Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1956-04-12
|Probers Seek
.Tolink Bonds,
Army Uniforms
BY JAMES Y. NEWTON

Army uniform buying said today
they hope to find out next week
an explanation for some weird
dealings in millions of dollars
worth of bonds by former mill
tary clothing contractors.
Chairman Mcclellan of the
Senate Investigating Subcom-
mittee said he hopes to nail by
Tuesday" why $4,000 in coupons
from bonds bought by uniform
m kerS joey Abrams and
Herman Kravitz, supposed busi-
ness rivals. wound up in the
same bank account under an
other mans name.
Senator Mcclellan said the
hearing SO far has produced no
evidence so far of either graft
or tax evasion, points on which
he has been seeking information,
but that he hopes to nail that
down, too, when the inquiry is
resumed next week.
Highlight Of Hearing
Bond transactions involving
Mr.. Abrams and Mr.. Kravitz.
who repeatedly obtained con-
tracts to make more than $40
million worth of Army uniforms
in the early 1950S, have high
lighted the hearings so far.
Mr. Abrams owned clothing
factories in the New York area.
while Mr.. Kravltz had plants
IN southern New Jersey. Both
repeatedly were barred from do
ing business with the Govern
ment after an earlier investiga-
ltion in 1858.
The hearings were recessed
until Tuesday when two wit
neSSes, Murray Berman and Har-
old Hyman, both of the New
York area. asked for more time
to hire lawyers.
The names of Mr.. Abrams and
Mr.. Kravitz. who supposedly had
competed for Army uniform con-
tracts, were linked for the first
time yesterday.
Coupons Deposited
A subcommittee investigator,
Carmine Bellino, testified that
$4,000 deposited in an account
in a Leonia, N. j., bank came
from coupons clipped from bonds
bought by Mr., Abrams and MIR.
kravitz. Some of the bonds,
Mr.. Bellino said, were bought
under fictitious names.
Charles P, Wood, treasurer of
the Leonla bank. said Mr.. Kra-
vitz opened the accoun: in 1853
under the name of "E. w. RAN
dial :. But mail sent to the ad-
dress given for Randall" was
returned unopened, and Mr..
Randall subsequently wrote the
bank to hold statements there
for him because he was going
to do some extensive" travelling.
MIR. Wood. who said he had
been Mr.. Kravitz' scoutmaster,
testified he became suspicious
about the account after Mr..
Kravitz brought to Mr.. Woods
home in 1854 a package con-
tanning $4,000 in coupons for
deposit in the name of Ran
DIAL
Deals Investigated
The banker said Treasury and
FBI agents also had been in
vestigating the transactions. On
last check there still was over
100000 in the account.
Ambrose Parr, president of
N. j.. bank, told about
an account opened there in 1851
under the name of the Sassafras
Coat Co. Two officers of the
alleged firm were Murray Ber-
man, president. and Sam Repetti.
secretary.
This account was used in the
purchase OF thousands in bonds.
Checks issued on the account
were signed by Sam Repetti"
but both Mr.. Parr and suDcom-
mlttee investigators said they
had never been able to find the
man. The investigators said the
Sassafras Coat Co. never engaged
in manufacturing so far as they
we're able TO determine.
Deny Bond knowledge
Two witnesses. both former as
soclateS OF Mr.. Abrams. testified
they knew nothing about Sl38,-
900 worth of bonds repeatedly
bought by Mr.. Abrams i'll their
names.
The men. Jack Schwartz, \
Great Neck. N, Y. and Atillio
Brooklyn. tailed to APP
pear when theil names were
first called. They appeared an
hour late, telling Senator Nc
C!ellan they had oversight"
Sena tor Mcclellan. angry,
called the two to his Office late |
IN the day and "admonished"
them for their hardness after
having threatened more severe
action earlier. Tie chairman
told them they were under con-