The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1916-03-23
GRATING LAID TO NINE
IN LICENSE DEPARTMENT
Street Stands, Pedlers and Movies Were Victims-Clerk
Said to Have Confessed-Special "Fixer" Employed,
Also Pickpocket to Work" Crowds in Office.

tIV ~ NV Sdtu thdt war a. Soou
time to pick pockets by reason Of the
presence OF numerous applicants in the
departments office at that season."
Gave List to Collector.
COMMISSIONS wallstein's report then
goes on to state in detail the alleged
operations of Strauss In the matter of
mailing postcards to successful appli-
cants for licenses. 1t Is charged that
Strauss turned these postcards over TO
the collector" with instructions to see
the successful applicants and obtain
money from them before posting the
cards.
The collector turned most o. the
cards over t. Commissions Wallstein
after giving Strauss money which had
supposedly been collected from the APP
plicants. The Collector" IL said ac-
tually TO have obtained 81 from n junk
dealer who wanted his application hur.
ried through che department.
The Commissioner charges that Will
lam 4. Smith participated with Strauss
In the employment of the "pickpOcket''
and shared In the supposed proceeds of
his operations. II is also Charged that
smith and Thomas Tracy. an inspector.
~conspired to delay the Issuance OF A H.
cense to AN applicant for a newspaper
Slduu uUIli tne UNer nTOuRnt mem
money supposed to have been paid by
the applicant.
Another charge Is that Smith and
Trucy assisted the "hxer'' in holding up
proprietors OF moving picture houses.
Commissioner Wallstein has a photo
graph of smiths badge on the "nxer,'
smith being an inspector of the state
Athletic Commission and the badge be-
Ing used by the ike" 10 frighten NOV
ing picture house owners.
Memoranda alleged 10 have been writ
ten by Tracy IN giving :he 'hxer' d.
r~ections as to obtaining money from ap.
pliS,nts for stand are now In che pos
session of Commissioner Walls,ein. II is
also charged that Tr,cy's department
records show the entering up Of ap
prevails of licenses for various kinds ot
stands. Notwithstanding no record Of the
legality required approval Of the Bor-
ough President for such stands could he
found
II is pointed ON, IN the report TO the
Mayor that a city ordinance providing
that the dimensions of stoop line stands
shall not exceed ten feet long by tour
feet wide was d~isregarded.
stand Ordinance Disregarded.
Despite the explicit provision tina,
the Suspension OF restrictions as 10 size
was to continue Only until October l.
1915 says the report. and despite the
further explicit provision that even dur
ing that period the suspension was TO he
applicable only to stands erected prior
to March II. 1914. and not IN new stands,
the License Department paid absolutely
10 heed 10 these provisions. Without dts.
tinction as TO time of erection and with.
.
partment as late as February. 1916. APP
proved stand applications almost auto.
matically.
THE Department. loseness of method
in this regard is illustrated 10y the fact
that applications were approved. though
reports of inspections IN some instances
expressly showed the excessive SAFE OF
the stand. and in others showed that the
stand had not yet been erected. go that
there was no way Of knowing whether
or not the stands were or when erected
would he of legal size.
This condition naturally invited cor
| ruptlon on the part Of inspectors by pro.
yiding them with n safely ~purchasabl,
discretion. The illegality OF diversified
stands created a preteNt for demanding
II money payment az the price Of over
looking il. and the departments d.src-
gard Of such ~il!egality. even when re-
ported. enabled the Inspector to make
good on his promise Of indulgence in
return for the payment.
1T is accordingly not surprising that
five inspectors of seven who had the
opportunity took mouey from supposed
standkecpers and promised therefor to
disregard violations consisting in over.
size Of stands"
Full Details on Payments.
Inspectors Cav, Spectator. Mulvihil|
and Schaefer are charged with havinG
received money on their promises to re.
port favorably DIVERSIFIED stands. Times
places and the amount Of money are
given In the port Inspector Rorke Is
charged with having received $40 for va.
rious services IN violation Of depart,
mcnt rules. Inspector Russell Is also
charged with having received money fol-
guaranteeing a favorable report on q
stand.
Commissioner Bel, said that when tho