Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1957-05-16
Continued From First Page

site.
The $4,000 was part of a
bizarre story outlined before the
committee by two witnesses and
a staff investigator, Essen
TALLY, it was a story of how the
union. through "diligent work
and painstaking effort" on the
part Of its agent. managed to
buy the Capitol Plaza property
for $4,000 more than the orig
inal asking price.
The agent, Nathan w. Shelter
man, self-styled labor relations
consultant. was shown to have
received $4,000 from the union
and five weeks later to have sent
Beck q check for $4,000.
Story Of Transaction
The transaction came about in
this way. according to testimony
by witnesses Ray Fields and
Frank Salisbury and Committee
Investigator Tavern ]. Duffy:
Mr.. Fields. then (late l948)
public relations director of the
American Legion. heard that the
Legion wanted to sell property it
owned at Louisiana avenue and
D street NV. He got in touch
with Mr.. Salisbury, a lawyer who
was trying to interest the Team
sters In the site now occupied
by the Pennsylvania Building at
Thirteenth street and Pennsyl-
vania avenue NV.
Mr.. Fields also had converse
tons with John English. secre-
tary-treasurer of the Transfers,
who put Mr.. Fields in touch with
the late Dan Tobin. then pres
ident Of the union. Mr.. English
and Mr.. Tobin agreed that the
Louisiana avenue site was about
what the union wanted. and told
Mr.. Fields to see Beck about it.
Beck at the time was executive
vice president of the union.
Offered Site to Beck
Mr.. Fields reached Beck by
phone at Miami and told him he
thought the site would be very
attractive for a union headquar-
tiers and that it could be had for
SIS a square foot. The Legion,
Mr.. Fields said, had invested $l2
a foot in the property, and the
increase in price would have
netted the veterans group some
thing in excess of $4,000.
Beck told the Legion publicist
he would send a representative
from Chicago to the Legion's
then headquarters at Indiana
polls. Mr.. Fields asked Beck To
wait until after March 8, l949,
when the publicist would have
severed his relationship with the
Legion and could get a commits
sion out of a possible sale.
On March IL, Mr.. Fields got a
call from Shefferman. who said
he was representing Beck. A
meeting was arranged in In
dianapolis among Shefferman,
Mr.. Fields and Mr.. Salisbury,
whom Mr.. Fields cut into the
deal because Mr.. Salisbury held
a District of Columbia brokers
license.
Intermediary Plan Suggested
When Mr.. Fields and Mr.. Sails.
bury offered the site at $3.50 .00C
equivalent of SIS a square
foot-Shefferman suggested a:
an alternative to a direct sale
to the union the establishment
Of a special corporation. This
concern, Shefferman said, woulC
buy the land from the Legion
at SIS and sell it to the Team.
sters for $18. thus taking about
$7l.000 profit out Of the deal.
Mr.. Fields asked Sheffermar
II Beck was aware Of the propo-
sition. He quoted the inferno.
diary as saying in effect. I'm
here as his representative. am
not?"
Mr.. Fields and Mr.. Salisbur,
then went back to Washington
where they learned that tn,
Legion had listed the propert,
exclusively with a realty firm.
Meanwhile. Mr.. Fields went Il
his native Oklahoma where h.
talked with a friend of his. {
lawyer. Il was at all times con.
cerned about the ethics Of deal,
ing with Nathan Shefferman,
the Legion publicist said.
Fields Cancels Deal
He quoted the lawyer as say.
ing that though Mr.. Fields coulC
not be held civilly or criminallI
liable for any consequence likel!
to flow from the deal. Som,
day this union racketeering is
going to be busted wide oper
and you don't want to be a par
Of it," Mr.. Fields then called
Shefferman and cancelled tn,
deal.
Mr.. Salisbury, meanwhile, act
ing as agent for the real estat,
firm handling the Legions prop
erty. brought Legion and unior
together. The sale was consum'
mated for 1888, 900. of which Mr.
Fields and Mr.. Salisbury each
got about $4,000 as finders fees
When Shefferman saw the dea
headed for contamination, HI
called Mr.. Salisbury and criti,
cized him sharply for talkinI
with union officials. Later. M.
Salisbury said. the go-betweer
told him that members OF tn,
union would be calling on me Il
ascertain the part that he haC
played in getting the price dowi
from Sl8 to SIS"
Mr.. Salisbury said he regarde,
It as obvious that Sheffermal
expected a fee on the suppose,
saving to the union.
After the deal was closed earl,
In May, the unions general exec
utive board approved a resolu
ton granting $l2.500 TO al
agent, not associated in any ca
pacity with the International i.
for services rendered in bring