Evening star., 1951-07-19
Priests, Others
Tell Of Losses 10
7 Influence Man
Senate Inquiry Bores
$350, 900 Con Gume'
In Federal Contracts
By Cecil Holland

olic Church, a Philadelphia couple
and a Boston contractor today
unfolded fantastic story of how
they paid thousands of dollars to
a Washington agent identified as
ICON man" with a long record
of arrests and many aliases.
The story was related before a
Senate investigation subcommit-
tee in new inquiry into so-called
influence peddlers".
The subcommittee identified the
"con man" as Sam D. Mason and
said he received $350.000 in a
short period of time for which
he was supposed to obtain-but
never did-surplus government
buildings at a nominal cost and
war contracts.
Two of the witnesses-Mr. anc
Mrs. Bohdon Katamay of Phila-
delphia - testified they turned
over to Mason nearly $4,000 ir
hopes of obtaining surplus build.
Iings and concessions in new build
ings. They said Mason told them
the cash was needed as "sewel
money" for payments to Govern
ment officials who would make
decisions on the buildings anc
concessions they expected to get
Two Priests Take Stand.
Two New York priests-Fathel
Maxim Markiw and Father Peter
Heuko of the Order of st. Basil
the Great-took the stand shortly
after noon after previous testi-
mony had indicated that they
paid Mason approximately $780,.
900 in hopes of obtaining surplu.
Government buildings.
Earlier, Joseph E. Bennett, a
Boston contractor. testified he paid
Mason $22, ,765 to obtain Govern
Iment construction contracts fol
him and that the agent never pro.
Iduced.
i Mason. short. pudgy individ.
Iual, holding a cane, sat impassive.
Fly in a front-row seat of the hear.
ling room as the testimony of tht
witnesses was unfolded. He il
scheduled to take the stand later
i Lawyer Figures in Testimony.
| In an opening statement Chair.
man Hoey said the ICON man" Lex
Ibis "gullible victims to believe tina
,lhe had influence with and coult
brfbe Government officials Al
the hearings progressed. Senate,
mccarthy. Republican, of Wiscon
Isin identified Mason as the com
mittee described professional
confidence man."
A Washington lawyer, Meye
Sawyer, figured in the testimon
as the one through whom MI
Bennett said he met Mason an,
employed him on a commission
basis as the Washington repre-
sentative of his Boston contract
ing firm.
Mr.. Katamay, who is connecte,
with a Ukranian-language news
paper in Philadelphia, said he me
Mason in the Hotel Statler her
through a sister-in-law who for
merly worked for Mr.. Sawyer.
Mr.. Katamay said he becam
| interested ir Mason's propose
for obtaining surplus government
buildings and turned over TO hin
initially $1,000. Subsequent pay
ments, he detailed later. brough
the total to nearly $37, 900.
Mr.. Katamay related that h,
did not have the initial amour
in cash and had to borrow none.
for the payments to Mason
Through his efforts, Mr.. Katama,
said that his mother in-law Mrs
Anna Mazur, Of Pittsburgh, an,
an uncle, Theodore Katamay, o
Chicago. put up money for tn
undertaking. Other funds, h
added. were raised by mortgagin,
his home and borrowing from
friends and a bank.
/ Had Confidence in Mason.
| For his large outlay of cash, tn
witness said they expected to re
ceive surplus buildings, includinI
one in Peoria, Ill.,, and one Il
Detroit. Both Mr.. and Mrs. Kata
may testified they had implici
confidence in Mason since he ha,
helped Mrs. Katamay's sister whel
she was i'll here in Washington
had paid her hospital bill and la,
given her 81, 500 wedding presen
when she was married.
: Senator McClellen asked tn
witnesses If it had ever occurre
: to them that what they were doin
5 was illegal and in the nature Q
bribery.
Both Mr.. and Mrs. Katama
testified they never thought of
as bribery and, since they were nc
5 familiar with the way of Govern
ment operations. considered it wa
(See INFLUENCE, Page A-3.)