New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1911-08-19
A CORNER IN FRESH AIR
Young CuIprits Caught and Sen
fenced to Two Weeks at Play.
LETTERS SHOW CONSPIRACY
Boys Make Mass Play Against
Tribune Fresh Air Fund and
Get Away with It.

Another conspiracy to corner the mar
ket has been ferreted out and investigat-
ed. This time, however. it was not fed
eral officials who did the work. II was
to be a corner in fresh air. The perpe-
traitors were band Of boys who live Just
east Of the Bowery in the downtown dis
trict.
The first intimation Of the attempt came
when three communications received by
the manager of the Tribune Fresh Air
Fund were compared. The first Of these
read:
NO IS stanton street New York.
| would like TO go to Ashford HIN pc
cause 7 was there last year / would IKE
JOHN DEF1DA.
This looked innocent. but the next day
another came It read:
No 1875 Chrystie street New York.
have heard that Ashford HILL Ardsley,
y. Y. is a nice place to go 10 for va
cation. / would like to go. with your con-
sent, with few friends Of mine.
JOSEPH FEST.
Then came third on Thursday.
No. so stanton street, New York.
Ashford Hill Ardsley. y. Y. is one or
the best countries l have ever gone to;
And we want to know II John Greco and
Philip Sinani could go to Ashford Hill.
PHILIP S1NAN1.
Even with the receipt Of the third and
final communication no suspicious were
aroused until. upon looking up the houses
from which the applications came, II was
discovered that No. 1873 Chrystie street is
At the corner Of Stanton street and that
Nos 35 and 80 stanton street are almost
directly opposite.
This did look as though there might be
some sort of a "gentleman's agreement"
in existence The suspicion was strength
,ned when comparison showed that two
or three peculiarities OF composition ran
through ell the letters is though the same
master mind had inspired all
An investigator had considerable din
Guilty I'm locating the suspected boys yes
terday morning. John Dehda was not at
home. and his mother. impressed with
the idea that the caller was a health In"
spector or truant officer. refused to d.
vulge his whereabouts
Philip Sinani was also out but his
brother and another were seated In the
doorway OF No. 80 Stanton street. string
ing beans They also were reticent AT
.
first But after the Investigator had in
sistently repeated "campagne"-his near
est approach n the italian for country
in an effort 10 reassure them the brother
confessed that Philip would probably he
found ~ tho vacation school I'm Houston
street
II was the closing day al tho vacation
school. and tho investigator had TO wait
an hour or more while Philip ate his share
OF the ice cream and cake with which the
event was being celebrated. Finally. how
ever. Philip was found At the mere men
ton Of the Tribune Fresh Air Fund he
let the cat out Of the bag with Jump.
DO ye want Fest an Defda, too?
They're here" he fairly shouted.
But he was not a bit abgshed when nc
cused Of having had something 10 do with
tho letters.
Sure. ! showed en- how TO write
theirs" he said Then he Continued: An
We sent one letter every day so they
wouldn't fergit rs. We wanter all 20 to-
gether"
Greco mentioned in Snanis letter lives
at 40 80 stanton street The attempt 10
corner fresh air. or. rather. 10 Dc more
accurate Ashford Hin. for the corner OF
CbryStie and STANTON streets was too po-
tent 10 be overlooked.
Since all had pleaded guilty TO consplr-
acy. there was nothing left 10 do but 10
sentence the offenders 10 two weeks nara
play az Ashford Hill.