New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1921-08-26
Poor Woman Occupant
of Stall Causes Hearers
to Weep as She Tells
Her Story of Extortion
C'Mallev Accused
OF Demanding Cash
z38.OOOLoss From Army
Food Sale Discovered
in Hirshfield Report

Three more attempts to squeeze
Aribe money from merchants in Wash
ingson Market were unfolded yesterday
before the Meyer Legislative Commit
tee Investigating the Hylan admins
srstion.
The stories Of two Of the witnesses,
one Of them q poor widow, bedewed
the eyes Of many in the audience,
while another witness broke down and
xept, pleading that he had been re-
duced to the need of bread as the
result Of his treatment at the hands
Of Edwin J. O'Malley, Commissioner of
Markets.
Dealer Names O'Malley
The most moving testimony was
given by Barnett Cohen. formerly a
poultry dealer in Washington Market,
living at % East Sixty-seventh Street.
Cohen told how he had been definitely
promised a stand in the market by
Commissioner O'Malley and as the time
drew near for settlement the Com
missioner took him out for an auto
mobile ride. In the course of the ride,
he said, Commissioner O'Malley re-
marked that people offered him money
for the stand" and asked Cohen chow
much money he had to invest"
When Cohen applied to the Commits
sioner some time later he said the Com
missioner told him he had given the
stand to somebody else, because "you
sre not good customer to me-"
Alexander Egger, fish dealer in the
same market, related how he interceded
with Charles A. Winters. general in
spector Of the Department of Markets,
IN behalf Of James R. Turner, a pro-
vision dealer in the place, who was
for stand which he had held there
for some time. Egger said Winter ;
told him "it could be fixed up" and
when Egger asked Winters what he
wanted the latter replied, $780,
Eggers said he told Turner Of the
Proposition, took Winters over to meet
Turner, saying, "Jim, meet Mr.. Win
ms. He met him." testified Mr..
Eggers, "and that was all"
Widow Charges Extortion
The story of the troubles of Mrs.
Bertha Louise Katenkamp was told by
herself, Eggers and William Mnder,
president of the Washington Market
Merchants Association. Eggers relate
that as intermediary in negotiations
between Mrs. Katenkamp and Winters,
In the matter of obtaining a permit for
her, he was informed by Winters that
she would be left alone" for $1,000.
When she pleaded that she had wild
owed sister with three children and an
invalid brother to support and couldn' t
spare the money Winters, said Eggers,
came down to $500. When the woman
pleaded she didn't have that much Eg-
gers said ne threw up his hands"
Mrs. katenkamp then took her case
70 Mr. Minder, who went to O'Malley
WITH the whole story of Winters's ac-
ton. The widow obtained her permit
shortly afterward with out paying a
nickel. Winters. however, was not dis
missed for his alleged connection with
the affair.
The market stall permits of Stephen
"oolsey and Christian Haslob, which
we're revoked by Commiss oner O'Mal-
iey two days ago following the testi-
many Of these men regarding bribe
payments, we're restored to them yes
.s'Gay oy the Commissioner on>advice
o. Mayor Hylan. In letter to Com
missioner O'Malley the Mayor referred
% an elernent Of expediency which
you'd seem to make it desirable to
nave these revocations rescinded."
Court Action Is Started
In this connection it developed yester-
gay that the Commissioner of Markets
was ordered 70 snow cause Monday be-
iore Supreme Court Justice Wagner
tny ne should not be permanently en-
,oinsd from interference with Chris
van Waa, and Fred Haslob, and Stephen
"ooassy, Washington Market mer-
Giants. This is the first court move
" prevent O'Malley from revoking the
permits Of those wl(o offer testimony
% alleged graft practices in the De-
partment Of Markets.
.. some some light on the disposal Of the
ss''oo mentioned in connection with
~, ~ transfer Of the stand Of Albert
"i'oiein, another Washington Market