“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.”
“Was the examination done in your presence?”
“No, it wasn’t.”
Judge Washburn frowned. “I think that’s all. Do you have anything else, Mr. Franklyn?”
“No, Your Honor.”
“Mr. Winslow?”
“Yes. Mr. Grayson, are you employed?”
“Yes, I am.”
“What do you do?”
“I’m a diamond broker.”
“Is that right? Where is your place of business?”
“I operate out of my own home.”
“And where is that?”
“Teaneck, New Jersey.”
“Teaneck, New Jersey? Is that also the home of Jason Tindel?”
“Yes, it is.”
“Now, when you say a diamond broker-that means you sell diamonds?”
“That’s right.”
“But a diamond broker’s different than a diamond merchant, isn’t it?”
“Yes, it is.”
“In what way?”
“A diamond merchant sells gems. A diamond broker arranges sales.”
“I see. In other words, you don’t sell your own gems?”
“No.”
“You have no stock or inventory? No diamonds of your own?”
“That’s right.”
“You find a person who wants to buy diamonds, and another person who wants to sell diamonds, and you act as a middleman?”
“Yes.”
“Now you say you conduct your business out of your own home?”
“That’s right.”
“Which is Teaneck, New Jersey?”
“That’s right.”
“Is that the same place you were conducting your business from a year ago?”
“No, it is not.”
“And where were you conducting your business from then?”
“Great Neck.”
“That’s also where you were living?”
“That’s right.”
“Is that also where Jason Tindel was living?”
“That’s right.”
“The place in Great Neck, where you and Jason Tindel were living and where you were conducting business-was that also the house of the petitioner Jack Walsh?”
“That’s right.”
“How long had you been living there?”
“For twelve years.”
“I see. So when Jack Walsh sold the house out from under himself, he also sold it out from under you and Jason Tindel, is that right?”
“Yes.”
“Tell me, had you ever paid any rent on the house in Great Neck?”
“No.”
“You’d been living there for twelve years, and never paid any rent?”
“Uncle Jack wouldn’t charge his relatives rent.”
“I see. But you are paying rent on the house in Teaneck?”
“Yes, I am.”
“Gee,” Steve said. “After twelve years of not paying any rent at all, that must be a considerable shock. Tell me something-if Jason and Rose Tindel are declared conservators of Jack Walsh’s estate-would you stop paying rent then?”
“I don’t know.”
“You never discussed that matter with them?”
“No, I did not.”
“The matter ever cross your mind?”
After a pause, the witness said, “No.”
“Then you have no interest whatsoever in the outcome of this hearing?” Steve said.
“I want to see that Uncle Jack’s interests are protected.”
“By protected you mean placed in the hands of Jason and Rose Tindel? The people with whom you have not discussed whether this action would enable you to stop paying rent?” Steve smiled. “Thank you. I have no further questions, Your Honor.”
“That’s all Mr. Grayson,” Judge Washburn said. He glanced at his notes. “It is at this point that I would like to question the petitioner. Unfortunately, he’s unavailable. Now, Mr. Franklyn, you say you have a psychiatrist here to testify to that effect?”
“That’s right. A Dr. Gerald Feldspar. He is on the staff at Bellevue Hospital, and is the doctor who admitted Jack Walsh.”
“Very well. Dr. Feldspar take the stand.”