Evening star., 1947-06-26
Dead lawyer 5 Book,
Contradict May On
Payment Of 81 800
BY Robert K. Welsh

y UysIiOm ~ ffsV
By Robert K. Walsh
The account book Of the late Al
Levin, Washington lawyer for the
Garssons munitions combine during
the war. today contradicted the tes-1
tinony Of former Representative
Andrew j. May that he paid 1 81, 800
legal fee to Levin at the request OF
the Garssor1s, August. 1914.
Earlier In the District Court trial
OF May and Murray Carson on
war fraud conspiracy charges. the
72-year- -old former chairman Of the
House Military Affairs COMMITTEES
said he deposited 5000 Of 5000
check from Murray Carson In the
National Bank OF Washington in
August. 1914. and gave $1,000 In
cash to Joseph r. Freeman. WASH
ington agent for the Garssons. to
return to Carson.
May said he paid $2,500 by check
on the purchase price Of the Cum
berland Lumber Co. and few days
later took 81. 800 in cash from wall
safe in his ONCE to give to Freeman
for delivery to Mr.. Levin.
Freeman Testimony Read.
The 1880, May explained. WAS
paid ut the request Of the Carson
brothers to Mr. Levin for legal work
done for the Cumberland Co. The
lumber company. according to Gov
ernment charges, was q set-up In
Kentucky by which the Garssons
paid more than $50 900 in bribes to
May in return for services he per-
formed for them or companies in
their s78, 900 900 munitions combine.
Testimony taken at Doctors Hos
pital Tuesday from Freeman was
read to the jury today and gave sub
stantially the same version which
May offered several weeks ago con-
cerning the 81 800 payment.
Freeman said May handed him
the money in an envelope at the
House Once Building In August,
1914. Freeman added that he gave
the envelope to Mr.. Levin the same |
day. Mr.. Freeman collapsed on the
witness stand several days ago.
Secretary Identifies Record.
Special Prosecutor william Paisley /
called Miss Margaret Pritchard. Mr..
Levin's former secretary, to identify
an ONCE book In which the attorney
kept = record of his legal fees.
Miss Pritchard testified that the
book confined no entry for legal
fees concerning the Cumberland
Lumber Co. in August or Septem-
Der, 1914. She also said the book
contained no entry as large as 81, 800
during July. August or September
OF that year. There was $50 legal
fee from the lumber company re-
corded for July, she noted.
On cross s-examination by Charles
]. Margiotti, chief counsel for the
Garssons, Miss Pritchard admitted
that the account book may have
been incomplete because 1t contained
only a few entries OF expenditures
by Mr.. Levin. She declared, how
ever, that so far as she knew, Mr.
Levin kept q complete record of
legal fees he received.
Denies Delivery Of Check.
Freeman's testimony, as read to
the jury, quoted him as denying
that he received a 81 900 check from
Edward Feldman. a California con-
tractor, for delivery to May in Octo-
Der, 1914.
Mr.. Feldman testified several
weeks ago that he gave the check
to Freeman at the Burbank. Calf,
Airport for delivery to Robert Va
May, Mays son, as a campaign con-
tribution for the elder May. Free
man denied that he ever solicited
or received any campaign contribu-
tions for May.
The jury yesterday heard Repre-
sentative Charles A. Buckley, Demo-
crat, of New York testify he lent
So, 900 to May. He said he did not re-
call that May, Murray Carson or
any one else spoke to him of an ar
rangement whereby May signed
notes merely as an accommodation
for Carson.
Earlier in the trial, May testified
he did not issue q note to Mr..
Buckley and get the cash." May
said he gave the note to Murray
Carson and Freeman who then
obtained the money In connection
with the purchase Of West Vir-
ginia manganese development.
But when asked yesterday by
Mr.. Paisley whether he gave a $1,000
check to May and whether he dis
cussed the loan with Murray Cars
son, Representative Buckley replied:
ITO the best OF my recollection,
gave 1t to May. thought at the
time I gave the check ! was accom-
modating May. Murray Carson
could have discussed 1t with me,
but I didn't give 1t to him. / gave
it to May"
Mr.. Paisley asked the witness
whether he told Federal Bureau
OF Investigation agent last month
that Carson did not talk to him
about the loan In l94l.
Il could have said that then. and
I could say it now" Mr.. Buckley
answered. IF Murray Carson
talked with me about the matter,
it probably went in one ear and
out the other"
The 5000 note transaction be-
gan in 1941 before the conspiracy
charged In the indictment. Gov
ernment attorneys. however, have
declared the Buckley loan was made
personally to May, and was paid
off as bribe in 1912 by the Cars
sons at about the time May began
performing various wartime serv-