New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1913-05-14
TAXI RIDES PAID FOR,
SAY POLICE OFFICIALS
Waldo Satisfied" When Shown
ReCeipted Bills for Alleged
"Charge Accounts"
RUSH TO DENY "GRAFTING"
Six Aldermen Sign Waivers Of
Immunity-Receipts a Mat
ter of Bookkeeping" Dis
t-ict Attorney Believes,


Police officials and others who have
been mentioned so far in the District At
torney's investigation Of alleged irreSu-
larities between the taX:cab companies
and certain aldermen and other public
officials to hold up the proposed ordinance
for reducing taxicab rates FASTENED yes
terday to deny that they mad enjoyed
free rides" or other favors from the
Yellow Taxicab Company or any of the
other companies.
Inspector George r Titus. IN charge OF
the traffic squad. Inspector Robert +.
. Dooley. in charge OF the Coney Island
district: Captain Thomas II. Murphy. in
command of the Coney Island station. and
Captain William T. Day. Of the West
152d street station. were called to Police
Headquarters and questioned by Com
missioner Waldo about the charge &C
counts" they were said to have had with
the Yellow TaXcab Company
Inspector Titus and the others as well.
II was understood admitted that they ran
charge accounts with the company. hut
they produced receipted bills for the
monthly accounts. which explanations ap-
parently satisfied the Commissioner.
Prosecutor Not Satisfied.
NhU. cold Of the appearance Of the
police officials at Headquarters and their
"satisfactory". explanations, Joseph pu
Vivier Deputy Assistant District Attor-
ney. who is conducting the taxicab IN
auiry before the grand jury. remarked
that "the Commissioner was easily salts
fed" Mr. Du Vivier also said that he
would he glad if James c. Wallace, Jr..
chief of the License Bureau, who en-
phatically denied that he had been Ia
vored with free transportation by the
Yellow company, would call and tell him
the same thing.
II appears that some of the evidence
In the hands Of the District Attorney
tends TO controvert the assumption that
because the officials mentioned are able
to produce receipted bills for their
charge accounts" II necessarily means
that such bills have actually been paid.
II is understood that officers of the yell
low company have testified, or will so
testify. before the grand jury.
While the charge accounts IN TINS
class are said 20 appear to be balanced
each month on the ledger of the company
the fact remains. according to the DIS
trict Attorneys information. that such
entries were made merely as a matter Of
bookkeeping" and cstensibly for the pur-
pose of covering up the free list
Inspector Titus told Commissioners Wal
do. il was said. that his taxicab bill with
the Yellow company for four months
amounted TO only 81 10. which he declared
he had paid The other police officials
also had small paid accounts" ii was
asserted. Inspector Titus further n
. formed the Commissioner that he had
/ never received a gratuity from the Vel
low Taxicab Company or from any other
company operating public conveyances.
Wallace Paid for Rides, Too.
Chief Wallace Of the License Bureau
told reporter for The Tribune that he
had paid for all the rides ne ever had
in the Yellow taxicabs. He declared that
he had never received any favors from.
or favored. any of the taxicab companies
since he had been in office.
said Il have revoked the license Of two
private stands for the Yellow Taxicab
Company because they violated the terms
of the licenses. That doesn't look as If
] favored that company. Besides, I have
always co-operated with Aldermen Marks
and Bodies and the minority members Of
the taxicab ordinance committee 10 obtain
an ordinance reducing the taxicab rates
and abolishing private stands. The alder
men will bear me out in this"
: Alderman Marks when seen at the Dis
trict Attorneys office. declared that Mr.
Wallace had worked hard and faithfully
with the minority members Of the COM
rr,ttee 10 report out the ordinance which
has been held up for the last eighteen
months.
Six Aldermen Waive immunity.
Six members Of the taXicab ordinance
committee-Aldermen Marks, Bodies.
Brush, Mccain. Cunningham and Cole
man-formally signed waivers OF immun-
ity in Mr. Du Vivier's office yesterday,
in view OF their appearing as witnesses
before the grand jury. Alderman Grimm.
chairman of the committee. signed
waiver on Monday. Alderman Grimm is
expected TO be the first witness called at
the resumption of the inquiry to-day.
The other members Of the committee will
be examined before the grand jury by
Mr.. Du Vivier to-day and tomorrow.
Henry r. Swartz. vice-president and
general manager of the yellow Taxicab
Company was the principal witness be-
fore the grand jury yesterday. He was
examined for two hours. John Clark,
chief starter OF the company. went be-
fore the grand jury with books and rec
ords Of the company. Jesse Judson. as-
sstant treasurer OF the concern. was re-
called as a witness Other officials OF the
Yellow company will be witnesses to-day.