Evening star., 1955-03-10
Crime Prober Goes
Before Legislators
In Wiretap Inquiry
BY the Associoted Press

BY the Assoeioted Press
NEW YORK, Mar. 10.-Wil-
liam j. Heating. private crime
fighter who touched of a wire
tap controversy, was questioned
less than an hour today by a
legislative committee probing
wiretaps.
Mr.. Keating, facing a con-
tempt action brought by the dis
trict attorneys Office, said he
was not asked about mysterious
East Side wiretap raid. which is
the center of the controversy.
The Office of District Attorney
Frank S. Hogan brought the
contempt action on the ground
Mr.. Heating refused to reveal
sources of his information on
the February II raid to a grand
jury.
Mr.. Heating. acting counsel
to the New York City Anti-Crime
Committee, is scheduled to an
swer to the charge tomorrow in
General Sessions. The district
attorneys Office contends his
version of the raid differed from
that of 20 other grand jury wit
neSSeS.
Wasn't Asked, He Says.
Il was not asked to discuss
anything that is pending before
the court of General Sessions" :"
Mr.. Keating told newsmen on
emerging from the legislative
committees executive session.
No arrests were made in. the
mystery raid, which first was dis
closed publicly by Mr.. Keating
six days later.
John O'Mara. executive di-
rector of the anti-crime COM
mittee, spent about Is minutes
before the legislative group.
He indicated to newsmen the
group appeared interested in the
overlapping situation generally
rather than in the mystery raid
alone.
He said he was not questioned
specifically about the raid.
Mr. O'Mara said the group
might very we'll not go into the
raid because it is now under in
vestigation by grand jury"
THE discussion was in a very
general fashion, and, further they
wanted to know more about the
committee and whether we (the
Anti-Crime Committee) would be
in a position to help them"
He pledged the full coopera-
ton OF committee members.
Tells of Alleged Threat.
One of today's scheduled wit
nesses told newsmen a detective
assigned to Mr.. Hogan's Office
had threatened to get him"
The statement came from
Bernard Spindel, an electronics
expert and consultant to the
Anti-Crime Committee, who said
he had filed a formal complaint
with Mr.. Hogan week or 10
days ago concerning the alleged
threat.
Mr.. Spindel, who recently
wrote series of articles for the
New York Journal-American
concerning overlapping, said he
received the threat indirectly
from second parties" He said
they quoted the threat as:
We're out to get him and
we're going to get him"
With his request that Mr..
Heating be cited for contempt,
Mr.. Hogan filed an affidavit
giving details of the lawyers
testimony before the grand jury.
1t quoted him as saying that
two top police officials took part
in the raid and that one of the
persons caught in the raid waved
a sheaf of money and spoke of
paying off" up to $4,000.
According to the affidavit, Mr..
Heating told the jury that the
police officials later directed two
detectives to take off and for
get you've been here"
Suggested Payment.
Mr.. Heating also told the jury
that the police and telephone
company representatives talked
over a suggestion that the COM
pany should pay the policemen
between $500 and $1,000 out of
a special fund Ito compensate
the police for their time and
trouble"
Mr.. Hogan's affidavit said
these allegations were denied by
witnesses who gave a clear and
generally consistent picture" of
the raid.
Mr.. Keatings information.
Mr.. Hogan continued was "dou-
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