New-York tribune., 1921-10-01
Thousands of Gallons of
Gasoline and Oil Taken
From Municipal Depots,
Saws Witness at Probe
Juggling Barred
In Printing Bids
Cost of Guarding Piers
Twice the Amount Used
for Entire Police Force.
Brown Tells Inquiry

Switching for Che moment from
It's Investigation of Police Inspector
John F. Dryers real estate and
Wall Street ventures, am the hl-
,eged wire-tapping operations of
plainclothes man in his office, The
Meyer conmittee disclosed yesterday
that a large number of stolen cars
were used by employees Of the Police
Department.
These automobiles. according. to
the evidence, were apparently lost
cars that had been recovered by,po-
.icemen OF detectives. and instead of
their being turned over to the dc.
partment property clerk to be held
until claimel By owners. appeared
to ohaye been used for Soy riding" and
ether purposes for months at time
by Police Department employees.
Auto Cost City Heavily
The. names Of Z score of such au-
somobles of the most expensive make
were int, t,oduced into the evidence by
Leonard NJ Wallstein, associate coun-
sci Of the committee, and figures were
submitted that these cars had used up
thousands Of gallons Of gasoline and
oil at great cost TO the city. One of
these stolen cars, in continuous use
fer FIVE months, IS said to have burned
IN 1899 gallons OF gasoline and 216
quarts OF oil
Between May and September of 1919
group Of these cars used UP 4,0Go
gallons Of gasoline and 51S quarts of
oil. Another group, between October
sni November Of 1870, used up 1858
gallons OF gasoline ard '142 quarts Of
oil. The rsquIsitjons for fuel usually
TOOK agrsat leap just before week-ends
snd holidays, pointing clearly to the
Tioyful" purposes TO which the auto
mobiles were put.
kwas also revealed by the committee
rat s system Of "fake" bidding had
bsea in effect in the Bureau OF Sup
aaes OF the Police Department, ard
that false and Fictitious bids found
anong the records Of the department.
apparently had been drawn for the puy-
foss Of evadinE the charter rule tina.
I'll ro7.ractn in excess OF 1000 must
oa subject 10 public letting. The evi-
tence seemed 20 show that the scheme
vas intended 30 throw contracts for
Fr!rting n tne department TO favored
-.Hs II cases where contracts ex-
eseted $1,000 2 was alleged that they
hsi oee7 split into TWO parts 10 per
ssit o. tteir being awarded informally.
Evidence Is Summed Up
!, .as conclusion OF the session yes
'sstsy Flor 2 Brown, chief counsel
. -te Meyer committee. summed up
re h.ga pots ot the evidence adduced
,uring tre week
Anon me leadi-v points estab-
Hshed SAID Nr. Brow. were that the
cos' ot the private policing of piers 20
Re rah'io In 1919 was sal 900 600, com
psrng this ~ith the police budget for
re entire city for that YEAR OF 500
's2 e1o RI said thar this was four
t-nes the ~ross rentals received b. the
~ for aa tne piers u owned, and
rss twirs the amount the city had TO
pay Tor the protection of the life and
propertr of It's 5000, 600 citizens. He
'rfisted THIS condition nas in large
ra-' IL ~ higher police administra-
.or
Re referret . the circumstance
tsrfoond.n2 IRE retirement Of former
!rsree'or Edward p. Hughes, who, i'm
Teeis'e'v upor leaving the department.
re rt-7.e3 o9t, Was n once employed
- foItv lteamshlp compsries for pier
satc5lar PURPOSES He referred 70
Hughes sudden rise 10 wealth, sug-
ztE.iHg that intimacy With the head
.. tne police administration Carried
"7'n y tne Command of the pier watch
ins brsirexs.
Nr. Prown then touched upon The
e'sss business connection Of the higher
oEcerg ~ tre Police Department with
fcons1ae5 cses sis)