National Affairs: Rake's Progress

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Churchill Brown Mehard raked through a personal inheritance so fast and thoroughly that in 1937 his family had him deposed as executor of his father's estate (estimated at $1,000,000). Before that he had been a Pittsburgh socialite, a hard-drinking World War major in the A. E. F. (gassed, twice cited for gallantry), a Brigadier General in the National Guard of Pennsylvania. In January 1938 he was glad to take an $8,000 job as city solicitor from his onetime law partner, Pittsburgh's Mayor Cornelius Decatur Scully. Last week cleft-chinned, big-beaked Churchill Mehard gave an up-to-date accounting of his finances. On trial in a Pittsburgh criminal court for misdemeanor in office and taking bribes, he informed a badgering prosecutor: "All I have now is a few dollars in cash."

Popular "Church" Mehard was accused of settling damage claims against the city out of court, taking $11,299 m kickbacks from litigants' attorneys. During his first month in office, the city paid out $16,-981.75 in such settlements; during his last, $131)990. Stumpy Lawyer Morris Levy (also indicted) testified that he paid Churchill Mehard $1,300 to settle favorably one case. "He never paid me one dime in this or any other case," cried Churchill Mehard. The jury believed Morris Levy.