New-York tribune., 1919-09-09
Five Dealers
! Exposed for
\ Overcharge
Food Men Proved Guilty of
Exceeding Fair Prices
Named by Food Adminis-
traitor Arthur Williams
All Promise Restitution
Sugar Sold for Export and
Later Released Here Is
Cause of Ones Troubles,

TIE exposure, through publicity, Of
dealers charging prices in excess Of
those deemed fair by the Fair Price
Committee was begun Yesterday when
Arthur Williams. Federal Food Admin
istrator acting on behalf Of the COM
mittee. made public the names Of five
dealers who admitted overcharging for
sugar and other commodities.
Mr. Williams has almost 500 COM
plants on file. Department. Of Justice
agents are being assigned to investi-
gate them and a re making rapid prog
ress in ferreting out the unfair deal
ers. The cases made public by Mr..
Williams yesterday were:
The B. Levy Company, $40 Vernon
Avenue. Brooklyn, charged with sell
ling sugar to retailers at II cents Il
fixed price is 9.5 cents Admitted
overcharging and agreed to make
refunds.
NJ Janisch. S34 East Th;rty-ninth
Street, Case No. 233, admitted over
charging for eggs and bacon. Agreed
to make restitution 20 customers.
The Economy Butter and Egg Com
pany. l42 Boulevard. Rockaway. Case
No IS, charged - cents a bound for
sugar 20 consumers. Consented 10
make refund to customers.
Antonio Leane. grocer of 3t9
East Thirty ninth Street, Case No.
2Si, CHARGED 13 cents pound for
sugar Agreed TO make restitution.
Diego Nlllareale, grocer, 3S8 East
Thirty-ninth Street, Case No. 232,
sold sugar for - cents d pound.
Agreed 10 make q refund
Story of Levy Company
Mr.. Williams conducted ~ inquiry
into the charges made arainst the
Levy company yesterday The charges
were preferred by the Federation Of
Hebrew Retail Grocers' Associations, Of
50 ard 81 Delaney Street, which a.
legged through its secretary, a. L. Aron-
OF. that d member. the Hornstien Com
pany, Of 792 Park Place, had been
asked II cents a pound sor sugar.
Mr.. Levy appeared before Mr.. Will
lams with bills showing that he had
PAID 1866 cents pound for $4,000
pounds OF sugar TO the National Chemi-
cal produce Company, Of PHILADELPHIA,
agents for rehners. Mr.. Williams
communicated with this firm BY tele-
phone and was told that the sugar had
been purchased originally to be ex-
ported, but that persistent domestic de-
mand had caused the company 10 re-
lease on the market here at the ex~
port price. The company agreed. how
ever, to refund To Mr.. Levy the
amount in excess of that which should
have been charged according 70 the
governments 5 regulations. The Phila-
dephis company should not have
charged more than 9 cents pound.
Dir. Williams ruled. The refund VIII
total $500
It was decided that the Levy Com
pany should make refund to re-
tailers at the rate of 1l2 cents a
pound The retailers in turn are ex1 =
pected TO make refunds to customers
to whom they sold sugar at more than
II cents.
May Go to Charity
If retailers admit selling at more
than II cents and are unable to locate
the purchases the money will 90 Il
the United Hebrew Charities of Brook
lyn, now engaged in making driv.
for funds
Mr.. Levy said he understood tha
Pres dent Wilson's proclamation sus
pending food regulation had lifted re
srictions on all comm odities exceD
wheat He declared that. believing
TINS, he sold sugar for II cents !
pound, being confident that he was no
pronteerlng because he nd paid 1916;
cents and was operating on an IN.
usual y small margin. It was exp iainec
to HIM that the Sugar Equalization
Board IS still N good standing anc
lN~ II mas fu.l control over the sugal
trade
Government agents sent to investi.
gate the complaint against Janiscn dis.
covered that ne was charging SO cents
Tor bacon. although the fair price com
mlttee decreed IS cents as the propel
Price he was also found to be one
Gent hIgner IN his egg quotations thar
.Ae AR price figure, while he was ask
ING cents a pound for onions. al
though the committees maximum is
43-4 cents.
Promises Refund
lie assured the administrator he
would not again be guilty Of over
charging and he would make a refund
70 all customers who had been over
Charged
The Economy Butter and Egg Com
psny, Of Rockaway, readily admitted
II asked and received II cents 4 pound
lor sugar. Antonio Leaue. who adj
mit'ed charging 13 cents d pound TO!
sugar, SAID that he always sold two
pounds for quarter lie was .o,c
lha' two pounds for % cents
was the proper price. and he agreed tc
a1ccept It. Diego Nillareale is going tc
..nil' himself to II cents tor d
POUND a. sugar. he sworo TO Mr.. Will
s ltms. he said he had invited all over
t.tnalsed customers to come and get
their money back
d.I.i lne grocery quotations on yester-
0aS list showed no advance over