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but by this time Al Smith was getting to be a considerable fellow. The Factory Investigating Commission was making him a considerable fellow. He hadn't been so much before. He was a good fellow and we all were bringing him on, but this commission was making him a public figure all over the state, and Wagner, too. Smith was the very heart of Tammany and they loved him dearly. Smith was getting a reputation. He was questioning witnesses. It was my job, of course, to bring in the witnesses to testify. I also testified many times myself. I think that was one of the ways we broke up the real estate opposition. I did it rather deliberately. I would tell smith what I knew, had seen, and wanted to tell, and what I was going to do. He'd say, “That's all right. I'll ask you this question.”

At the hearing or conference he would ask me that question. It would appear that I didn't quite remember. Then I would remember. “Oh, yes, that building was owned by XYZ, with such and such a real estate company managing it.” That, of course, always brought them in indroves. They didn't like unfavorable remarks.

A man named Stewart - I forget his last name - who was English born and lived way up in the Bronx was the most pestiferous of them all. He was the one we never shook off. He had a great following. He spoke for some real estate interests. He