Evening Star Newspaper, October 20, 1935, Page 7

SHUSHAN DEFENSE GIVES TS VERSION Cash on Which Income Tax Was Not Paid Held Long’s Funds. By the Associated Press NEW ORLEANS, October 19.—The gecond week of Abraham Lazard Shu- shan's trial in Federal District Court for alleged income tax evasions ended today with the robust defendant at- tempting to show that moneys the Government clatms he received and failed to ccount for in his tax returns were gifts to the late Huey P. Long's Louisiana political machine. Shushan. charged in a 10-count in- | dictment with willfully attempting to | defeat payment of $71.000 taxes on a gross unreported income of $448,000 for the years 1929-1933, inclusive, be- gan unfolding his defense through the testimony of witnesses who laid bare the financial dealings of the Louisiana Democratic Association, Long’s State organization Hugh M. Wilkinson, Shushan’s at- | torney. informed the court and the jury that the cefense was based on the contention that Shushan, in han- dling large sums termed “rebates” or “graft” by the Government, was mere- Iv acting as the fiscal agent for the Long organization Prosecution’s Case Attacked. After opening its case yesterday the defense lost little time in launching Its attack on the Government's testi- mony. The latter was devoted prin- cipally to the contention that Shu- shan, president of the Orleans Levee Board, received thousands of dollars in “rebates” on lake shore develop- ment contracts awarded the Standard Dredging Co. of New York, but did not include them in his tax returns. By the testimony of two witnesses today the defense tried to show that Shushan served as the unofficial finan- cial agent of the Louisiana Demo- cratic Association Charles J. Donner, secretary of the Btate organization and leader of its fifteenth New Orleans ward group, testified that during the period cov- ered in the indictment five major elec- tions were held. for each of which he received between $1.500 and $2.000 campaign expenses from Shushan. Got Other Funds. He said he got the money directly from the defendant in cash. declaring | the organization did not maintain an expense account. He further testi- fied that he obtained other cash from Shushan, in his capac.ty as secretary of the L. D. A, for distribution in New Orleans of campaign circulars written by the late Senator Long. Monte E. Hart, New Orleans elec- trical contractor, who supplied the late political “dictator” with his sound trucks, testified that he carried an envelope given him by Shushan to New York in the Spring of 1934 to deliver to C. R. Birch, secretary of the Standard Dredging Co. He said the envelope contained three levee board bonds. and that Birch opened the envelope in his presence and placed the bonds with a batch of 46 others. Birch said. Hart went on, that he (Birch) had “given large sums to Shushan as political contributions.™ Hart then testified that he asked Birch abou: some electrical work he wanted to get, and that Birch asked him if he would take bonds in pay- ment, | Bond Deal Suggested. | “I asked him.,” Hart said, “if he meant would I consent to take bonds in payment for the work, and he said *No.’ that he'd pay me in cash, but for me to add the amount of the bonds to the bill, so they could get the bonds out.” Asked to explain what was meant by “get the bonds out,” the witness | #aid “Mr. Birch told me that both the bonds and other contributions of his company were being investigated and that he had not paid income tax on the bonds, and that there was going to be hell to pay for this situation.” TEXAN WHO KILLED PARENTS NEAR TRIAL Sanity Hearing Is Indicated as Tomorrow Approaches—De- | fense Has Choice. “ By the Associated Press AUSTIN, Tex., October 19.