The New York herald., 1921-09-09
TO QUIZ HYLAN MEN
ON MOTOR JOY RIDES
Bureau Heads Ordered to
Appear Monday in Meyer
Automobile Inquiry.
EXTRAVAGANCE SEEN
Plumbers College, Alleged
Graft Source, Is ny..obed
by Hirshfield.
GRAND JURY TO GET CASE
One Witness Paid $500 and
Another $500 Before Get
/ ting Licenses.
GRAND JURY TO GET CASE

Subpoenas were served yesterday on
All commissioners in the Hylan ad-
ministration to appear at the Meyer
committees Office at 3s Park Row next
Monday afternoon prepared to give de-
tailed information regarding their pur-
since January /, 1918. when Mayor
Hylan took Office.
The heads of departments were told
10 have data showing when the cars
were purchased and what use has been
made of them.
One Of the campaign issues raised
by Hylan four years ago was that city
administrations had been wasteful in
using automobiles. His pledge was
that all Joy riding in expensive cars
would cease. Numerous small closed
cars were purchased and a central
garage established by the Department
Of Plant and Structures and these cars
were to be used like taxicabs when
needed by officials.
The committees information is that
In spite OF Mayor Hylans denuncia-
ton of that form of extravaganza, more
automobiles are In use than in any
preceding city administration. Of
ficials have had greater freedom than
ever before, the committee Is informed,
In using cars for pleasure riding and
family purposes.
Ex-senator Brown I'LL at Home.
Public hearings by the committee will
be resumed in City Hall on Monday. in
accordance with the present plan. That
is conditional on the return OF Elon r.
Brown. counsel. who Is III at his home
In Watertown. He informed Senator
Meyer yesterday that he was confident
he would be able to take up his work
again next week.
In anticipation of an investigation OF
the Bureau of Licenses by the Meyer
comnittee the Commissioner of Ac-
counts has made a quick survey of
charges dealing with alleged payment
OF money by journeymen plumbers for
masters licenses. and announced yester-
day that all his evidence would be
turned over to the District Attorneys
office for presentation to the Grand.
Jury. %rl
The plumbers have been paying money
TO a man who has been for years con-
ducting a school which gave assurance
that applicants would pass examinations
and obtain their licenses, the Commits
sioner said. The money was paid sup
posedly for tuition, but representation
was made, according to witnesses. that
the payments, ranging as high as $500.
- <xrrttt !, =.
of the school gave his students the i'm
preston that he had influence with the
Exanining Board of Plumbers. when
the fact was that he never made an
offer to bribe any city official The
members of the board are appointed by
the Mayor.
One witness shows Receipt.
Julius Pentzer Of Arverne testified
that he paid s40o to the head Of the
plumbers school and presented as evil
dence a check with this receipt:
Received from julius Pentzer $500
for instruction sufficient to enable him
to pass the plumbers examination for a
master license"
Pentzer stated in hts testimony that
the man to whom the money was paid
intimated that the sum was needed to
exert necessary influence. His father
in-law. Samuel Horowitz. a builder, Of
Far Rockaway. who advanced the
money said he was told by the school
master:
II have TO have the money right away
because I have 80 divide with the man
who passes on the examinations"
Pentzer went to the plumbers "col-
lege" for three months. and later when
he did not get his license demanded his
money back.
Herman W. Albrecht, another COM
plainant. testified he paid $500 in SINH
lar circumstances. sA