New-York tribune., 1920-12-15
Board Rescinds
Ordinance for
Suspender Jack
Measure Backed by Quinn
to Prevent NOtaries From
Soliciting ON the Streets
Is Recalled After Fight
Four Hours of Wrangling
Hirschfield Says Malice Is
Back of Bill, and Quinn
Then Threatens Suit

The greater part Of the four-hour
session of the Board Of Aldermen yes
terday was occupied by acrimonious
debate revolving around Alderman
William +. Quinn, whose motives had
been attacked by David Hirshfield,
Commissioner of Accounts, relative to
the introduction of an ordinance pro-
hibiting the solicita :on of business
as notary public on the streets.
The ordinance was passed unani-
mously by the board some time ago,
but upon the complaint Of John Clinton
| McGec, better known as "Suspender
jack who contended that the ordin-
ance was directed solely at him, Mayor
Hylan ordered an investigation by
Hirshfield, which resulted in report
questioning the motives of the Repub-
ilcan Alderman and recommendation
by the Committee on Rules that the
ordinance be reseinded
The Tammany ajority were bitterly
assailed for indorsing a report reflect
ing upon one of their associates in the
board. though he happened to be q
Republican, on the word Of "sucf men
as Hirshfeld and McGee." Alderman
Quinn capped the climax of hours of
forensic effort, during which he had
repeatedly explained his attitude on the
original ordinance.
Quinn Rdicules Action
"If you vote to adopt this resolution"
he said. "it will be one of the smallest.
most insignificant things that this
board has ever done. You can't hurt
me by this ridiculous attempt to i'm
pugn my motives. You are only hurt
ing yourselves and holding this body
up to ridlcule. l will consider it one
of the highest compliments of my en-
tire political career that this board
should stoop so low as to take the word
OF man OF the Hirshfeld type or of
an individual like McGee against the
world Of one of its own members"
The Hirshfeld report, which was
adopted by the Committee on Rules,
charged that Alderman Quinn has been
instrumental in having the original
ordinance introduced in order to pre-
vent "Suspender Jack" McGee from OBJ
tanning a livelihood by soliciting appl-
cants for chautfeurs' licenses in front
OF the Secretary of States Office at
Sixty-tifth Street and Broadway, where,
in the adjoining building, the firm of
Quinn Quinn, of which Alderman
Quinn is g member, maintained an in
surance office. The Commissioner of
Accounts intimated that McGee was q
business rival of Alderman Quinn to
he extent of making out the papers
for automobile drivers for a small fee
Alderman Quinn denied that he or
Of business McGee did and ridculed
the idea that McGee was a business
rival
Alderman Quinn moved that the re-
port and the resembling. resolution be
recommtted to the committee His
motion was lost on strictly partisan
vote. The report and the resolution
to rescind was finally adopted by
similar vote. Alderman Quinn an
nounced that he had brought suit
against Commissioner Hirshfeld for
defamation OF character. The Alder
man then reintroduced the original or
dinarce over his own name, but it was
promptly tabled on motion of Alder
man William 7. Collins, majority
leader.
Alderman Collins introduced sub
stitute ordinance yesterday on which
he said an agreement had been reached
between himself, Borough President
Henry H. Curran and Senator William
NJ. Calder providing for the exemption
of new dwellings from taxation for a
period OF ten years in conformance
with the state law. The substitute or
dinance undertakes to limit the ex-
emptions to $4,000 for single fam
lily house; $4,000 for two-familv
house, and a $4,000 value for each
family apartment in an apartment
house.