The battle clouds that have been gathering between Aaron Sapiro and Senator James A. Reed, in the million-dollar Ford-Sapiro libel suit here, broke in full force today and precipitated an open quarrel between the Chicago attorney and his questioner, a quarrel that was stopped only by the cautioning words of Judge Fred M. Raymond.
The breach came when Senator Reed stopped his questioning with an impatient gesture and appealed to Judge Raymond, saying that Sapiro was making his answers too wordy and “was evading the questions put to him.”
Sapiro, with flashing eyes, retorted that Senator Reed’s questions were so worded as to carry false impressions to the jury and that he had to make long answers in order to counteract these false impressions.
Reed had questioned Sapiro as to speeches made in Texas in 1920 in behalf of the Texas Farm Bureau Cotton Association.
“You were still there in 1921?” asked Reed.
Sapiro picked him up instantly.
“You mean I was there again?” he asked. “Your question indicates I was there the whole time.”
“All right, all right, sir, have it your own way,” the Senator replied, and turned to the Judge to protest.
William H. Gallagher, chief counsel for Sapiro, entered the verbal crossfire and insisted to Judge Raymond that his client be given opportunity to make his answers clear.
Sapiro was upheld by the judge.
Reed’s questions, during the morning session and most of the afternoon, were directed towards establishing Sapiro’s connection with the cooperative marketing movement in Texas from 1922 to 1926.
The cross-examination tactics used by Senator Reed were evidently intended to discredit Sapiro’s statement that his aim was always “to help the American farmer.” To accomplish his purpose, Senator Reed first read to the court, in a sarcastic tone, the following statement, taken from Sapiro’s organization speeches in Texas:
“I am not interested in money; I’m interested in raising the standard of living among farmers, in taking children out of the fields and putting them in schools; in taking women out of the fields and putting them in homes.”
Immediately following the reading of this statement, Senator Reed attempted to show that Sapiro had been well paid for his work in organizing the cooperative associations and that he had always entered into an agreement regarding his fees before beginning his work. This was done with the obvious intention of discrediting Sapiro’s statement that he was “not interested in money.”
The United Palestine Appeal Campaign in Savannah, Ga., was launched Sunday night at a banquet. The principal speakers were Mrs. Archibald Silverman and Sir Wyndham Deedes. Morris H. Bernstein is Chairman of the campaign. One-third of Savannah’s quota of $15,000 was raised during the first three days. The drive will continue for ten days. Among the large donors were Weitz Brothers, Blumberg Brothers and Sam Blumenthal.
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The Archive of the Jewish Telegraphic Agency includes articles published from 1923 to 2008. Archive stories reflect the journalistic standards and practices of the time they were published.