—Death will be sought for pale Howard Pierson, 21. who goes to trial Monday for killing his father and mother, Associate Jus- tice William Pierson of the Texas Su- preme Court and Mrs. Pierson. Young Pierson has been in jail since April 24, when he allegedly lured his widely known parents to a lonely road 10 miles from Austin, on the pretext of showing them an Indian relic, and ghot them. District Attorney James P. Hart, announcing his intention to ask the death penalty, said today he would resist to the utmost an anticipated insanity plea. Defense attorneys dre reticent, but two courses lie before them. They could enter a plea of not puilty and go to trial on the two charges of murder. Hart said he had not decided which charge would be pressed first. On the other hand, they could make affidavit that Pierson is insane at present and under Texas law ® jury trial to determine the question of insanity is mandatory. Should the | Jury hold Pierson insane, he probably | would be committed to an asylum. If he later became sane, he could be brought to trial for murder. | All signs pointed today to a sanity | hearing, with the State relying chiefly | on lay witnesses and the defense on experts. COMMISSIONERS ACT T0 END OVERTIME WORK Propose Appointment of an Ad- ditional Assistant at Dis- trict Morgue. Overtime work by assistants to the District coroner will be ended next June 30 if Congress approves a rec- ommendation by, the Commissioners, | adopted at the instance of Commis- sioner Allen. The city heads propose the Ippolnt-i ment of an additional assistant at| the District Morgue. The purpose | would be to place the three assistants on eight-hour shifts of work. One | now works half time and the other | full time. | On his recent surprise nocturnal visit to the jail, Gallinger Hospital | and the morgue, Commissioner Allen | found that William Estes, veteran as- | sistant morgue master, was “on duty” | 24 hours a day at & salary of :1,4401 § THE SUNDAY STAR, WASHINGTON, KARPEN MODERN SUITE . . . SOFA AND CHAIR A Pleasing Style done in a Blue New Weave Tapestry Strikingly Piped in White. Maintaining the Traditions In Presenting Karpen’s D. ¢, OCTOBER 20, 1935—PART OXE. of Quality New Fall Styles Every chapter in the Merchandise Book of Mayer & Co. bespeaks quality! Mayer & Co. measures quality according to a standard which has been our guide and mentor for many long years. We could buy and sell furniture inferior to our usual standards for less, but we do not want to because you do not want it. Quality at a fair price is so much more satisfactory. That our policy is correct is exemplified by the continued good business which Mayer & Co. enjoys. See our display of upholstered furniture. A COLORFUL DISPLAY OF UPHOLSTERED FURNITURE HAIR FILLING Our Karpen Living Room Suites include Sanafied Curled Hair Filling—not just any kind of hair for the sake of saying hair, but springy, curled black hair from the manes and tails of South American horses. Topped with felted cotton, too! You can buy Karpen upholstered furniture with the assurance of satisfaction at Mayer & Co. SUSPENDED WEB CONSTRUCTION This is one of the greatest im- provements made in upholstered furniture construction. Springy suspended webbing—all in one piece — sagless and resilient. Karpen's frames are of hard- wood with corner blocks, dowel- ed, screwed and glued. Fine tempered wire only is used. Karpen Furniture is built in the quality way. See it at Mayer's. KARPEN SOFA__________$125 The Yorktown Sofa is a delightful style to go with your Georgian plenishings . . . a style so charming for most any room. A choice of appropriate covers. KARPEN CHAIR._$44.50 A choice of several smart cover- ings on this luxurious English type Club Chair. Antique nail trim KARPEN GROUP At Right $265 Sofa and Chair A distinctive Karpen Suite beautifully done in a smart new shade of deep brown velvet. Down pillow backs. Gracefully designed with frame of walnut. Skillful tailoring and ef- fective antique nail trim. Unusually ¢ om fortable. TABLE ._§$17.75 KARPEN CHAIR_._$44.50 A Grand Rapids Regis- tered Table after the manner of Chippen- dale. Top 26x26 inches. Another luxuriously comfortable Karpen Lounge Chair in a choice of attractive coverings. KARPEN GROUP At Left $280 Sofa and Chair A new Karpen design n the spirit of 1935 and up- holstered in a very smart new weave—rust velvet, Down seat cushions. Deep- cushioned and an unusual- ly graceful design. Finely tailored. Famous inbuilt Karpen construction, too. Other Karpen Living Room Suiles as Low as $99 MAYER & CO. Between D and E Seventh Street