New-York tribune., 1907-06-03
GARBAGE MEN GRAFT
J1NTTCRS BRING CHARGE,
Nast P0y or BE 1rTested-Disbict
attorney Investigates.

Al meeting last night of the Jantors Society
ri New York At its headauarters No o15
East Broadway, two hundred indignant ian
itors bitterly denounced the officials of the
Street Cleaning Department. They said they
acre compelled 10 pay graft to the fcremen and
ca.tuen Of the department to have their gar
bage and refuse removed from the sidewalk on
the day ii put out. If they didn't pay they
sai3. the garbage stood on the sidewalk three or
four days. Then the police came around and
arrested them. charging violation of the corpora
ton ordinances. The complainant was always
some representative of the department.
Afiday-ts were taken from numerous fanitors
last night, who said they had for several months
paid money 10 the cartmen and foremen of the
Street Cleaning Department These affidavits
will be submitted the District Attorneys
Office to-day by the society's attorney Louis
Lande. Of No 290 Broadway. A A Mayper.
representing the District Attorneys Office with
several county detectives for several weeks
has been trying 10 obtain evidence in the case
According TO Michael Brown. secretary of the
society. the money paid by the iantors aver
ages from 81 to So n month This. he said. was
Just what the janitors get from the owners of
the flats wages They get their rooms and
coal free, and have no surplus at the end OF the
month
"On every four blocks said Mr. Brown there
are about fifty jantors who pay from 81 to SO
q month 10 these men in fear of arrest and los
ing their jobs, I have been trying myself 20
GET evidence. but somehow or other when the
trap is set the foreman or cartmen get a tip
and nothing comes of it They manage TO cover
themselves every time.
Max Stark. janitor Of No. 222 Clinton street,
came to me to-day and told me of a deal that
he had made with foreman He said that
= cl-o for
money. saving that he would see that the gar
bage was removed every day. His wife refused
10 give him any. The following day Stark saw
the foreman, who said: If YOU want your sar-
tage taken away. put your hand in your pocket
Stark gave him a quarter, and has been paying
him s. 2 month ever since We have an affi-
davit from him to this effect This is about the
way the system Of graft has been conducted by
these men for long time.
There are about 1900 members in the society.
and every of them pays graft of some kind.
J. isn't paid to the men alone who remove gar
hage- but to the cartmen and foremen who take
ayaE ashes and papers. There are three differ
mt sets OF men who take away refuse Money
is paid 70 all three by some janitors.
There are men who collect the graft regu-
larry every week one representing each cart
This money is divided Saturday nights after
hours Not only the members Of this society
lsy graft. but thousands who are not members
taxed. This system fourishes chiefly on the
Last side. most all Of the janftors are for
eteners. and are easily frightened. On the West
side there is a different class of men, more in
tefgent and little graft is being collected there.
The Womens Municipal League which has
taken M this movement. is looking after the
West Sidc. The organization is cooperating
with in this work Of suppressug the evil.
There are about nine thousand ianitors on the
Fast Side. and over two-thirds Of them are pay
ing graft money. If they pay on an average Of
So month. II amounts to $4,000 more
Mr. Brown said the Commissioner had been
informed Of it long ago. The Women's Munic-
'Tal League. he said. had called the Commis-
sioners attention to ii several times.
7 know that the Commissioner has been told
al about this system of graft said Mr.. Brown,
and far l know. he has done nothing
! is easy from time to time to have men go out
and get evidence. but apparently he doesn't
bother his head about it.
Commissioner Darlington is fighting the
Street Cleaning Department to have changed the
rule 'nat janitors must separate the rubbish ami
garbage He says that when the garbage is left
alone in the cans it becomes sour and breeds
germs much faster than when ~ is mixed with
Tie dTier refuse paper, cans, et7- The separa-
lion 81 the garbage is 4 benefit 10 the dump
tr!mmers' But several janitors have been ar
rested FOR violation Of the rule of the Street
Cleaning Department. The department men
can get square through the separation rule on
The Janitor who refuses to pay protection money.
il IT IS paid the violations are overlooked"
At the meeting last night score Of janitors
told how they had been menaced by the garbage
men. and affidavits We're taken from many Of
them Plans were made to hold public meetings
N expose the graft system. II was said by some
II the members that at these meetings an ef-
fort would be made to petition the Mayor TO re-
move Commissioner Craven.
Neither Commissioner Craven nor any Of his
deputies could be found last night