Parnell Hall - The Underground Man

“I see,” Judge Washburn said. “Was there anything else?”

“Yes, Your Honor. He’s also withdrawn over two hundred thousand dollars in cash from his bank account.”

Judge Washburn raised his eyebrows. “Two hundred thousand?”

“That’s right.”

“And what did he do with this money?”

Jason Tindel shrugged. “As far as I know, he’s been carrying it on him.”

“Two hundred thousand in cash?”

“That’s right. The man is a millionaire, Your Honor. Yet he dresses like a bum, lives on the subway, and is carrying large sums of money in cash around with him. Under the circumstances, much as we hated to do it, we felt we had to take what steps we could in order to conserve his estate.”

“I see,” Judge Washburn said. He looked at Franklyn. “Do you have anything further to add?”

Mr. Franklyn smiled. “No, Your Honor. I think the witness has stated the case quite admirably.”

Washburn nodded. “Mr. Winslow?”

Judge Washburn watched with some interest when Steve Winslow arose. The witness had certainly left the young attorney enough openings. Jason Tindel’s testimony, while devastating, was certainly a mass of opinions and conclusions. Tindel didn’t know that Jack Walsh carried large sums of money on him. Tindel didn’t know Jack Walsh lived on the subway-he’d only seen him there once. Judge Washburn expected Steve Winslow to rip into him on those points.

Steve didn’t. He merely smiled and said, “And what do you do, Mr. Tindel?”

The witness was clearly unprepared for that question. He frowned. “I beg your pardon?”

“What’s your job? Your occupation? What do you do?”

Jason Tindel cleared his throat. “At the moment I’m between jobs.”

“You mean you’re unemployed?”

“I don’t mean I’m unemployed. I’m between jobs.”

“Are you employed?”

“No.”

“Then you’re unemployed, aren’t you?”

Tindel frowned again. “I’m not employed at the moment.”

“I understand. Are you collecting unemployment insurance?”

“No.”

“Have you applied for unemployment insurance?”

“No.”

“Do you intend to apply for unemployment insurance?”

Franklyn arose. “Your Honor, I fail to see the point of this.”

“Surely the interest of the parties is relevant,” Steve said.

“It is,” Judge Washburn said. “As you well know,” he added with a glance at Franklyn. “Proceed, Mr. Winslow.”

“Do you intend to apply for unemployment insurance?”

“No, I do not.”

“Are you eligible for unemployment insurance?”

Tindel took a breath. “No.”

“I see,” Steve said. “As I understand it, in order to be eligible for unemployment insurance, you must have worked twenty-six weeks out of the last year. Am I correct in assuming you haven’t done that?”

Franklyn was on his feet again. “I point out, Your Honor, to qualify you must work twenty-six weeks for an employer who is paying FICA wages and withholding unemployment insurance. Many people are self-employed or work other jobs which don’t qualify.”

“Exactly,” Jason Tindel snapped. “I happen to be self-employed, so the questions really don’t apply.”

“Oh, you’re self-employed, Mr. Tindel?”

“Yes, I am.”

Steve Winslow smiled. “So we come back to my original question. What do you do?”

“I’m a consultant.”

“A rather broad field, Mr. Tindel. With whom do you consult?”

“I am employed by various firms.”

“Name one.”

“What?”

“Name one firm you’ve worked for in the past year.”

“In the past year?”

“Yes.”

Jason Tindel frowned. “Well, now …”

“And what is your field, Mr. Tindel?” Steve put in. “What do you consult on?”

“The stock market.”

“Ah,” Steve said. “The stock market. And are you a stock broker, Mr. Tindel?”

“No, I’m not.”

“No, I didn’t think so,” Steve said. “So, you give people advice on the stock market. If that advice pans out, you’ve got a nice tip coming. Is that right?”

“No, it isn’t,” Tindel said hotly.

“Oh? In what way is it wrong?”

“Well, it’s … Well, damn it. You just make me sound like a race track tout.”

“I certainly beg your pardon, Mr. Tindel,” Steve said. “I don’t know how anyone could have possibly have gotten that impression.

“Let me ask you something. You stated that Jack Walsh’s estate is worth several million dollars?”

“That’s right.”

“You’re attempting to have Jack Walsh declared incompetent?”

“That’s right.”

“And yourself and your wife named conservators?”

“Yes.”

“And in the event that that happens, you and your wife will suddenly find yourself in control of several million dollars?”

Jason Tindel said nothing. He merely glared at him.

“Well,” Steve said. “That’s certainly a nice position for someone who’s unemployed to find himself in.” Steve shrugged. “No further questions.”

Judge Washburn looked at the witness. Then at Franklyn. “Have you anything further with this witness?”

“No, Your Honor,” Franklyn said.

“Very well,” Judge Washburn said. He referred to the paper. “Now, at the time of his incarceration, Mr. Walsh was observed in the subway station by Mr. Fred Grayson. I think we’ll hear from him next.”

Fred Grayson seated himself on the stand. Once again, Judge Washburn took up the questioning.

“Mr. Grayson, what is your relationship with the petitioner, Jack Walsh?”

“My wife is also his great-niece. She is the granddaughter of his brother.”

“I see. Now on the afternoon in question you observed the petitioner, Jack Walsh, on the subway?”

“Actually, first I saw him on the street.”

“Where?”

“On 34th Street, between Madison and Fifth Avenue.”

“What was he doing?”

“Ah, walking along.”

“What did you do?”

“I followed him.”

“Where did he go?”

“He walked east to Park Avenue, down a block to 33rd Street, and went into the subway.”

“What did he do there?”

“Well, there were some bums with blankets camped out at the far end of the station. He walked down there and began talking with them.”

“What did you do?”

“There was a pay phone in the station. I called Jason Tindel, told him to rush the papers over.”

“The commitment papers?”

“That’s right.”

“How is it you had commitment papers ready?”

“Jason and I had previously approached a doctor at Bellevue Hospital and apprised him of the situation. He drew up the papers, and told us if we could locate Jack Walsh, he would have him brought in for observation.”

“So you called Jason Tindel and told him to bring the papers?”

“That’s right.”

“What happened then?”

“I stayed in the station, keeping my eye on Jack Walsh. About forty-five minutes later Jason showed up with two hospital orderlies. They served the papers on Jack and took him off to Bellevue.”

“Did he object?”

“Yes, he did.”

“How?”

“Screaming, kicking. He was like a wild man.”

“How did the orderlies subdue him?”

“With a straightjacket.”

“Jack Walsh was taken to Bellevue in a straightjacket?”

“That’s right.”

“Did you accompany him to Bellevue?”

“Yes, I did.”

“Along with Jason Tindel?”

“That’s right.”

“What happened there?”

“A psychiatrist examined him and ordered him committed.”