Judge Outlines

Testimony In

Wire-Tap Case

Local Magistrate Will Testify

In New Orleans

CROWLEY, La. — Edmund M. Reggie, Crowley city judge, said) here this week he "knew nothing" about recordings of telephone conversations by New. Orleans Mayor, deLesseps Morrison, allegedly ob-! tained through wire-!s

entering a "room   a people"
two or three

Jam `17, 1956, -10etiell. -Judge Reggie left -Crowley today for New Orleans where he wilt testify as a government witness k the wiretap case scheduled in New Orleans Monday. Three men- indicted in the case are detective agency operator Sidney J. Massicot; Robert F. Lirette, his employee; and James F. Donnelly. former Southern Bell telephone company employee.

The local magistrate is mom; 18 subpoened to testify including Democratic National Committeeman Camille Gravel.

Judge Reggie said he has been called on as a government witness, and the purpose of his testimony will be to identify a man who allegedly made recordings of several telephone conversations f r o

Mayor Morrison's residence in New Orleans to "other persona" who spoke, with Morrison on the election.

Judge Reggie admits he did hear recordings of what was purported to be conversations from Morrison, but says firmly he "had no knowledge of a wire tap being made, did not know who made it, or who caused it."

Before leaving today Judge Reggie outlined briefly what will be his testimony in the case tomorrow.

will testify that I was present when recordings of some conversations were played two or 'three days after the election: They were what purported to be conversations between Mayor Morrison and some of his political leaders after the polls had closed and---as the returns were coming in indicating that lie (5Iorrison) had lost t h e race," the judge stated.

"I also heard conversations purported to be between Mayor Morrison and his wife.

"I know that somewhere along the line the general idea has been gotten. by some people that I a m involved in the wire tap case, Actually, I am a witness in the same

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Judge—,

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sense as a witness who would see a disturbing of the peace committed by someone and then be asked to come to court to testify and identify the accused.

"I shall do my civic duty and discharge my moral obligation at the trial Monday, just as- I did before the Federal Grand Jury sometime ago. I shall tell the truth, that I heard recordings, after they were made, and they were purportd to be recordings of phone conversations illegally intercepted.

"I am happy that the government is taking the necessary steps to prosecute such cases, because everyone is entitled to uninvaded privacy of telephone conversations."

Speculating as to why such recordings were made, the judge said he "feels the tap was made in an effort to win favor and possible financial- gains in the event a second primary h a d been necessary."

"But since there was no second primary, the recordings turned out to be absolutely worthless to whoever made them," he said.

"As I have said before, and as I will say Monday," Judge Reggie continued, "I had no knowledge of a wire tap being made, did not know who made it, or who caused it. I knew nothing of any such action, nor heard about it. until a few days after the election when I heard the recordings."

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