The Waterbury Democrat., 1939-03-10
Office Routine Brought Out In Further Questioning Of Purcell By Defense Counsel der CroExaminaton of Atty Cawford-Conduct of Board
 of Finance Meetings Also Brought Into Testimony
ATTY. SIDNEY S. CAssEL

that was the custom.
 o. Well, you hadn't been in office very long. This was on Feb ruary 20-the second month of your administration. Wasn't it?
 A. Yes, the month of February 193O.
 @. What you were talking about when you were talking about the custom was your understanding of the custom that had begun with the preceding administration?
 Wasn't Familiar With It
 A. I wasn't familiar with it.
 Q. Did you learn about it?
 A. No.
 Q. After the II sheets were sign- ed and consideration given to the claims which, you say, took practi- cally all the time required for the signatures of the members on the sheets themselves-did you take any further part in the meeting?
 A. believe that I passed a vote around.
 o. Outside of that?
 A. I don't recall at the time.
 Q. Did you then leave?
 A. I left when the meeting was over.
 o. The whole meeting outside of the time taken for the signing of the sheets, voting, discussions on question of policy pertaining to other matters to which you have re- ferred-
 A. I remember now that the sheets were being passed from one member to the other while other discussions were going on.
 o. That is, you mean they didn't just stop and say: "Now we will take up the consideration of the claims presented"-nothing of that sort took place?
 A. I don't remember anything like that.
 Sheets Passed Around
 o. So while the discussions of the meeting which you have referred to were going on, the sheets were pass ed around, autographed by the in- dividual members and when that was done, they were all gathered to- gether and handed back to you?
 A. That was all to the process of passing on those claims on those eleven sheets?
 A. That's all I remember. . Crawford: Other counsel may in- quire.
 Attorney Josiah H. Peck began his cross-examination of Purcell:
 o. MT. Purcell, your entire life was spent in Waterbury. Wasn't it?
 A. Yes.
 Q. At the time MT. Leary was elected controller in October 1929 you didn't know MT. Leary. Did you?
 A. No.
 e. What were you doing at that time?
 A. Practicing public accounting
 o. You hd an office where?
 A. Al West Main street.
 @. And that was connected with the Harrington office?
 A. Yes.
 o. Didn't your office run in con. nection with the Harrington office?
 A. The Harrington office.
 @. Harrington is concerned witt real estate insurance business?
 A. Yes.
 c. And you had the use of thei, telephone and desk in the office?
 A. Yes.
 Q. How long had that been fact
 A. Since the latter part of 1928 I'm quite sure.
 Worked There Year
 Q. You had been there about 6 year or possibly 8 little more?
 A. Yes.
 o. When you went to MT. Leary and made application for some kinc of accounting in the controllers of flee?
 A. didn't go to MT. Leary as recall. MT. Harrington called my at tention to the fact that the position was
 Q. Now, MT. Purcell ---
 MT. Alcorn objecting to interrup. tion: think the question was re. sponsive and the witness should no s- ir -rrupted.
 Judge Inglis: The question was re. sponsive. Go ahead with your an sWer.
 A. My best recollection now that MT. Harrington called my at tention to the fact that the. position was, as I understood, open and tha MT. Leary had no one for 1t and h. asked me if would be interested At first I wasn't. He mentioned i to me at least on another occasion and then offered to speak to MI Leary for me or speak to the mayor I believe. o. Who was the mayor? A. Mayor-elect. e. MT. Hayes? A. Yes. And sometime after tha the appointment was arranged fo me with MT. Leary. e. What want to find out--di' you see MT. Leary before going int office? A. Yes. o. Where did you see him? A. In Mir. Hayes office on Eas Main street.