New-York tribune., 1908-10-03
1. E. BROWN ARRESTED
In LICENSE PROBE
MAJOR NAY PUT BUREAU
IN CIVIL SERVICE.
Commissioner Mitchell RecOmm ENDS
4cti0n by District attorneys
Ofce-P0Iice on Grill.

Frank E. Brown. chief of the electrical bureau
in the Department of Water Supply, Gas and
Electricity was arrested yesterday. charged
with attempt at extortion growing out of a
license issued by the license bureau, now under
investigation by the Commissioners of Accounts
The technical charge against Brown "ex-
tortion under cover of official authority.
Brown is the second man to be arrested in
connection with the investigation of the license
bureau. The other man was Caetano d'Amato
the deputy commissioner, charged with extorting
S1l0 for license for moving picture show.
Mayor Mcclellan. who instituted the investi-
cation which has revealed extensive grating is
SO fully convinced that the license bureau should
be out of politics that he will soon reorganize
it, and if possible put all the appointments into
the Civil Service Brown is forty-one years old.
He lives at No 285 St Nicholas avenue.
Testimony yesterday showed that selling IL
censes through police of the license squad was
general and that business of the bureau was
largely controlled by policemen. Exorbitant
rates were charged for licenses. and renewed
licenses were sold to pedlers and others with
out their appearing at the bureau.
OBRIENs STATEMENT.
Brown was held in the Tombs police court for
examination in $1,000 bail. Following his
rest Commissioner O'Brien. in a statement, said
that Brown had been under observation for
several months because of rumors of payments
made TO procure licenses for moving picture
shows. Two specific cases were investigated, he
said, but in neither instance was there evidence
to Justify charges The Commissioner said he
turned the evidence over to the Commissioners
of Accounts and suspended Brown. pending the
investigation. He is Civil Service appointee
and can be removed only on charges
1t was known in the morning that Brown was
to be arrested and he went to Great Darlington,
Mass. Friends. it is said. persuaded him TO re-
turn He was in his office in the Park Row
Building when taken.
It was on an affidavit made by Michael de
Christie. who conducted a moving picture place
at No. 235 Avenue A. that Magistrate Corrigan
issued the warrants for the arrest Of Brown and
dAuato. De Christie said that his licenses had
been revoked on January Is for an alleged vio-
lation of city ordinance Brown, he says was
at that tisne chief inspector of the Department
of Water Supply, Gas and Electricity.
DAmato he SAYS took him TO Brown who
said that things could be fixed UP for $3.50 and
the license returned. With his partners, OIL
virio Ferraro and Luigi MarianL de Christie met
d'An1ato in City Hall Park on January p, and,
he alleges, gave him S110 In the afternoon he
went 10 Browns office. and his license was re-
turned.
MaTi2nl
rating de Christie.
Sergeant Peter J. Bird at yesterdays hearing
said that he had commanded the license squad
for two wears The twenty or twenty-five j.
censes for pushcarts which had been issued dur
ing the last two years by special order from
the Mayor. he said. he thought were for persons
recommended by charitable societies. He eX-
pIained that if license expired and was fraud
1llently reissued there was no record OF 1t kept
in his mems books.
Although not an empoye Of the license hu-
reau. Sergeant Bird said that he had written
ont subpoenas at the request Of the chief of the
bureau ana when a clerk i'll, He said that
he was authorized to write out licenses two
years ago and had perhaps written one a week.
He said that he had issued renewals He denied
that he had ever taken more than the regular
fee for license.
PEDLER ACCUSES OFFICER.
William Brandt. q pedIer, said he had received
a renewal of a license from Bird on October u
1907. He testified that ne had not been IL
censed before and that he had not gone to the
CITY Hall. He said he paid 500 to an officer
for the renewal of a pushcart license for which
the regular charge is 81 John Schmedling
bookkeepar in the license bureau, testified that
there was no record of any renewal Of license
to Brandt Ia declared thar the card system
of keeping records in the bureau made possible
many frauds and that the records had on Uc-
casions Deen removed to =he Lenox Library.
An officer of the license squad recorded
John Doe was called TO the stand and told Of
the selling of licenses by unauthorized persons
He said he paid 81 each for several renewals
from Sergeant Bird The legal charge was 81.
Carol Low, a lawyer, told of trying to trap
D Amato with money, but without success.
Lawrence S. Bolognino, Of No. II West 9th
street said that he had been shaken down by
a ''Patrolman Reed in his moving picture
place He paid the officer $50, he said and
compelled by him to purchase a moving picture
machine and films from a Mr.. Weiss" He
said that he paid D'Amato S75 in room when
they We're alone Brown, he said. had never
asked him 10 pay money
Patrick J. Reed the patroIman alluded TO. de-
MED knowing either of the men or ever procur-
ing a license for moving picture shows When
they stood up he said that he had seen them
five DAYS ago in connection with an investiga-
ton of license. He denied having interest
in Weiss's moving picture establishment
Commissioner Mitchell at the end CT the hear
ing said that he thought the evidence such that
a member of the District Attorneys staff should
be detailed to the case.
FOUR HUNDRED SAW HIM WHIPPED.