New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1914-04-15
SAYS CITY BOARDS
and LODGES GRAFT
Kingsbury Aims Charges ct
Municipal Lodging
House.
PRIVATE HEARING TO
PROBE ACCUSATIONS
Politics May Be Shown to Play
Big Part in CaSe-Many
Will Testify.

The Municipal Lodging House, whlcn
harbors yearly 1900 men, is a home lot
sra,, according TO the allegations OF
Iohn A Kingsbury. Commissioners OF
Charities.
A John Doe" inquiry into IT'S aomins
tration was begun Yesterday before Chiei
MAGISTRATE McAdoo, and nifty summons
have already been served on employees OF
the lodging house and others connect'u'
or supposed to be connected, with Jus gu
n,inistra ton Yesterdays hearing "ss
nrivate the magistrate declaring thst
This procedure was for the best interests
OF the public.
" A Whiting, the commissioner spe-
eial agent. said last night that othei
charges besides that Of graft, each OF
Them serious enough TO warrant pains
taking investigation and private hearings
wer. the subjects OF inquiry by him and
his assistants. What these "otner
charges" were he refused TO say, put
added that il would be Impossible 10 mint
the offences under investigation.
This is the sort of thing that has been
happening" said Mr.. kingsbury. when
seen last night AT the Princeton Ciuo
Peter Paul. a lodger. had been working
for some time in the kitchen. He was not
paid but simply got his board free he
became familiar with the conditions about
him. and wrote a letter exposing them 10
the superintendent. William c. YORK. lie
went out TO get a job few days later
and when he came back was put In the
detention room. and next day was taken
TO Essex Market court.
THE record, which was produced as
evidence against him. merely showed tnat
ne had been in the house thirty DAYS u
made no mention OF the fact that he had
worked while there.
ole was sent up for thirty days That
happened about three weeks ago.
what chance is there that the lodging
house is being used by some political
marty either TO make money or TO pay
nolitical debts" the Commissioner was
asked.
well don't want to make any
charges as vet" he said but such a
thing seems highly probable. Why was
William Butler, the man who assaulteu
<. Simons. one Of our Investigators balled
out by Frank Goodwin. former Deputy
Commissioner of Charities We are IN
vestigatng the question of political inhu-
ence in relation 10 the graft which we
know exists i'm the administration Of the
house"
The present inquiry commenced soon
after Mayor Mitchell began his invesuga-
ton into the number OF unemployed m
the greater city. IT developed according
10 suggestions made by Commissioner
Kingsbury. who appointed Mr.. Whiting
special agent and empowered him to en-
plov enough assistants 10 make thor
ouch probe. on March Is he and three a.
sistants-Charles Day Henry Grothelm
and 6. Slmons-dressed as tramps, went 10
the house and applied for food and shci-
ter. This was given them, but some time
later their identity became known ana
Lieutenant Scherb, OF Special Squad No.
? and five detectives had to be assigned 10
protect them.
Among the witnesses who testlhcd ne
fore Magistrate McAdoO yesterday were
Mrs. Kate Griffin. matron OF tho lodging
house: Mrs. Catherine Corbett, her assist
ant. and Miss Loretta McDermott the
employment agent.