New-York tribune., 1912-08-29
ISMAN HITS BACK At
CONGRESSMAN LEVY
Denies Story That House was
Sold Cheap Because OF
Gambling.
UNABLE TO GUST KELLY
philadelphian Says He Told Po-
lice He Would Dispossess
Tenant if Tn ey Would
Give Him Evidence.

r-.er rsmar used the short and ugly
go g.. -efs~-in- % Con grcssman Jeffer-
rcn u Levy last night.
NJ. Isynar had Just le It the ONCE OF
Police Commissioner Wa. 40 and stopped
to talk With several new spaper men re-
gsrd.nr tne letter Con EressTnan Levy
wrote 20 the Police Con missioner pro
testing against his name being used as
the ov-re- OF the house property at No.
-ss seventh avenue. and used by Paul
kelv -se oue-tiu1e gang leader a.
gambling house.
IN this letter the Co ugres sman said that
the house became suth an annoyance 70
him ,nat he so,d Il % NJ. Isman Toy
less than !,s value
Nr Ismar said shat the Congressman
had raised the price on the property
20 0o6 while he was try ng 20 purchase Il
and that It took Two months work on MS
mart 20 get him t. retu n to ms orlglhA'
figure.
"That's how anxious Mr.. Levy was to
set rid Of that property.' said Mr.. Isfnan'
with O smile. HE huncned the pr'ce
5000, and, on top Cc that, he oil n"1 ten
me that the tenants. had bean ralde0 a.
gamblers until after J hal pajd him sew
oral thousand dollars 70 close the oeei'
And when / learn ed that hal my
choice OF going ahead with ths deal or
losing the several thOusa11 collars OF
deposit. 7 decided to " 1t.
Says Kelly Had Lease.
paul Kelly told me ttHt he had YER
bsl lease with Congressman Levy Tor
year from May I Of this year, anc you
want 70 bear in mind that l 'iid not pur-
chase it until June / 80 Z compromised
with Kelly. or Vacarelu ass MS real maine
IS sDelied. and agreed 70 z i've him until
September I 70 get out.
"But even after I made This com9ro-
misc with him 7 wrote q c,ter 20 iOnce
CAPTAIN Reidy. OF the Wea 5Ith street
station asking him for enough evidence
on which could go ah cad and tnro"
ont Kelly But the captain never en-
swered ME"
The last letter written 70 Captain Reldy'
who. bv the way was transferred 70 the
West.hester precinct IN thd wilds Of The
Bronx. a couple Of hours tefore Mr. IS
mans visit 10 the, Police Commissioner.
read.
Cautain Eeicy .,....- of
Dear Sir. Referring 20 ycmr letter on
july q. while 7 have been ADVISED oy
counsel that ] nave no legal HGul to ui-
.,lssase tine tenant at No. tSS seventh
avenue until q conviction IA oeen 1'l, n1ae,
ver E YOU viii show me tntN GdIhDiIils
o4s, heeu conducted IN the PREMISES OF
thst vour department has seiZtd canning
apraratus since J have reprHsented uIe
present owner / am willing 70 GlsposseSS
the tenant -41AA A1-'I-'-''
Mr. Isnan then reverted 10 the matter
h. had most in mind and showed letter
under date Of Nav Il from Leopold Well
agent for the Levys, reading:
Dear Mr.. Ismar. Mr.. Louis Napoleon
lew called me uu and said that ne Is ad-
1ourn.ng dIspossess proceedings on one
o. the Seventh averua properties. he
THINKS you ought 10 write MN a ietter 20
confirm the adjournment OF the dispossess
proceedings until after YOU have taken
possession. LEOPOLD WE'LL
Dealt with Both Levys.
or was dealing with both Congressman
Levy and his brother, Louis Napoleon
Lew" explained Mr.. Isman. They both
owned the property and they promised 10
give it 70 me- when l started the nego-
tiations. 10 give II 20 me with ninety-day
cancellations But you see what they
did.
And let me repeat; They said nothing
then about gambling going on there to
me. although the report OF the police
shows II was ralded FIVE times, and al
though they mad dispossesses proceedings
against Paul Kelly and his partner on the
score that they were gamblers. And It
was Levy who leased the house 10 Kelly.
The first time they mentioned gambling
% me was after 1 had paid over several
thousand dollars"
Mr Isman said he bought the property
for G William Funk of Philadelphia. and
that as soon as Paul Kelly got out II
would be torn down.
lie explained that he was agent for
GeOrge H. Earle OF Philadelphia. for
the property al No. 10 West 47th street.
This, too had been raided as a gambling
house but 10 was torn down and the new
Palace Theatre is being erected on the
site Mr. Earle is president Of the Real
Estate Trust Company Of Philadelphia
and ran for Mayor last year.
The only other objection to the list
came from Sol Bloom, who was listed as
owner Of the property al No. 81 Cortlandt
street he told the Commissioner that
he formerly collected the rent Of the
building. while acting as agent, but did
so no longer.