New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1912-08-21
ADMITS $500 PAYMENT
FOR NEWSSTAND LICENSE
Republican Election District
Captain and Dealer Testify
Before FoSdiCk'S Deputy.
BECKER GAVE APPLICATION
Alderman Did So, He Says, to
Oblige Subordinate and None
of Money Went to Him
Wanted It Paid Back.

Details as 10 how $500 was paid for the
| licenses for two news-stands under the
new elevated station at Columbus avenue
ami s5th street were told under oath yes
| terday before Henry NJ. Rice, the deputy
! OF Raymond b. Fosdick. Commissioner
| OF Accounts. The newsdealer who paid
the money and the man who received IL
both admitted their part In the transac-
| ton.
| II was this case to which Mayor Cay
nor referred when he told Alderman Cur
ran. who had called to ask his aid in
starting the police investigation, that an
| affidavit was on his desk alleging that
$500 had been paid for newsstand prIvi-
| leges, which are given out through MEM
bers OF the Board OF Aldermen.
Benjamin F. Strauss. Of No. 200 West
| 92d street. Republican captain OF the 2ath
| Election District in the 18th Assembly
| District. Is the man who admitted having
received the $500. The man who gave II
| to him was r. Se!ikowitz. Niles r.
Becker is not only the leader of the 18th
Assembly District. but also represents it
in the Board OF Aldermen.
According 10 Commissioner Fosdck.
late In June Strauss went to Seikowitz,
who wanted the two new stands, and
offered to get them for him for $500 He
said the one at the southwest corner
would cost 500 and the other at the
northwest corner. would be $500. The
newsdealer paid the $50. and soon after
Strauss gave to him the two applications
for the licenses signed by Alderman
Becker OF the district. as required by
law
Strauss testified yesterday that Alder
man Becker had no knowledge that any
money was being paid for the licenses
| when he signed the applications. nor did
he get any part OF IT, Selkowitz also had
the impression that Strauss was the only
| person In the transaction.
Il seems that soon after the application
| blanks were filled out some one Informed
Mayor Gaynor that money was being
paid for the licenses. He Immediately
sent orders TO Chief Wallace OF the Iii
cense Bureau not to issue the licenses.
| Through some slip the license for the 500
stand was issued. When the application
I for the 1900 stand was presented the IL
cense was refused. Strauss asked Alder
man Becker 10 co down to the License
| Bureau and see about il.
Alderman Becker went in 10 see Chief
| Wallace. who told him the Mayor had
some sort OF an affidavit about money
being paid
! II came out aud told Strauss what
Wallace had aaid," declared Becker last
night. ~ did get some money for those
licenses Strauss said. told him he had
/ got me i'm a nice fix. and talked to him in
way that would not look good in print.
| I told him he would have 10 give the
| money back He said he would That
was the first I had heard about It."
Asked why he had not gone at once to
! the Mayor and told him the facts I'm the
! case. Alderman Becker said ne thought
| that Strauss would give the money back
and that would be tho end Of 1t. He said
he did not know until yesterday that
| Strauss had not returned all the money.
| According to the testimony before the
| Commissioner Of Accounts Strauss prom
ised SelikoUItz 10 give back the $500 paid
! for the stand. the license for which was
not issued Last week he paid back ;lao
and promised to return $40 more last
night
STRAUSS said nothing about paying back
the 800 he got for the other license" said
Commissioner Fosdick, nor did Seliko-
vitz say hc wanted that money back He
got the license and seemed to be satisfied
with his bargain"
commissioner Fosdick said he did not
know that there was any way that pro-
ceedings could be brought against Strauss,
but he intended 10 consult with the Dis
trict Attorney in regard TO the matter
ON the stand Strauss said he could not
remember whether Alderman Becker had
said anything tbout giving back the 500
or not
Alderman Becker evidently thought tho
money would all he paid back and that
tho thing would blow over. When he
learned on Monday night however. that
Commissioner FosdcS had started an in
vestigation OF tho transaction he got
busy. no told Strauss that he must ap-
pear before the Commissioner and must
bring with him the ncwsdcaler who had
given tho money 10 him Subprnas had
been issued for them. but Commissioner
Fosdich's men had not been able TO find
them.
II learned that they had subprnaed two
othor persons who could not have told
much about the transaction" said Alder
man Becker. "aud | decided that the
thing 10 do was to bring down the real
persons and have the whole truth come
out. did not know who the newsletter
was, did not know his name and had not
even seen him until to-day"
Lemuel +. Quigg accompanied Alder
man Becker TO Commissioner Fosdck's
office TO act as counsel. lie asked the
Commissioner to take up the entire sub
jet OF newsstand graft before going into
the particular case I'm which Alderman
Becker was Interested, The Commits
sioner refused to do this. Then he re-
auested that there be a postponement
until Alderman Becker could obtain tho
appointment of special investigating
committee by the Board OF Aldermen. He
has written TO Mayor Gaynor demanding
that he call such meeting, but has had
no reply.
Commissioner Fosdick said II would be
impossible for him 10 put off the investl-
cation, and then Mr.. Quigg surprised
him by saying that he would produce
the two men involved In the matter.
After both Strauss and Selikowtz mad
been on the stand Alderman Becker
asked to be permitted to testify. Com