New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1920-04-27

ened strike in spite Of the posting Of
notices on the sixty houses. They also
deny that there is any excuse for q
strike with the new laws in force.
Among those who took this ground
yesterday were Charles 3. Mclaughlin,
Assistant District Attorney, assigned
to investigate the strike reports; Miss
Alice Cavanaugh, tenants agent;
Judge John Boyle ir., who headed =
tenants delegation to the hearing in
Albany a month ago; Henry K. David,
who has been addressing tenants meet
ings, and Michael McGlynn, Of the
Bronx Fair Play Association.
Mr.. H'rshfield's attack on Marshal
Greenblatt came as the result of eff
forts to evict W, j. FARRELL from. SO
l00th Street. When FARRELL refused
to pay heavy rent increase early this
month the court sustained him. But
on April % man named Martin
Mr.. Hirshfeld, served an unsigned dis
possess warrant FARRELL called up the
woman for whom the process server
was working, Mrs. Irene Flam,. 1855 East
10th Street, and was told the warrant
had been signed. In fact, the papers
had not been signed.
Mr.. Hirshfeld says he found Mrs.
tlam, who is not marshal. had au-
thority from Greenblatt to use his
name. He charges the proceeding was
an attempt to coerce FARRELL land that
Greenbiatt's action was illegal He
announced he would report Greenblatt
to the Mayor and ask his trial on q
charge OF misconduct. Under the law
the trial will be by John F. Sinnott,
the Mayors secretary, but the latter
can take no further action than to
make a Recommendation to the Mayor.
Mr.. Hirshfeld announced that two
new schemes for inducing tenants to
sign leases at big increases had been
uncovered. The firm which invented
the first, he said. was Earle & Calhoun.
2l2 West Seventy-second Street, which
had sent out letters to many tenants,
inclosing a letter for the tenants to
sign and return. This letter pledged
the tenant not to start any court pro-
ceedings to have his rent reduced and
stated that he (the tenant) considered
the rent fair and reasonable. Some of
the increases ran to 100 per cent, Mr.
Hirshfield added, and the tenant could
not get the lease until he signed the
letter.
The other scheme, he said. was being
used by Sharp g. Co., Of 24s9 Broad
way, who are sending out notices to all
tenants who have given warning that
they intend to hold on to their prem
Uses and let the courts settle the rent
These notices read: owe shall rent the
premises to other parties. If you fail
to deliver the premises to US we shall
hold you legally responsible for any
monetary damages that may ensue."
"Such letter going to a tenant who
is not a lawyer" said. Mr.. Hirshfield,
will tend to brighten him. 1t is an
other instance of attempts by the land
enacted for the protection Of both ten
ants and landlords" :,
Another method cited by Mr.. Hirsh-
field was the growing practice of land
lords going into county courts instead
of the municipal courts. He intimated
that they hoped to find an easy" Judge
or get some ruling more favorable.
One such case appeared yesterday and
brought another chapter In the dispute
between County Judge MacMahot,- of
Brooklyn, and the Mayors committee. ;
In this case Patrolman William R.
Keane, 842 Classon Avenue, had re-
fused to pay an increase. He was sus.
tanned in the municipal court and had
James D. O'Sullivan, of the Mayors
committee, brought caustic remarks
from both the judge and I. M. Silber-
man, attorney for the CORTLAND Hous-
ing Company, the plaintiff. Silberman
accused the Mayors committee of max
ing Bolsheviki out of tenants who
would otherwise pay the rent increases
without murmur.
Justice Peter She'll in the I'd Dis
trict Court in the Bronx gave the
twenty-four tenants of 635 East 18th
Street until Wednesday to pay up or
get out. These tenants are accused of
sabotage by the proprietor, who
charges they have done some $4,000
damage to the house. The rentals run
to about $500, month.
An, investigation of the anti-rent
gouging campaign in Jersey City, where
the city officials have been active in
protecting tenants, has been ordered
in taxpayers suit started by Charles
Stell. He charges that money has been
spent illegally, and the writ issued
directs an Investigation of the ex-
penditure Of money to defend tenants
in private civil suits and also for rent
strike advertisements. An inquiry into
the action of the City Commissioners
in adopting ordinances weighing
against landlords is also demanded.