The Wilmington morning star., 1946-07-16
Fair Enough
BY WEsTBRUOK PEGLER

NEW YORK, July 15-While the Mead com
mlttee OF the Senate dwells on the case OF
Murray Garsson's so-called paper empire in
the war profiteering Investigation. it might
be appropriate for some inquisitive grour to
go back over his earlier career in the GOV
eminent service as an assistant to the Sec
rotary OF Labor in immigration cases. The
Treasury Intelligence no doubt has taken the
hint already for here is one of the gaudiest
adventures of our time.
Carson was chief investigator for the Sa-
bath amt of Congress which investi-
gated he reorganization of real estate pro-
motions and other busted bubbles of the boom.
Some excellent, conscientious lawyers served
that committee as counsel but, as one of
them recalled today. Carson, Notwithstanding
MS past and his reputation, which was not
good, was lin control of the investigation and
had the confidence of Congressman Adolph
SABBATH" of Chicago, the chairman. SABBATH
had no excuse and his explanations should
be examined with a cold, skeptical eye. This
attorney readily acknowledged that any man
IN Garsson's position, could have deceived him
and other lawyers and the committee. He
could nave directed the inquiry away from
the interests Of those VINO were kind to him
or mlsrepresented situations in their favor to
the detrlment of victilnIZed investors. He has
now been found in association with The motor
ooo 'AhAS o4Ol, dllo SGlSl IdSCdlS III HOLLY
wood, in 1887, the last year of the investiga-
ton, and it has been determined that Bioff
got 700 shares Of Continental Can and 500 of
Consolidated Oil from Joe Schenck, of 10th
Century Fox. in Holly wood, the day before
Schenck bought 5000 shares of 10th Century
Fox for $3.50. 900 for Garsson's account. The
stock later was sold for S110, 600. Bioff knew
Carson ard testified, in his trial for extortion
that Schenck loaned Carson 5000, 600. Some of
Schenck's own interests were involved in the
reorganizations under congressional inquiry.
What were these people doing together any
way ana why should q government agent get
such favors from q subJe ct of his official
interest?
From 1880 to 1882, Carson had been a spe-
clal assistant to William Doak, Herbert Hoov-
er's Secretary CT Labor. He was in absolute
control ever the investigation and prosecution
OF immigration and naturalization frauds. Here
he was in a position to walk onto a movie
Set, IN the midst Of a production. and cause
the deportation of an essential foreign actor.
Samuel Dickstein, of New York, now a New
York Supreme Court judge. was a congress-
men at the time and was chairman of the i'm
mlgratlon committee, which, naturally was
oI1lclally interested in the inve stigation. 1 have
tried unsuccessfully to find him to ask him
whether he was Garsson's sponsor.
The New York police records corroborate
the data on Carson which the F.B.I. supplied
10 the Mead Committee recently and contain
one earlier entry which seems not to have
been mentioned in the F.B l. report. This item
is an arrest Of one Wo;f Carson on March
II, 1908, at the age of 10, on a charge OF
ROBBERY. The old record does not say what
was the outcome. noting only that bail was
discharged. This was before the adoption of
the finger-print system so there is a possibiI-
lty that the identity was incorrect, although
this entry is contained in the record Of Muir
ray Carson. Another entry states that Muir
ray Carson was detained as a material wit
ness in a homicide case in the Bronx in o.
tober. 1918.
About fifteen months ago, when Carson
was thriving on war production. he called at
the office of Frank Hogan. the New York
district attorney, to complain that he had
been sWindled in a real estate deal by a well
known real estate operator. He said he had
given the man, whom Re accused, a large
sum IN currency for a real estate speculation
and that the other man had defrauded him.
He produced no books or records, however.
and the district attorneys office refused to
act, suspecting that he was trying to use the
district attorney to collect a debt. He spoke
IN large figures and said he had made $50, 900
In one year from just one of his munitions
companies and mentioned the Erie Basin Met
al Products Company, one of his war babies,
now under 1nVeSt1gat1Cl- HIS final figure in
the story of the swindle was $26, 900 in cur
rency, unsupported by records, reduced from
a much larger original claim. An acquain-
lance reports that during his war boom he
went about New York carrying as much as
$50, 900 or SIS, 900 in currency in his pockets.
He gambled and frequeat'y entertained in New
York a civilian official Of the War Depart
ment who recently appears to have tried to
conceal the enormous amount of Garsson's
war profits from the Investigators.
Garsson's adventures in bankruptcy have
been recalled to the minds of some OF the
creditors and attorneys by his recent promi-
nence in the news and will be discussed nres.
emily.
While he may not be the top money-maker
of the recent crusade to establish the Four
FREEDOMS and succor the oppressed he nav
easily hold his position as the most auda cious
and picturesque, his past being considered
Hundreds OF New York politicians and law.
yers knew him and only as a shady charac+er
who had had frequent skirmishes with 10
law. Despite this reputation, he found no,it;-
cal sponsors to put him into two goyernms7,t
jobs presenting powerful temptations to graft
IN large amounts, being sent out by CONGRESS-
MAJ oaoatn to expose crooks. and. tinallv.
unoer the patronage of Congressman Nav ~
kentucky, received war contracts to a total
OF w. ooo: 600 for decay companies that bro
J duced TIFF. pg amounts.