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Purple Gang Aka Sugar House Gang — Part 2

97 pages · May 11, 2026 · Broad topic: Organized Crime · Topic: Purple Gang Aka Sugar House Gang · 95 pages OCR'd
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pot my purpose,” Leebove an-| awered. “YT can’t conceive of any benefit I could get from a lecture by a] minn like you,” Dykstra retorted, Prior to the appearance of the. Witness Dykstra had said: "I want to make It clear that I belteve Gov. Comstock is high pur- posed and well-meaning. But I think he {fs in bad company. Re- posing of power in the hands of; & ganater lawyer Is not serving the | best interesta of the State, and 1: think the Governor's attention | should be called to it publicly, so he may find some way to break away. As the hearing broke up, Dykstra still inslsted that the witness had ate anawer hia question tefused to answer his question, Dares the Questioner “The only questlon I objected to was that concerning my maiden name, and I even answered that,’! Leebove declared. “I understand | you @re a good Christian and at churchman T dare you to rales | enurenman, ear Piss your right hand and swear this; inquiry has nothing political about ; it. There is not a thing on your: mind you can ask me about that I} won't answer, E dare you to ask Me any question.” Dykstra insisted that time would hot permit resumption of the at- tempt. While Leebove did not affirm the accuracy of a newspaper article purporting to reveal New York underworld connections, he said that there was nothing in it that reflected on his character or charged improper acts, except that he had defended a lot of unfor- tunates, often without fee. “If Mr. Smith (Councilman John W. Smith, of Detroit} really wanted to find out,” he said, “he would have learned that much of my life T have been assoelated with people in trouble, Yet since he was 20 years old he has been @ ward of the public purse.” . Callaghan Tries It Dykstra finally abandoned his questioning at the hearing and told the chairman that the witness had refused to answer. Rep, Miles M. Callaghan, first summoned as a witness and later accepted as an unofficial interrogator for tha com- mittee, made more headway. Lee- bove is a constituent in Callaghan's district. The witness admitted spending between $6,000 and $7,000 on Com stock's 1935 campaign, when it was hopeless, and perhaps $15,000 on! the 1932 campaign. His Wayne County campaign report had ac- counted for $9,000, “Tm interested In good govern- ment and nave compicte faith in Gov. Comszrochk,”” he ventured. “I've given a few paltry dollara and they make a big fuss over it. That contribution was solely out cf friendship for Comsteck.” CS ‘tance telephone. Deseribes Frison Survey The witness described in detail] his survey of prisons, and expiained that he had volunteered his serv- ices, without cost, when Gov. Com- : stock mentioned his own inability to find time to act. He spent five or six weeks on the survey, he re- vealed, It was carefully explained to all prison employees that no threats were involved in thelr vol- untarily agreeing to salary adjust- ments because of the State’s finan- cial plight. | Leebova professed to know noth- ing about the replacing of 35 Jack- eon Prison employees a few days after his survey was completed. Tha name of Lee Garvin, Mar- quette attorney, figured in the Kap- Jan negotiations. He had introduced EKanlan to Warden Corean, for s ra- ap Srcen organ, i0r & re- talner, Leebove asserted, “Kaplan told me he represented the so-called Purple gangsters, If I should tell you what he actually said, I know it will sound like something political. “He told me: ‘These boys are! here becatige of one of the worst, frame-ups I've ever heard of. Harry, 5. Toy, the prosecutor, of Wayne, County, is responsiblé’ He knew they were not guilty, yet he pary, tictpated In thelr conviction because he saw political advantage ‘aceru- ing ta him thereby,’ ing oG maim Coe@re Asked About Influence Used “Did you use any undue influence In asking the warden to permit: Kaplan to interview these prisoners, privately?” Callaghan asked. { “T did not. The entire episode fg just a silly situation, Y might say further that I don’t think your committee Is honest or consclen- tious in asking those questions.” | Leebove was asked about the road built fn front of his home in Clare. “I wonder where Smith (Counctl- man Smith) thought I ought to ve, In a swamp or in the Ever- giades? I have never petitioned for that road, never talked to any- one about jt nor used any influence in obtaining it. That is a part of what is known os the Taft High- way, and fa 4 part of the State pro- gram,” he replied, Senator Derham, lacking names and circumstances which Leebove later supplied, had introduced the subject of the “springing of the Purple gangsters and = insisted that Lecbove was reported to have appealed to Warden Corgan to per-| Tmit a private interview between Kaplan and his inmate clients. Derham {insisted that corrobor- \atory evidence would be produced by Corgan and by Edward Frens- | dorf, whom he stated had made a. similar appeal over tha long-dia-' Both have been' Pattee sete er —rlte -- ew SUMTTIONCG AS WLLULGESES,
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