New-York tribune., 1921-10-14
Foreign Firms Favored by
Colnmissionerin Obtain.
ingDock Privileges Here,
Witnesses Say at Probe
Injury to Ports
Commerce Barred
Company, Without Single
Vessel, Makes Thousands
by r Reletting Wharfs

Delving deeper into the pier leas-
ing scandal, the Meyer investigating
committee found more startling evil
dence yesterday of ship companies
being forced TO give up large sums
of money to certain influences to OBJ
tain pier permits.
Representatives of two big ship
ping concerns testified to having paid
$4S,4 for the 'service' of outsiders
in procuring dock leases, while an
other steamship head swore that
$4,000 was demanded Of him as the
cost of getting a pier, but that he
refused to pay.
Alfred E. Clegg. president of
the Kerr Steamship Company, told
how his concern gave up $34,95O to
Somebody for obtaining six months
use of Pier 33, South Brooklyn. Mr..
Clegg said the company paid the city
$51,SS9 rental for the six months.
but had to pay the additional S34,95O
to somebody else to obtain ths
short term lease
Fee Given to Ship Broker
James r. Gill. treasurer o< t.,
oriental Navigation Company, tostiied
1nat t, ms company had paid 513 500 to
r. D. Mclaughlin, ship broker. for
services IN nrocuring from the civ.
Pier 86, North River, for the concern
from August II to September 9. 1919.
1921"
Edgar F. Luckenbach. president Of
the Luckenbach Steam ship Company,
told of the almost hopeless efforts
made to obtain adequate pier accom-
modations for the firms ships. a~d how
PER 80, which the company specially
desired because of It's hav.ng previ-
cusly occupied it, was finally given t.
the Kerr company, representative Of
which had testified to giving up S34,95o
for Services" il obtaining the lease.
Mr. Luckenbach SAID trat q snip
broker named B. W. Lorghced asked
him for $50 600 az the cost Of obtain
ing the pier for the Luckenbach coma
pany, but that he turned the PROPOSE
ton down.
1t appeared from the evidence, also,
that those persons who had an imme-
date hand in these deals have departed
from the jurisdiction Of the COM
mittee.
Needed Witnesses Missing
Mr. Gill, of the Oriental Navigation
Company, said that Philip Derondi,
the president of the firm, who had
charge of the arrangements for pay
ment of $13,50O in connection with the
company's procuring a pier, had gone
to France. P. J. Mclaughlin, the ship
broker to whom the money was said
to have been paid, could not be found.
B. w. Lougheed, the ship broker who
previously had been mentioned q hav-
ing received S25,000 for obtaining a
lease for the France & Canada Steam
ship Company, and who was reported
from the Luckenbach president for
similar purpose, is known to have gone
to Europe some weeks ago.
r. {. Scholz, the manager of Tho
Kerr Charter Company, through whose
hands the S34,950 paid out by tho
Kerr company for It's pier IS alleged
to have passed, was reported by NJ.
Clegg to be "out of town"
Other evidence in connection with
pier deals was developed through Frank
J. Hoey, stevedore and Wharfage
broker, and Salvador Sabbatno. OF Sab
batjno E. Co. in whjc, poe- Wa all,
interested. wherein i. was shown that
Hoey and the Sabbatino firm had certain
rights over four or five docks that
they had charge account with ths
Dock Department and paid the citv
SIS to $50 dav for the lease Of niers
for which they rot from $50 to $500 a
day from shippers. Thev had these
piers for period Of eighteen months
and did business of more than 81. .00O.-
600 Neither Hoey nor the Sabbatino
company had 4 SHIN.
Port Robbed IF p,+ronan.
az '''ase
oscaf Il. N.-~caols' assistant general
fep'eSei' .s'l'He OF tAe + fehcn Line, one
~ ~ 'ie 9igSeso s'eamsalp companies N
.he word too now, because OF his
.le@ .i rn'eht D. 'he DOCK Department and
nv -napl.l'N OF MS concern to obtain
pieI accom- moo ATOMS the entire feet
.! 'ne company 'Helgnters had been
p p.'ti eeu 10 IoSoon; Lh'-ade pnia AMI
a:a nas..l'lofc, ne sala .he company had
tt3s tls i'eem cen. passenger pas sa'ps running fr'.a