why, have you got any doubt about it?
 A. Well, I was confused but l got the impression that I was ex- pected to do it.
 o. Do you mean to say that you want this answer to stand-that you believe you were under oath and ex- pected to tell the truth?
 A. No.
 Q. Then why do you say that you believed that you were expected tc tell the truth?
 A. Of course, I was expected tc tell the truth.
 o. You knew you were expected to tell the truth. Didn't you?
 A. Yes.
 o. And you knew what the oatt required, as member of the bari
 A. Yes.
 Probable Violation
 Q. Then you deliberately violated that oath. Didn't you?
 A. I probably did in, my confu. sion.
 0. Was it confusion thnt leat you to violate your oath?
 A. Apparently, yes.
 O DO voiI mean that vo,,'ra fl such a mental state that you weren' competent to understand what yol were asked in the questions tha were stated? A. To degree-yes.
 c. You haven't been taking any l thing in the way of narcotics O ] liquor that would disturb you more jury testimony of Williamson. Mur. rou 1aornad from him fhot ho haf