Evening star., 1954-10-05
$13S,OOO Banked
ByPowe|I Above Pay,
Senate Hearing Told
econtinued from First Page.)

VNOQLllucO 1TOu F1TSJ FdSeJ
the time Mr.. Powell rented a
larger safe deposit box.
Mr.. Cocker testified also that
on December 81, 1853, Mr.. Pow
ell obtained two cashiers checks,
one for $4,000 and the other
for $4,000, payable to the w. c.
and A. N. Miller Development
Co. He said there were no in
dications how Mr.. Powell paid
for these checks but that the
safe deposit department records
showed he entered his safe de-
posit box on that day.
William Simon, committee
counsel. pointed out that on
April 13, 1854, "ME Powell left
the FILA and the President an
nounced the housing scandals"
He brought from Mr.. Cocker
testimony that the banks rec
ords showed Mr.. Powell "en-
tered" his safe deposit box that
day at liza pm, returning the
box at 1:23 pm.
Tells of Draft to De Grazia.
Mr.. Cocker also testified that
on June 2, 1948. Mr.. Powell OBJ
tanned a draft for $500 payable
to Rocco De Grazia of Chicago.
He testified Mr.. Powell paid for
this with five $1,000 bills and
seven $500 bills. Senator Cape
hart described Mr.. De Grazia as
a "reputed Chicago gambler"
The bank official also testified
that the bank on February 8,
1949, received a Western Union
money order from Los Angeles
for 81 500 to be deposited to Mr..
Powell's account. He said there
was a similar money order for.
$1,000 from New York on August
26, 1947, and one for $4,000 from
Chicago in October, 1947.
Mr.. Simon stated that travel
vouchers showed Mr.. Powell had
been in the cities mentioned on
the dates given.
Gambling Described.
The testimony on Mr.. Pow
ellis bank transactions was fol- |
lowed by testimony from sew
eral witnesses about the former |
FILA officials alleged gambling |
proclivities.
John B. Keleher, formerly of |
Washington but now of Florida,
questioned about some notes,
said he had no recollection of |
any notes in connection with
Mr.. Powell. He side-stepped a
question by Senator Capehart |
based on another witness state
ment that Mr.. Keleher had gone
to Mr.. Powell's Office to collect
$500.
Mr.. Keleher repeatedly said he
never had any business in the
real estate line with Mr.. Powell |
at any time. Senator Capehart |
asked, What business did you !
have?"
Il decline to answer" Mr.. Kel- |
cher said.
He did say he had been to the |
races lots of times" with Mr.. |
Powell.
Mrs. De Grazia Takes Stand.
Mrs. Rocco DeGrazia, of Mel
rose Park, ILL.,, little woman in
a blue suit, blue hat and blue
earrings, took the stand f1anked
by her attorney, Charles E. Ford.
She was shown the cashiers
checks for $500. which, it had
been testified, had been obtained
by Mr.. Powell and was payable
to Mr.. DeGrazia.
Mrs. DeGrazia was asked if she
could identify the Endorsement
on the back as her husbands
signature. There was a whis-
pered conference with Mr.. Ford
and she replied, I'm going to
decline to answer this on the
basis of the fifth amendment to
the Constitution and my rights
as a wife"
She declined to answer also /
questions about her husbands
business, where he is, whether
her address in MelroSe Park is
that of a building which houses
the Casa Madrid. night club
and gambling house whose tele-
phone number is Melrose Park
$50.
Won't Discuss Phone Calls.
Mr.. Simon said he had 10 slips
indicating long distance tele-
phone calls from Mr.. Powell at |
the Wardman Park Hotel to Mr..
at Melrose Park in 1948
and 1949. Mrs. DeGrazia de-
clined to discuss them.
Nicholas Carter Wright, of .
Norfolk, an automobile dealer /
who was@interested in a building
project. testified about seeing
Mr.. Powell summon a bookie to
LOST.
REACTF 10 hIopknt