New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1913-01-04
Harry H. Schlacht Had Promised
to Bring Proof of His Charges
to Aldermanic Counsel q
Few Hours Earlier
Blackjack Stops Him.
BRINGS IN sCHMITTBERGER
Head Of Pedlers' Organization Tells
Of Vain Effort to Bring Alleged
Extortion Before Waldo
Sipp, Graft Witness. Fits
In and Out Of Town.

Harry II. Scha ht. the representative
Of the pushcart pedlers Of the East
Side, who conferred with Emory r.
Buckner, counsel to the aldermanic
committee, Yesterday afternoon, was
blackjacked at his Office soon after
ward and the books OF the association
which Schlacht said would show that
graft had been paid to policemen, and
which he had promised TO bring down.
town to Mr.. Buckner this morning,
We're torn and rendered useless as eyi-
dence
yesterday and outlined to him The
methods by which The police extract
graft from the pedlcrs Of the r.asr
Side. He gave Buckner the names OF
half a dozen peders who were Wiling
To swear as 10 graft payment and
promised 20 bring the books II The
pedlers association TO Mr.. Buckncr's
Office this morning as further corrobo-
ration.
He told the counsel to the aldcrman.c
committee that he had laid the COM
plant of the pedlers before the Police
Department, but he was doubtful OF
getting any real investigation from
that quarter. because of the attitude
of Chief Inspector Schmittberger. he
said. Schlacht was willing to take the
stand yesterday afternoon and give
sworn testimony to the same effect AS
the startling story he told Buckner.
but the lawyer advised him that his
testimony would have far greater
weight if he would produce at the same
time the books OF the pcdlsrs' associa-
tion showing the graft payments and
the evidence of individual peClers who
could corroborate his story of graft
Knocked senssiess by Intruder.
Schlacht left the Office after making
an engagement TO meet MIR. Buckner
this morning. bringing the books with
him. 1t was after 3 o'clock when
Schlacht left the City Hall. and because
Of several calls upon East Side pedlers
arranging for their evidence it was
nearly o'clock when he reached the
rooms of his association. at No. 1
Avenue B.
When he came into the rooms he
found a man there rummaging over
the books Of the association, which
were lying on an uninclosed shelf Be-
fore he had time to even see the face
of the intruder the man drew a black
Jack and felled schlacht with one blow.
1t was half an hour later when
Samuel Goldburg attorney for the as
sociation. came in and found Schlacht
unconscious on the floor. He revived
him and together they examined the
books They found that the minute
book and the ledger were gone and that
from the cash book several pages had
been ruthlessly torn out. and further
examination showed that the missing
pages were those which contained en-
tries showing cash disbursed for sick
benefits"
Schlacht had previously explained to
Mr.. Buckner that the graft payments
to police from the pedlers were con-
cealed under the heading OF sick bene-
fits" although the association does not
actually concern itself in any way with
that benevolent function.
Followed from City Hail.
1t developed later that Schlacht had
been followed from the City Hall after
his conference with Mr.. Buckner. Be-
fore he entered the building to talk to
the aldermanic counsel he observed two
men who seemed TO be following him.
He noticed them again when he came
out. and an hour after the assault .
small boy OF the neighborhood told Mr..
Goldburg that three men had been seen
running down the stairs and out oD
the street from Schlacht's Office at
about o'clock.
Schlacht assured Mr.. Buckncr last
night that the attack would not deter
him from going to the bottom OF the
graft methods used by the police on the
pedlers. With his head bandaged. but
entirely recovered from the blow. the
young East Slider said:
II will go the limit on this matter.
After the treatment received at Police
Headquarters the other day am not
surprised at this assault, but the ped !
lers will stand back of me In this ap-
peal to the al men,"
The reference made by Schiacht -
his reception. at Police HeadQuavtGa