Evening star., 1951-10-06
By w. H. Shippen

off the ground, Senator?"
"No-o-o-o." replied Senator Nc
Carthy, with what sounded like
giggle but could have been a
suppressed chuckle.
That version of the fracas was
corrected the following night
cut in Attorney Roger Robb, who
represents Radio Commentator
Fulton Lewis, jr.
Did you arise from the dinner
party table and punch Drew Pear
son in the face?" demanded At
torney William A. Roberts, who
represents the columnist in his
$5.1 million suit against Mr.. Nc
Carthy, Mr.. Lewis and seven other
defendants.
NO" Senator Mccarthy re-
sponded. Il slapped Pearson with
the side Of my hand it was
downstairs in the cloakroom-
where the coats were checked"
The Senator was questioned fur
ther late yesterday at the pre-
trial deposition-taking as to how
Mr.. Lewis got information for
his broadcast last December l3
describing the fracas at a dinner
dance in the Sulgrave Club the
previous night.
Declined to Discuss Incident.
The witness recalled that Ed
ward K. Nellor. an assistant to
Mr.. Lewis, and one of the de-
PENDANTS. telephoned a request for
details. The Senator said he de-
clined to discuss the matter, either
with Mr.. Nellor or Russell Turr
ner, another employe of Mr.. Lewis.
He explained he planned to
make a speech about Mr.. Pear
son on the floor of the Senate on
December Is, and did not want
the public to suppose he was "re-
taliating" for the incident.
did you later discuss the facts
Ipublicly?"
Frankly, I don't know" re-
piled the Senator. after Mr..
Lewis broadcast, many people
asked me about the incident.
told some of them what happened
in fact, I received an Elgin
watch a few days later inscribed.
For Combat Service Above and
Beyond the Call of Duty, Decem-
ber IL, 1950.'"
WAS the combat similar to that
you experienced with the Marines
in the South Pacif1c?" the Sena-
tor was asked.
The Senator grinned. "It wasn't
very rough combat. My big con-
Germ was how to avoid hurting
Drew"
Mr.. Roberts asked if the Sen.
ator later told reporter ir
Akron, Ohio, that he enjoyed
tile fracas.
Didn't Enjoy 1t.
He couldn't recall having made
such statement and added, "there
was nothing enjoyable at all about
it take my word for it, I did
not enjoy that incident!"
The Senator denied he hao
given Mr.. Lewis or any member oil
his staff a version of the affair
He explained Mr.. Turner told him
he already had information fror
an independent source anc
planned to use it despite the Sen.
Iator'S refusal to comment.
Mr.. Pearson contends that Sen.
ator Mccarthy seized him by th'
back OF the neck with violence al
he sat at the table and later, il
the c1oakroom, kneed him in tn,
groin before slapping him.
The suit charges this was par
of a scheme by Senator McCarth!
to assault him and then ruin hin
by publicity in conspiracy with
other defendants.
Mr.. Mccarthy insisted he hae
: planned the speech about Mr.
, Pearson before he met him at tn,
, Sulgrave Club, and he had no ides
the columnist was to attend tn,
[ dinner party.
j. In Arizona for Holiday.
1t was the Wisconsin Republi
cans second grilling at the dep
(, osition-taking, which was describe,
by MIR. Robb as "the Robert
merry go = round. and +nothin
! else. Mr.. Pearson also has beel