The evening world. [volume] (New York, N.Y.) 1887-1931, 1917-11-03
FUSION LEADERS
CALLED IN BRONX
FRAUD CHARGES
Grand Jury to Take Up Al.
legged Juggling of Names for
Promise of $1,000.

nled In the once OF tho Board OF
Elections this afternoon, Assistant
District Attorneys Seymour Mork
Ellsworth j. Healy issued subpoenas
for Emory r. Buckner, Mayor
Mitchel's Campaign Manager; Will
liam Hamlin Childs, Chairman OF the
Executive Committee OF the Fusion
Committee; Coroner Timothy Healy,
and Richard w. Lawrence, a mem
Der OF the Fusion Committee on
Vacancies.
They will be asked to give testi-
mony Monday morning before the
Bronx County Grand Jury in the
matter OF alleged frauds and forger-
les brought TO light to-day in the
Board OF Elections.
1t Is charged by the representatives
of District Attorney Martin that n
man named Simeon Beckerman was
hired by prominent Fusionists to OBJ
tain signatures to petitions, and that
he was promised $1,000 for his work,
He didn't get the money, he says. 1t
is charged that the alleged fraud and
forgery were committed when surplus
names on some petitions were shifted
to others TO help out candidates who
couldn't get enough signers.
"Tho evidence brought TO light by
the examination OF tho petitions this
afternoon" said Assistant District
Attorney Mork, would indicate that
the nominations OF John j. Boyle jr.
and Julius T. Tobias. candidates for
Municipal Court Justices of the Bronx,
William wachtel for the Assembly
and John Lawrence for the Board Of
Aldermen. were obtained by fraudu-
lent means---or in any event fraudu-
lent petitions were filed in their be-
half.
Simeon Beckerman, OF No. 147
Avenue A. Manhattan. was employed
by John J. Knewitz, Chairman OF the
Republican County Committee OF the
Bronx; Thomas w. whittle, candidate
for Borough President on the Republi-
can ticket; Eugene ]. Mcclure. candi-
date for Sheriff: Patrick ]. Mcmahon,
candidate for County Clerk: T. Chan
non PRESS. candidate for District At
torney: Bernard Hahn, candidate for
Register. and julius T. Tobias an 1
John Boyle. jr, both candidates for
Municipal Court Justice in the First
District OF the Bronx.
He was hired in the office OF Mr.
Knewits, n City Tax Commissioner in
the Municipal Building, Manhattan
All the candidates named were present
when he was hired. and threS agreed
to pay him a certain price-$l, 900, he
says. but they haven't paid it--for OBJ
tanning sufficient signatures to make
the nominations good.
"Mr. Beckerman obtained more
than enough signatures for the NOM
ination OF the candidates on the ticket
that did not bear the Mayors name
After he had turned over the sigma
lures to Julius T. Tobias, candidate
for Municipal Court Judge, and
Charles Halberstadt, Secretary OF the
Republican County Committee OF the
Bronx. he did not see them again
They were delivered TO these men by
Mr.. Beckerman's partner IsadoI
Wolchok.
I'VE found during our short exam
ination here in the office of the BoarC
| of Elections that some OF the city
| petitions were used for the purpos,
for which they were intended. Blu
we also find that a petition for tn,
Fusion Committee party was filed IL
behalf of julius T. Tobias and JohI
Boyle jr. as candidates for Justice o
the Municipal Court, William Whchte
for member OF tho Assembly. Thirt
District, and John Lawrence Dunn
for member of the Board OF Aldermen
OF the 2sth District.
"A peculiar condition with refer
enco to the printing OF these peti
tions ls that the names OF Tob IA
and Boyle are printed in-the name
OF Watchtel and Dunn are written II
In Ink. Immediately below the name
we find that the sheet is cut. an,
pasted to the bottom thereof ar
sheets signed by Bronx voters an,
acknowledged before notaries EN-
ployed by Beckerman with the bulls
eye, the Fusion emblem, over in tn
corner, exactly as we find them q
the regular petitions filed by the en-
tire city ticket"
Mr., Beckerman swears that thes
latter petitions were not executed 1
accordance with the law but wer
executed for the City ticket and no
for the petition bearing the names O
Boyle. Tobias, Wachtel and Dunr
Also filed at the same time, as ap
pears from the imprint Of the STAN
OF the Election Board, Is third peti
tion filed in behalf of Boyle and Tc
bias and Wachtel ana Dunn. Thi
third petition bears the names q
Philip Straub OF No. 575 Souther
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