The New York herald., 1921-08-26
POOR WIDOWS W'SSTAND
IN MARKET SAVED BY
$1,000 BRIDE REVOLT
Graft Demand Cut to $500
and Abandoned When 1t
ArOuses Merchants.
CASE is WHITEWASHED
Hirshfield Finds $4,000
Deficit in Army Food Sale,
That Never Is Adjusted.
S160, 200 SALARIES PAID
Witness Says O'Malley Talked
Of Money on Motor Trip When
He Sought Permit.
CASE Is WHITEWASHED
S160, 200 SALARIES PAID

Barnett Cohen, former poultry dealer
in Washington Market, testifying yes
terday before the Meyer committee in
City Hall regarding his efforts to get
new stand, told Of a ride up town
with Edwin J. O'Malley, Commissioners
Of Markets, in the latter's automobile.
He asked me in the automobile how
much money ] got to invest" the wilt
ness said, throwing out his broken
words between sobs of anger and in
dignation because the crowd laughed
at his Weberfieldian English. II told
brother-in-laws He wants to invest
me $4,000. He told me people offered
him money for the stand"
The next thing he heard, Cohen
testified, was when he went to the
Commissioners office to find out about
the permits. He quoted O'Malley as
saying:
al give Hillman them stands: you
wasn't a good customer for me, Barney
Cohen. No, he didn't joke. he meant
it. And / went down to the market
and see Hillman, and says. 'Hillman,
what should you do to me?' and Hill
man he says TO me. For money | got
honey"
Cohen was one OF half a dozen wit
nesses who gave further evidence
tending to show bribery in connection
with the disposal Of market stand privi-
leges.
Army Food Sales Probed.
After spending the entire day on this
subject, the committee shifted at the
close to the departments handling of
army food and supplies in 1919 and 1920.
1t was disclosed that in the scandal
which followed the food transactions
David Hirsafield, Commissioner OF Ac-
counts, reported TO Mayor Hylan that
$3s, 600 had never been accounted for out
Of that fund. It still is unaccounted for.
Further. the Hirshfield report showed
that O'Malley and other officials VINO
volunteered their services had salaries
and big expense bills out of the food
fund. The expenses in salaries alone
amounted 20 $4,000 This is TO be the
next phase or the investigation.
Mrs. Isabel Bertha katenkamp, a
widow, testified she was informed by
James Turner. another retail dealer
that she would have TO pay 500 to keep
the stand run for years by her husband
The sum first demanded, she said, was
81 COO but was cut down when she could
not raise that sum.
This demand, she swore. came from
Charles a. Winter, general inspector OF
the Department Of Markets. whose
name has been mentioned several times
BY other witnesses III connection with
alleged graft. She deposited the money
with William Minder, president of the
Washington Market Associa tion. Alex
ander Egger had known Of the negotis-
tions, but threw up his hands" when
the widow could only get 500.
Minder protested that no such graft.
ing was to be sanctioned as long as he
was president OF the association. and
carried protest to Commissioner O'Mal-
ley, In connection with this same deal
II was revealed that Turner had been
held up for $500. Turner has been
subpnnaed. but did not appear. and
announcement was made he could not
be found.
Names Concealed In Inquiry.
OMalloy took UP Mrs. Katenkamp's
case. 1t had stirred up a lot of tall;
about grating. The upshot was that
she got the permit, and the report OF
wrongdoing was turred over to David
Hirshfeld. Commissioner OF Accounts, to
investigate. II was agreed that no
names should be revealed in the Hirsh-
field Inquiry
The Commissioner OF Accounts did in
vestigate, but by mistake Winters name
was brought into the record. However.
when Hirshheld reported TO the Mayor
his findings he gave all concerned a
clean bill, and a series OF asterislSs con-
cealed the parts OF the testimony dealing
with Winter II was clean whitewash
Minder and Egger substantiated every
detail OF Mrs. Katenkamp's testimony.
Seeking to trace further the myste-
rious $4,000 which vanished from Adolph
Kahn's capital account" In connection
with his purchase of a stand In WASH
fngton Market, the committee called Lee
J. McDermott, examiner employed by
the committee, who interviewed Albert
Kloeblein, former owner OF the stand.
and whose permit Kahn obtained.
Kloeblein resides In New Jersey and
has declined to appear as a witness.
McDermott testified that In one OF his
interviews with Eioebleln the latter
stated that he had been compelled 70
give UP s1.750 as his half OF the pay
ment required for the transfer OF the
stand permit. Kahn told him, according
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