Reed Attempts to Link Sapiro with Alleged “jewish Banking Ring”

(Jewish Daily Bulletin)

New estimates regarding the time when Ford will appear in court to testify in Saprio’s $1,000,000 libel suit against him were made today by counsel for both sides. According to William Henry Gallagher, chief counsel for Sapiro, Ford will be called to testify about Thursday of next week.

C. B. Longley, chief attorney of the Ford Motor Company and a member of the Ford counsel in the libel suit, said the billionaire will answer the call personally or name the definite date when he will be able to appear.

“When the time comes,” Longley said, “such arrangements will be made, if possible, as will keep the case going without adjournment. I cannot say with authority, but Mr. Ford may be able to appear.”

Senator Reed continued to question Sapiro. Without using the term “Jewish banking ring”, Reed obviously enough sought to link Sapiro’s activities as farm cooperative expert with the alleged “ring”. He devoted himself particularly to probing the motives behind the lending of more than $2,500 for organization of the Idaho Cooperative Potato Growers’ Exchange by the Weyl-Zuckerman Company, the largest buyers and sellers of potatoes in Idaho.

Senator Reed termed Weyl & Zuckerman speculators, and demanded from Sapiro whether the notes and his subsequent actions did not indicate that the potato growers, whom he organized cooperatively promising to deliver them from speculators, had not instead been banded together by the speculators and finally “delivered” into their hands.

Sapiro replied that the loans, one for $2,500 and the other for $1,500, had been requested from the organization committee of the growers, and that he acted for them in a manner entirely proper.

Reed drove at the “evidence of bad faith”, and Sapiro answered heatedly.

Upon demand of Sapiro’s counsel, William Henry Gallagher, Reed’s reference to “bad faith” was stricken out and the jury told to disregard it.

Sapiro testified that it was usual for cooperatives in the process of formation to require funds, which were repaid upon organization.

The Idaho potato growers might have required $10,000, he said, and he suggested to Charles J. Carlson, one of the organizers, that the money be borrowed in small amounts from Weyl & Zuckerman, who were willing to go out of the potato commission business and instead handle potatoes upon a small commission for the new cooperative.

The opening of court was delayed thirty minutes this morning while members of Ford counsel conferred with Judge Raymond. The conference was thought to have dealt with the fortcoming appearance on the witness stand of Ford. Indications were that completion of the cross-examination of Sapiro might require all of next week.