New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1913-11-22
$4,000 FRAUD IN
FAKE" ACCIDENTS
Lawyer and Clerk Accused
of Swindling Insur-
ance Companies.
SAY" DUMMIES" POSED
AS INJURY VICTIMS
Friend, Thrown from Office Dur.
ing Row, Bares Plot to
District Attorney.

An alleged swindle practised wholesale
on casualty companies was taken up yes
terday by the grand jury. The proceed
ings are aimed at s. Henri Finkel,
lawyer, with an Office at No. rs Delaney
street. and his clerk, Abraham Landsman.
Sums aggregatng more than $4,000 are
alleged TO have been obtained from the
Fidelity and Casualty Company and
others.
1t is alleged that with the help of his
runner" Finkel faxed" accidents and /
collected either from the insurance COM /
pany or from those apparently RESPONSE |
bic for the accident" II is said that !
numerous East Side youths made fair |
living by acting as dummies" for these
accidents" All that was necessary was
to hire the victim take out an accident
insurance policy, and after a preliminary
drill send him forth TO have an "acci- i
dent"
After the accident had been artisti- ,
cally sustained the lawyer II is alleged, |
took care of the subsequent proceedings. I
Affidavlts have been obtained by James
A. Delehanty and John NJ Minton, 1r. |
| physicians, who say that they were re-
tanned TO certify to injuries which the,
| dummy" had never received One physi- /!
clan said that he had made certifications|
in eighty such cases.
The average amount collected was not,
| large. In few cases did 1t exceed $500. !
| The District Attorney, however, has in !
I formation relating to more than one hum |
dred such cases The policy is said 10
| have been much the same as that fol-
lowed by the larson trust" a claim for
the full amount of the policy was put,
| in, and If a serious investigation of the
claim was threatened the policyholder
would compromise for half the amount or
less. The companies were generally glad !
to get out of the affair with a compromise.
| The scheme is said 10 have been in opera
| ton for about three years.
The anxiety of Landsman TO obtain cash
! for $40 check is said TO be the incident
that started the investigation. Last sum-
mer Finkel is alleged TO have given his
check for so TO Landsman. Landsman, IL
I is said, was anxious to get the bills in
| his pocket and went TO a friend TO have IL
cashed. The friend was suspicious of the
check and would give Landsman only s.
Immediately. promising him, it is said.
the other s. when the check had gone
through the bank.
The following day Landsman returned
! TO his friend with demand for the -.
| He was told that the check had not yet
| been through the bank, and he would
! have TO wait for his money. Landsman
! departed with threats to have payment
on the check stopped.
Landsman carried out his threat. and
| the friend began an investigation. He
! said he went 10 Ftnkel's office 10 ind
! Landsman, and there saw Finkel, who.
according TO allegations, was responsible
| for stopping payment on the check. He
! asked Finkel, il is said. why the payment
was stopped, and by way of answer Fin
KEEL is said to have demonstrated his abil-
| ity TO provide injuries on short notice.
There is said to have been a sudden "ac-
| cident." as the result of which Lands
mans aggrieved friend found himself nat
| on the sidewalk outside the office door.
The said door is alleged to have been
slammed and locked Immediately there
| after.
BY good luck, however, Landsman's
friend had not gone alone 10 the lawyers ;
office. He had with him witness. Tbs
witness proved 10 he more valuable even
than he had anticipated for the witness
recognized Finkel. he said, as the lawyer
| who had fixed up a fake claim In inc
past.
Landsman's friend eventually took his
witness and his story 10 the District At /
torney Last Saturday Assistant Dlstricc
| Attorney Delehanty obtained affidavitsi
from two physicians who admitted max
ing numerous false certifcatons. several1
of those said 10 be employed as dunn
niles were also examined by Mr.. Dele
hantv and Mr.. Minton. and finally yes
terday Mr.. Minton took the case beforel
! the grand jury.
Both Finkel and Landsman are said TO
have left the city.