The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1916-1920, 1917-12-25
GRAFT EXACTED
ON ARMY SHOES
Representatives Of Quarter
master Corps Alleged to
Have. Made Demands. >.
WOMAN THE. GO-BETWEEN
Hint Of Similar Conditions in
Garment Tradc.Facts Are
Given to WadswOrth.

Henry r Price president of the Price
Trade Publishing Company Of IL: East
Twenty y-fifth street. charged last night
thai representatives Of tho Quartermas-
ter Corps. United States Army. were en-
acting graft for the performance OF scrv-
ice for the army before contracts could
be placed. and notified United States Sem
a.or James W. wadsworth. Jr.. that he
would be glad 20 go to Washington and
testify concerning the conditions he had
found.
Mr.. Piice produced shoemaker who
was engaged to repair shoes for the Gov
ernment. and his witness testified that
he had been required to arrange for the
payment OF twenty cents a pair on n
lot Of 700 pairs of shoes before the Job
was given him. 4 woman was used as
the go-octvcen for the collection OF the
graft.
But getting far beyond the shoe re-
pairing end of the charge. Mr. Price de-
vlsrcd that hundreds OF garment work.
ing concerns in New York were idle and
unable to get war orders and he wanted
with a view to ascertainnG If there is
some hidden card that must bc played in
connection with the garment making
awards
There is something radically wrong.
he said IF any one in the Quartermss-
ter Corpe has to he seen in order to have
the New York garment workers ge, con-
tracts for war orders there will he moth
ing doing. make this assertion be-
cause ] have made an investigation that
has uncovered graft that is so petty
that It Is unbelievable"
Shoemaker Tells story.
Mr.. Price lives at 535 West l35th
street Around the corner at 33iO Broad
way Peter Scbald has a shoemaking
concern Mr.. Price accompanic re-
porter for THE Sun to the Sebald place
and the proprietor made this statement
"On Septemb.r 30 a sergeant came In
my place and said that he had come
from Camp Mills. He said that he was
going around making contracts for the
repair Of several hundreds Of pairs OF
/ shoes for the Hampstead camp.
"'What would you he willing to make
the repairs for he asked me.
IL usually got $50 for repairine
shoes, and I told him that IL 7 was tc
1
willing TO do II for 81.
"'You don't want to charge 81 he sa id
You want to charge Sl.25. There will
be a woman In here to see you IN few
days and whatever she says you do
! "On December I got 700 pairs o
shoes from the Quartermaster Corps a
! Camp Mills. The bill Of lading wa,
signed &C. II. Smith The packages
/ there were nine bundles Of them--wer,
sent by Major +. w. Adams. Quarter
master Corps. United States Army
other. went to the Hudpn-Fulton Re
! pairine Company at 136th street ant
broadway, and to three other concern.
/ in the same section
my place. She said. MFR. Sebald. ] wan
TO see you about the shoes for the Gov
! eminent
! IAN right said.
"She drew out paper for me to sign
| "'What Is that" I asked her
Asked 26 Cents . Pair.
at is simply an agreement I an
making she said Tt calls for 25 cent
a pair on the shoes that you are repair
ing
"'Who does that go tor I asked her.
"'To the War Department. she said.
"'How can that be worked?' ! asked
"When you get your check she said
you give me 3175.
"J was anxious to do the work and 4
keen my machines busy and said tina
II would be all right