New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1902-04-18
Adm THE WAR ON SHARKS
ORGANIZATIONS WHICH ARE HELflNu
THE TRIBUNE'S CRUSADE.
rpT-1Ts OF THE FIGHT SHOWN IN THE RAP
IDLY DECREASING NUMBER OF AK
RESTS IN INsTALMENT CASES


The fruits of The Tribune crusade against the
instalment dealers and the three or -FOUR mar
sbals who are closely identified with them are
now beginning to be realized. The university
Settlement committee headed by Samuel
Thorne jr of District Attorney Jeromes stall
is hard at work investigating the situation
The Legal Aid Society is in close touch with
A. C. Kenyon who is fighting the same fight III
the Italian districts. Miss Loew, Of the Legal
Aid Society, and Mr.. Kenyon had a'consuitauon
yesterday and planned the preparation OF
charges which will be filed with the Mayor i'll
time for his investigation, when he takes UP
the matter in May.
Another valuable ally in the struggle is DR.
David Blaustein. the head of the Educational
Alliance. who has been following The Tribune
fight with great interest and is studying the
question at the present time. DR.. Blaustein
hopes to be able to present the matter through
the pages of the Jewish daily press, which
reaches a large population the East Side
Similarly Gino C. Speranza has promised 20
work through the Italian daily papers.
Charges against certain marshals continue
to pour into the Mayors office, where they are
carefully filed. waiting the action of Mr.. Low.
There also good reasons to suppose that
the time is not far distant when certain of the
most fragrant of the outrages will be heard in
criminal courts.
The heartiest cooperation has been furnished
The Tribune by Sheriff OBren and Warden
Sullivan. of Ludlow Street Jail. The practices
that they have witnessed have stirred them
deeply. Sheriff O'Brien has avowed his inten-
ton of going to Albany al the next session and
attempting TO secure some legislative remedy
for the existing situation. Meanwhile. the Legal
Aid Society is Immediately informed of any
instalment prisoners commitment to Ludlow
Street Jail, and is able to investigate the case
once
In the Second District Court, where by far the
largest number of insta1ment cases come up
for trial, Justice Bolte has taken advantage of
the publicity The Tribune has given the install
ment cases to deliver several severe lectures TO
those concerned in such cases.
Still another day has passed without any
rest In instalment cases. This is the record low
water mark. AS The Tribune announced re-
Gently. prior TO its agitation of the instalment
question the number of prisoners committed to
Ludlow Street Jail instalment cases aggre-
gated twenty five or thirty a week. Examina-
ton of the figures for the last two weeks re-
veals some interesting things. During the week
ending April 3 there were fifteen commitments
in these cases; Of these six were brought by
Marshal Abrahamson five by Marshal Com
minsky and one apiece by Marshal Lee and four
other marshals. For the week ending April l.
there twelve commitments eight OF which
were made by Marshal Abrahamson. two by
Marshal Comminsky and one apiece by Marshal
Lee and another marshal. During the present
week there has been only one. and that was not
made by any of the marshals named. These
facts furnish very significant testimony of the
result of The Tribunes efforts.
Mr.. Kenyon. who by Tribune re-
porter yesterday. seemed very much eIated over
the results of the fight.
our friends the instalment dealers are lying
low just now said he. They thoroughly
scared / think The Tribune has rendered great
service In the publicity il has given the whole
matter. ] am In communication with the Legal
Aid Society and while hope to secure criminal
prosecution for some of the people concerned L
shall certainly assist in preparing evidence for
the utterly different attitude the marshals and
instalment dealers show now. great work
has been accomplished"
In one of the municipal courts yesterday
morning OF the StrombergS was forced to
take back the four watches ne had sold and
was not allowed 10 get costs This action by the
Justice will prove great blow to the install
ment dealers who are accustomed to refuse TO
receive their property back, and go to court IN
order collect the extortionate price originally
asked. In all cases the contracts specify that
the buyer can return the property, but as mat
ter of fact he is never allowed TO do that with
out paying big price for the privilege.
Il. c. RirgwaIt. of the Legal Aid Society, tod
a Tribune reporter yesterday that he thought
that the action of his society I'm the matter of
preferring charges now assured
Il cannot tell you at present how many diff
ferent people are assisting us" said he. but
have no hesitation in saying that l am assured
now of a successful outcome of the matter. We
shall go right ahead Investigating and filing
complaints until the Mayor is ready to act and
by thai time shall have some very valuable
and convincing testimony.