The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1912-08-18
SEEDMAN ANSWERS
ALDERMAN BECKER
News WOman'S Husband Tells
His story of News Stand
Application.

Alderman Bccker's statement in answer
TO Mayor tayncr's expose Of the graft
money hcing paid by newsden ers to
Aldermen was answered yesterday by
James Seodman, owner of news stand
AT Columbus avenue and Sinety-t bird
street, who il mentioned in the R cker
statement az "a wcl - do gentleman
asking for "A liCeuso behind his wife =
skirts"
Alderman Becker said he had refuses
to sign Mrs. Bertha b. Seedman's appli-
cation because her husband was u mem
ber of the Consolidated Stock Exchange
and doing business there He said needier
persons were entitled to the privilege.
Mr.. Secdman told Sun reporter his
side OF the story yesterday:
= When this district split from the old
Twenty first Assembly district TO the
new Fifteenth our first Alderman was
Barton Case he said. He always
granted applications for licenses and
signed them readily. When Becker was
elected my wife went to him for his sigma
ture. He told her. Mrs. Seedman. am
sorry. but will have to refuse your
application.
AS a final measure my wife appealed
to Mayor Gaynor. In the meantime
her license had expired.
The Mayor called up the chief Of the
License Bureau. Mr.. Oliver. He asked
Mr.. Oliver il it was possible to issue a
license to Mrs. Seedman. The chief
said it was not possible TO give a license
without the signature of the Alderman
in the district from which the license was
issued.
"'The Mayor didn't believe it and had
the city Charter brought TO him. After
reading a particular section he said:
81 see that the Mayor cannot grant
n license without the Alderman's consent
but l fail to see why the Mayor can't
grant this permit Therefore, Mrs. Seed
man. you stay where you are. pay $40 for
your years LICENSE and | will protect
you
"Aly wife paid the license fee and she
has been protected ever since by the
Ma yor."
William Merican. president Of the
Newsdealers Association, who has a
newsstand at 443 Amsterdam avenue.
in Alderman Beckers district. vouched
for everything that Mr.. Seedman had IA id.
Mr.. Merican said that Mayor Gaynor
brought w the Seedman case at the mass
meeting because it was the first case
brought to his attention after his elect ion
to Office.
About six months ago" he said. "a
newsletter at Eighty-sixth street and
Columbus avenue came to me as the
mr. .tNanf 1f IN do, Inr. A.,
and asked for advice. He told ME that
there was to be "A new elevated stat ion at
his corner and fearing that competition
would set III he wanted to get hold of q
stand under the new stairway.
HE was having trouble with his appli-
cation and went to Alderman Becker and
asked for an application for the same
newsstand at Eighty-sixth street and
Columbus avenue. He refused point
| blank.
His excuse was that he already prom
Used the permit to one of his constituents
in his district. Now want to ask Alder
| man Becker ii he will sign an atfida Wit that
the person who receis ed the license for
the new sstand, and one was issued. lives
1 in this district. Or to be palmer. did
/ Alderman Becker ever see the applicant?' 70
Mr.. Merican also took II fling at Alder
man Henry II. Curran's statement, in
which he arraiened Mayor Gaynor and
! Corporation Counsel Watson.
81 want TO clear up the muddy places in
Alderman Currans statement said MIR.
Merictn
| Alderman Curran says. Let IL he re-
inemb"red that the Mayor tod me in per
son on July 20 that an affidavit duplicating
an Alderman in bribery over bootblack
stand has been lying on his desk for
some time, He then asks for reason
why the Mayor has not acted upon that
! aftidayit.
! How does Alderman Curran know that
tho Mayor has not already acted upon II?
he Mayors experience has taught him
TO he very careful in gathering evidence.
can assure Alderman Curran that the
Alderman IN question AS well a. few
others under inv cstipation are at the cnJ;
OF their ropes Nothing will save them
from the exposure and disgrace which
they deserve