The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1903-03-23
"COLLECTED" FROM PEDLBRS.
IT'S ALL RIGHT, SAYS Ex-ALDER-
MAN OAKLEY; BUT rs FTP
Inspector schmittberger Rigs Up Two
Detectives as Pushcart Men and They
Nab the Collector--Permissive Ortii.
nance That May he Used Is q Club.

nance That May he Used as Club.
The complaint against Michael Cor
belt. a currier. arraigned In the York.
Vile police court yesterday. declared
that he had extorted money by threats
from Oscar p. Himmel. a pedler. at First
avenue and Twelfth street. While Himmel
was apparently pedler, he was in reality
a policeman on Inspector Schmittberger's
stat
The inspector had received information
that money was being extorted from the
pedlers at the Saturday night market
in First avenue. The avenue, from Sixth
20 Eighteenth streets, 10 an open market
In which vendors line both ourbs, offering
all sorts of things for sale. There are sew
era hundred vendors and some Of them
scatter fruit. vegetables and paper on the
street. Others, who sell tinware, dry goods
and such things. do not throw any refuse
on the street, but all. 1t Is alleged. pay
tribute TO man who Processes to be armed
with some kind Of official authority, and who
threatens to have the pedler put out Of
the market unless he pays q certain amount
Of money toward tho cleaning Of the street
after the market has ceased to do business
for the night. There are several such
men collecting tribute. the inspector de-
clsred, and they accept anything from Is
cents to half dollar.
The inspector obtained ordinary ped
lers licenses for two Of his men and bought
. stock Of socks. neckties and other goods
like the typical East Side sidewaiE mer-
chant with long beard, frock coat and eye
glasses. They stood close together and
cried out their wares and In q short time
Corbett approached Himmel.
The detective says that the man demanded
so cents to pay for removing the refuse
from the street. The detective demurred
TO the payment, saying that the Street
Cleaning Department would clean IL up.
He says that the man told him that he
Himmel did not pay he would have to
get out OF the market and not peddle again
on that part Of First avenue.
Himmel gave him ffty-cent piece which
had previously been marked by the In
ssrd q. ree.p n re card Declared dp tSss
the Board Of Aldermen had authorized
any person to make . contract with tho
vendors TO remove the street refuse and
dispose OF L At the dump: Of the Street
signed to the card As the man was about
TO walk away the detectives arrested him
and the marked coin was taken from him
AT the station
These pedlep have been oppressed
for the past three years and am going
10 break up that system Of extortion and
see that they get Justice said Schmitt-
berger IN court. THE prisoner is not
the only one engaged In that business
There are others, and some of them are
prominent men. ! have at last got into
the woodpile where the Niger In and
intend to uncover him. There will be a
big surprise when this case comes up for
examination. There is a great deal In
this. l cannot speak of IL now, but IL
will come out on the examination.'
Capt. Gibson, Deputy Street Cleaning
Commissioner, was on the bridge with the
inspector The inspector asked the Magis-
trate to postpone the examination.
Major Woodbury.. the Street Cleaning
Commissioner, had me on the phone this
morning. said Schmittberger. sand asked
that the hearing be put of until wednes-
day, 80 that he might be present. He
one TO clean up the First avenue market
and demand payment for doing go
1hs haGfstrute was about TO postponA
the case when ex-Alderman John T. Galley,
Tammany leader Of the Fourteenth District,
entered court and, going upon the bridge.
asked the Magistrate to discharge The
man.
He was acting under q resolution passed
by the Board OF Aldermen when I was Q
member Of that body. He had Q right TO
collect money for cleaning the place. said
Oakley.
he had no right to demand money This
10 . clear case Of eItortion.' retorted the
He Magistrate finally put the case over
70 wednesday and held Corbett In q 900
bail