Evening star., 1940-03-15
Let's Weighs
Protest on
Bank Report
Fees for Depositors'
Committee of Park
Savings Opposed

Justice r. Dickinson Let's in Dis
trict Court today took under advise
ment a protest against approval OF
Special Master James G. Wilkes re-
port in the Park Savings Bank case
designed to terminate the seven
year litigation and wind up the de-
funct institutions affairs.
One Of the one-time $4,000 de-
positors Of the bank stood up in
court and told Justice Let's she OBJ
jected to ratification of the report
on the ground that the Depositors'
Committee should not be paid any
thing for its services. She was an
Alice Deal Junior High School teach
er. Mrs. Cora G.. Windmuller, 3165
Eighteenth street NV. She con-
tended there was no agreement to
pay the group and that they ac-
knowledged this in their report to
the special master.
The committee, she asserted
failed to achieve its objective OF
raising sufficient money to retain
counsel.
Others Wanted to Object.
Others depositors said they
wanted to object, but arrived at
District Court too late for the hear
ing, which began shortly after 10
o'clock. Some said that they would
embody their protests in letters to
Justice Let's. Joseph w. Thomp-
son, chairman Of the Depositors'
Committee, under the report. would
receive $500 compensation, while
four other members-Robert H.
Young, c. c. Hines. William j.
Neale and John C. Drake-each
would get $3.50, Mrs. Windmuller
asserted.
Answering a question by Justice
Let's, Mrs. Windmuller conceded
the committee did some work, but
that its members stand to gain as
all of us stand to gain"
Attorneys William E. Richardson
and E. Hilton Jackson, who repre-
sented all the depositors who stand
to benefit, told Justice Let's that at
meeting OF 1000 depositors at Gen.
trail High School a resolution was
adopted which said nothing for or
against compensation. Under a Dis
trict Court decree, said Mr.. Richard
son, a special master was to deter
mine the committees compensation
If any.
Decisions Cited.
Depositors committees are entitled
to compensation In s,ach cases, de-
clared Mr, Richardson. according to
nurnergs1S court decisions, including
q recent Maryland Court Of Appeals
ruling That . committee might get
the reA1onable xalue OF its services.
He asserted that this committee
functioned throughout the litigation
Of the last seven years and that in
asmuch as the bank had 5000 de-
positors in 1929. 1t was impossible
for counsel to have contacted them
all.
Justice Let's observed that he has
examined the Wilkes report, but not
with reference to the question oi
committee compensation. Some
$1,000 depositors were notified of the
proceedings by letter and more than
$500 people came into the Office Of
Special Master Wilkes and 154 cases
were heard extensively.
Attorney Richardson paid high
tribute to the work of Special Master
Wilkes, saying there was not single
objection to his findings on the
claims out of $1,000. Mr.. Wilkes, he
declared, has done a marvellous
work in this case" and the Treasury
Department has co-operated as have
the officials of the Controller of the
Currency. Mr.. Richardson also
praised J. Bruce Kremer, represent
ing the receiver of the Park Savings
Bank, and his associates. Justice
Let's said he would make his ruling
shortly.