New-York tribune., 1920-04-15
Robetzek Accused, in Anony-
nous Letters, of Mis-
treating Landlords; His
Removal Is Threatened
Tenants Continue to Win
Occupants of Higher Glass
Apartments Are Urged to
Protest Unfair Increases

man VINO has construed these laws most
drastically, it was learned yesterday.
The justice has received several
threatening letters. he announced, after
a court session ia which 450 rent cases
were disposed Of.
Landlords are capable of sending
bombs the same as tenants" one of
these letters reads.
unjust tenants are using your court
as knife to thrust into just land
lords" another charges. Other letters
threaten to have Robitzek removed
from the bench The letters are all
anonymous, and no attention has been
paid to them, the. justice said.
While the hundreds of court cases
daily continued to 60 against the land
great mass of higher class apartm ents
have hardly been touched by the new
laws. The. Mayors committee on rent
profteering called attention to the fact
that the laws apply to the $4,000 apart
ment as we'll as to the SIS a month ten
ement, and urged that the occupants
of such apartments take action to stop
the profiteering that is going on in
them.
Complaints Continue to Pour In
"The landlords Of the high class
apartments seem to be taking the posi-
tion that the laws do not apply to
them, but only to the poorer classes OF
flats and to the tenements," said Chair
man A. w. ]. Hilly. "They seem to
think that the size Of their rents raises
them above the law. Of course, that
has nothing to do with it. The law
applies to all alike. l hope that the
occupants of this class of apartments,
,f % az,y1on Jso
like to go into court, will nevertheless
take action. They have only to do so
to get their rights"
"The Mayors committee is ready and
anxious to help tenants Of the high
class apartments who have not yet
taken up the fight against the profiteers
TO any great extent" declared Leo Ken
meth Mayer, counsel to the committee.
There is no more justification for
profiteering on big rents than on little
ones. The same principle applies in all
cases, and we are equally ready to
help"
There has been no noticeable lct-up
In the number of complaints that are
being received by the committee in
spite of the fact that almost all these
cases that come before the courts are
decided against the landlords. Ap
parently the landlords are either hop
ing that they can get an "easy" Judge
or that the new laws ultimately will be
declared unconstitutional. At least
they seem to be making increases as
usual, thereby establishing their rights
il the laws fail to hold, and then ac-
cepting compromises.
Branch for Night Hearings Opened
Yesterday was the anniversary Of
the establishment of the committee.
During the year, Mr.. Mayer announced,
$4,000 cases have been brought before
it. Of these it has been able to effect
settlements in about $4,000, has about
5000 pending and has failed to bring
about an adjustment in 5000 cases.
The, committee extended it's activi-
ties last night by opening branch for
night hearings at Ninety-sixth Street
and Broadway. Chairman Hilly was
present at the opening and Mr.. Mayer
took up the adjustment Of cases. The
hearings are for the convenience Of
tenants who find it hard to reach the
downtown committee rooms during the
day. Similar hearings already have
been established in Brooklyn, the
Bronx and Long Island City.
Some of the adjustments made in
Justice Robtzek's court yesterday be-
tween landlord and tenant were ar
ranged to run till October of next
year. About so per cent of the cases
called were settled by agreement
Robetzek does not hold that the rent
laws are retroactive, so when
eighty-two tenants Of four buildings at
o411 and 2115 Prospect Avenue and
1853 and 1857 Crotona Avenue appealed
against their landlord on the ground
shat their rent is more than 25 pei
cent higher than year ago he refused
10 oil la md,
lord rentals at last months rate, but
stipulated that there should be no in
crease till October, 1921.
To Test Courts Ruling
A test of Justice Daviess ruling
that even new leases cannot be made
at increases above 25 per cent will be
made next Tuesday, when jury tria
will he held on the question of evict.
;ng two tenants of the Everready
Realty Company, at 2295 Crotona Ave
nue for refusal to pay their Apri
rent. The tenants charge oppression
and Justice Robetzek granted a jury
trial.
For the first time since the new
laws went into effect Justice Robetzel
signed large number Of eviction
Of NJ Fischer, at 4031 Third Avenue
who followed the leadership Of Mrs
Alice Cavanaugh and refused to pa!
their April rent. They were warned
to pay in full by Tuesday of this
week, but paid only part. Fischer tolo
the court that Marshall John Haggerty
had refused to serve them and thai
ne would sue out writ of mandamus
against the marshall, thus testing the
decision Of the marshalls to refuse
such service and delay evictions.
The Jewish War Relief is to be
richer by $1,000 as result of pc
culiar settlement Of landlord-tenan'
case brought about by Justice Cenunt
in the 9th District Municipal Court
Each party will contribute $500. send
ing the checks to the justice. The dis
pute was over the question whether
The Braender Realty Company OF
Kosenzweig Bros. should pay for re
pairs 70 the premises the latter oc
cupy at 26 West Seventeenth Street.
Legality Of Law Attacked
An attack on the constitutionalit!
Of the Law fixing 25 per cent increas'
as n presumptive standard of fairncs,
was made before County Judge Nc
Hahon IN Brooklyn yesterday Tn.
Judge threw out the case brought b,
The Cortlandt Building Corporation {,
d!sposscss the families Of two tenant
AT o42 Cias.on Avenue, the reason fo
his ruling being that the papers di,
not state whether or not the increas.
which the tenants had refused TO pa,
vas more or lcsa than 25 per cent
Counsel for the landlord took an cx
ccption and indicated that he woule
appeal the case.
Chairman HilIy, Of the Mayors Com
nytttee anu0uncsd lass pfohf that Lo