New-York tribune., 1903-08-18
A BRIBE FOR A LICENSE.
PEDLER'S OFFER FAILED.
Mann Frauds Which Haze Been
Detected LateIy.

Apropos of the recent comments Of Magistrate
Hogan on graft in the Bureau of Licenses
this department treated to a real attempt
at bribery yesterday when Andrea Lupo. push
cart pedler approached Grand Williams, one Of
the policemen attached 20 the bureau, with a
$40 offer. For a long time Lupo has been trying
by various methods to get license. Yesterday
he caught Williams in the corridor and
whispered:
de license"
Williams who was duly astounded at this at
tempt to corrupt an officer. instantly informed
Sergeant Pierce, of the license squad. Together
they appealed to Deputy Chief Merriman, who
consented to play witness. Williams then re-
turned to his would-be purchaser and Merri-
man closely followed It required only minute
for the Italian to fish out a grimy note and
hand 1t over A few seconds later the as
tonished man was under arrest
The case was forwarded to Magistrate Ho-
gan's court with great deal of alacrity. When
the case came up Mr. Merriman testified that
he did not believe that the Italian had the faint
est notion that he was acting illegally, and sug-
gested that he be reprimanded Not until
Deputy Assistant District Attorney Kresel had
confirmed this advice did Magistrate Hogan dis
charge the prisoner. and then he gave him
sharp lecture on the illegality of buying police
officers on duty
JUGGLING WITH LICENSES.
Lupo's case furnishes fair index of the many
cases out of which has grown much of the re-
cent discussion of graft in the Bureau of Lii
eenses. He was first licensed on first papers
which showed that he arrived in the country in
1SS2. When he applied for license recently
he was told that he must get full citizen papers,
since he had taken out his first papers more
than five years previously. But Lupo did not
mean TO take this trouble, he contented him
self with going TO the Federal Building and get
ting new set Of first papers. This time he
swore that he had arrived in the country in 1901
and that he had never before had first papers.
This was the reason a license was not granted
10 him.
another fruitful cause OF outcry against the
bureau for refusal to grant licenses arises from
eases where Italians Greeks have purchased
their original license from some holder. who de-
sres 10 go out of busines and sells his license
The buyer, in many cases fresh from Europe at
once takes the license and goes to the Federal
Building and gets out citizen papers under the
name of the irginal holder Of the license al
though he may have been in the country only a
Few months or weeks. For example there is now
IN the bureau the record OF the case of CarmeIo
Catalona. of No. 245 Mulberry-st. Under the
name Of Antonio Crotoni ne owns a fruit stand
ana seven pushcarts and lives at No BOG Mott
81 When he was questioned about the apparent
discrepancy in his papers, he promptly admitted
mat ne had bought them. OF course the license
IN this case was revoked. and this man toined
'he ranks Of those whose cases are cited as in
stances Of the injustice of the Bureau Of L.
eehses Hermann Osterman, of No 1856 Riving-
ton-st. recently found in possession of the
iuu citizen papers OF Samuel Haber, of No 1O4
eoftolk-st.. and similar cases are innumerable
EVILS OF THE PADRoNE SYSTEM.
Another fruitful source of trouble, provocative
OF comments like those OF Magistrate Hogan ,s
me padrone system under which boys are pro-
Aiaed with the papers OF adults and sent to
work in droves. Recently boy of twenty was
discovered armed with the papers of a man of
hlxty-one purchased, no doubt. On August 2 a
paafcne brought Abram Berman, boy of nine
xeh 70 the United States court and instructed
- tne country since May =, 1901, when as a
matter OF fact. as investigation afterward re-
feaiec, he arrived In the country In 1902 In
1Aolner case boy of nineteen was found with
Papers which declared that he had arrived IN
re country long enough ago to get his first
tbspets IN March. 1898. az which times he was a
Doy OF fourteen
:. "nen these cases are discovered the fear of
e Sse holders Of fraudulent papers is amusing
-, ~ saturday one was discovered with an abso-
Icy fictitious naturalization paper, and an
ss1ei started TO take him TO the Federal Build
sls- When they came I'm sight OF the building
~ sss italian suddenly dived into the crowd and
shouted 10 the officer:
sc be backa terrlorrer
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