The New York herald., 1921-10-29
Family Physician Draws
$6, 500 Yearly-Chauffeur
on Police Rolls.
HIRSHFIELD'S $500 JOB
McCooey Leaders Family Has
Three Members Tapping
the Treasury.


be claimed for John r. Hylan's admin
istration. Study of his record in the
matter Of appointments and patronage
proves his beneflcence-at the city's
expense-toward needy old friends and
relatives and in equal degree his un-
wavering constancy toward the pow
ers that created him politically-Tam-
many Hall and William r. Hearst.
In a previous article 1t has been told
how Mayor Hylan sought to foist upon
the Street Cleaning Department in
the capacity of an examining engineer
his family druggist Henry j. Kempf
and how. when that enterprise was
baked, he established the versatile
pharmacist as secretary to John N
Harmon, Brooklyn Park Commits
sioner. the Mayors friend and per-
sonal appointee. Since then Mr.
Kempf has exercised his talents In
helping compound prescriptions for
the trees and shrubs in Prospect Park
Family Physician Pushed.
Mayor Hylan was no less vigilant in
recognizing the claims of the Hylan
family physician. The Mayors first ap-
pointee as Commissioner of the De-
partment OF Health was DR.. Lewis Am
sier. The new Commissioner scarcely
had warmed his chair when. OIL Janu-
airy IA. 1918, he was confronted with a
demand that he appoint as secretary OF
the department at $1,000 a year DR.
Frank j. Monaghan of 1869 Bushwick
avenue, Brooklyn. Mayor Hylan's family
physician.
Dr. Amster demurred. He had ac-
cepted the duties of Commissioner. he
said, only on the Mayors pledge to leave
i'm a free hand. But Hylan was OBJ.
durate and the appointment of DR.. Mon
Afghan was made on January II. Less
than four months later DR.. Amster
paralleing the case of Police Commits
sion Bugher sent his resignation to the
Mayor, declaring he could not conscien-
; tiously retain his commission in the in
: tolerable conditions imposed upon him
So DR.. Anster retired and the Mayor
appointed as his new Commissioner DR.
Royal S. Copeland. the present incum.
bent. Since then DR.. Monaghan has
been advanced to the rank OF Deputy
Commissioner and Sanitary Super.ntend-
ent" at $4,000 year. The title was a
new one created for the benefit of the
Mayors family physician.
Another Of the Mayors intimate per-
sonal and political friends is David
Hirshfield whom he appointed Commits
sioner of Accounts at $500 a year
During the nearly four years Of the
Hylan administration Mr. Hirshneld has
! r.
instance of Mayor Hylan into affairs OF
various departments. Mr.. Hirshfleld
was born in Russia in 1866. came to
America in 1880. was naturaIized In
1857 and studied law with Nathaniel s
Levy, an Essex street East Side lawyer
who afterward was disbarred and is now
dead.
After his admission 10 the bar HIrsh.
field opened an office at Orchard and
Rivington streets. His practice was
largely in the Essex Market Police
Court until. in 1894. he moved across the
bridge to Brooklyn. There he and
Hylan became close friends. Hirsh.
fields peth upward has not been withou,
ruts.
Records in the District Attorneys
} office show that David Hirshfield was
indicted in 1897 "for contemptuous. in
solent and disorderly behavior during
lie sitting of the court
Records Of the County Court show
that In 1898 David Hirshfield was con-
victed of abandonment: was ordered ia
pay so a week for the support Of his
wife and to give a bond for the faith.
full performance of that order
Dfsbarment Sought.
The records of the United States Dis
| f,-,% tl,n II ncta eli
show that in 1909 David Hirshfield was
adjudged a bankrupt and that the mex.
year, on petition Of the bankrupt, the
adjudication was vacated and the trus-
tee discharged.
The records of the Appellate Division
of the Supreme Court show that in
1910 David Hirshfield. on petition OF
the Brooklyn Bar Association, was
brought before the court for disbar-
ment. charged with retaining money
recovered on a judgment for a client.
The petition for disbarment was dis
missed ''in view of the final adjust
ment of the controversy between Mr..
Hirshfield and his client. and taking
into consideration the sharp conflict OF
evidence In the affidavits submitted
The court added. however:
1T deems il but proper to declare
that the attorneys conduct was not
an attorney to his profession should
require him in his dealings with his
client to avoid so far as possible even
an appearance OF evil"
Between 1914 and 1916 IL Is worth while
to note. Hirshfieid made much head.
. way In extricating himself from his
financial difficulties. Various judg-
ments which had been entered against
him were .iquidated. John +. Hylan
who had been serving as City Mag.
istrate. WAS appointed County Judge
by Gov. Glynn on April 20 1914. Less
than one month later Hylen appointed
Hirshfield referee in the case of Spar
row VS.. Finschgal. That was the first
OF many opportunities to make easy
money which Hylan threw In Hirsh.
fields way. There were twelve addi-
tional appointments as. referee UP e
July. 1917. when the Hylen Mayoralty
campaign began TO get into Its stride
Hirshfield also was appointed Exami
ner of Incompetent Accounts on Marcf
80. 1915. upon the insistence OF Judg,
, Hylan. Through that office, which h,
held until October .. 1917, Hirshfielt
collected from the Comptroller fees ag
gregating s11.s10.
Hirshfeld. who is a member of the
same Brooklyn district club as Hylan
was one of the first appointees named
, when the latter became Mayor.
Perhaps the most successful family IL