New-York tribune., 1919-08-17
Rent Profteering Cases In
volving Service Men To
Be Turned Over to the
u. S. Attorneys This Week
Grand Jury Will Act
Hirsch Committee Settles
763 Cases During Week
ON Tenant Complaints

Cases of rent profiteering in which
the families of soldiers or sailors were
the victims will be turned over to-
morrow to the United States Attorney
for prosecution under the Federal SOL
diers and sailors civil relief act. This
move was announced yesterday by
Nathan Hirsch, chairman of the May
or's Committee on Rent Profteering,
who said there was large number of
such cases.
The decision to transfer the cases to
Federal jurisdiction was reached, Mr..
Hirsch said, at a conference between
members of the committee and Chan
dler Cobb, Assistant United States At
torney. This conference also was at
tended by agents of the Department of
Justice, and Walter S. Kennedy pre-
pared yesterday list of cases which
it is expected to take before the Fed
eral Grand Jury this week.
Cases Given Out
Among the cases involving depend
ents of men in military service Mr..
Hirsch gave out the following:
Lieutenant Arthur L. Vamedee, a
d.,
which is under the control of Jesse
Sharp, of Sharp & Co., real estate
agents, with Offices at Broadway and
Ninety-ninth Street. Sharp & Co. ap-
peared before the committee, and re-
fused to divulge the whereabouts of
Mr.. Oppenburg, of the Orton Holding
Company, whom they admitted to be
one of the officers of the company, the
owner of the premises in question.
,1t-A IL. !
of Mary Mccullough, the principal
stockhoder in the company, although
they had promised to do so at hear
ing held in the Municipal Building
B. Wollman, 1912 Avenue j, Brooklyn,
filed complaint against Harry Woll-
man, of 1912 Avenue J, Brooklyn, claim
ing violation of the Federal act The
tenants son was in the army at the
time the rent was raised, and later
was killed in France. The landlord in
this case proposes a settlement.
Two Brothers in Service
Mrs. Meissncr, 334 Fifty-frst Street
Brooklyn, presented grievance against
her landlord, James w. Kenny, who
raised her rent Sc while she was de-
pendent upon two brothers in service
in the United States army. Another
brother, member of the 9th Division
has just returned from overseas, but
he is unable to obtain work. This
case is in course of settlement
II. +. Purcell, attached to the United
States navy, complained against Celia
Horowitz, of II West Twenty third
Street, Manhattan, because of an in
crease of $11 on his apartment at 21S
Bradhurst Avenue, The Bronx. 1t is pro.
posed to settle this case on the basis
of return to the original rent and
N ha q q
so far.
Anna O'Rourke, attached to the can
teen service of the army, complained
of Jacob Gremat, treasurer of the Com
monwealth Estate, Inc, a lessee of Jo-
seph Schenck, whose activities are
now under close scrutiny by the
County Prosecutor. The premises in
volved are 3609 Broadway.
Widow Complains
Mrs. Lennon, a widow of SO East
163d Street, Manhattan, pleaded q vio-
lation of the Federal act in that Will
lam H. Wiefelman, of the A. W. W
The Bronx, had raised her rent 81
notwithstanding that she is dependent
upon two sons now in the navy.
NJ A. Lee, 1902 Eighth Avenue, Man
haitian, attached to the War Depart
ment and claiming privilege under the
Federal act, also complained Of threat
ened dispossess from his apartment
while in the service OF the govern
ment Mr.. Lee has wife and two
children.
Nehring Brothers, Inc, of st. Mich
olas Avenue and l74th Street, of which
Frederick Nehring is president. Pau
Nehring vice president, and Charlie:
Nehring secretary and treasurer, are
alleged to have violated tn Federal ac'
by William NJ. Trainor, father of foul
children, residing at 500 West 174tf
Street. His rent had been raised
$3.50 while in military service, and hi.
wife had been served with a dispossess
notice on which she was obliged to gs
to court.
Mr.. Hirsch announced that 1853 rem
cases were settled last week, 2S6 i:
Brooklyn, 26S in The Bronx and 209 il
Manhattan.