The New York herald., 1921-01-07

an overcharge against any Of these
| men,"
Espresso depicted himself and the met
ropolitan agents as most careful in ex-
amining into The character not only Of
all collateral. but also OF the persons
for whom hey execute bail bonds.
List of Offenders Barred.
Investigation OF the credit and re-
sponsibility Of the indemnitors and of
the adequacy of all collateral offered Is
invariably made before bonds are writ
ten" he testified "Our men also are all
instructed never to execute bonds for
| second offenders, persons with known
criminal re cords. defendants accused Of
robbery. picking pockets, criminal as
sault. crimes involving the impairment
of public morals or other unsavory
cases.
THE first question 1 always ask when
one of our agents reports to me a man
he wants 10 bond is: Has he bad
criminal record? If find he has l say
Nor"
After Espresso had placed himself
thus on record Mr.. McQuaid, who was
conducting the examination, asked him !:
do you remember the recent cases or
Harry Gottesman, alias Greenourg; OF
Joe Goldman, alias Charley Miller, alias
Sam Stein, and of Samuel Feldman
alias Hotz?"
The witness admitted that he did. Mr..
McQuaid was consulting Voiuminous
record from the District Attorneys OF
flee. Espresso finally conceded that only
last, month one of his men had executed
these defendants, all of whom were
charged with burglary in the third de-
gree for having broken into the head
quarters of the paperhangers union
and stealing S2,500. The Assistant Dis
trict Attorney then showed from the rec
ord that each of these men had long
criminal history, with several earlier
convictions. Only last October the trio
mad been indicted as second offenders
Always they had been bonded by Es-
presso's company through one of his
sub agents When the original bond of
$4,000 was increased to $4,000 the Fidel-
ity and Casualty still executed the ball
bond.
Hard to Remember Names.
~ did not know of their criminal
records" explained the witness, 'at the
bail was increased we found they were
to plead guilty and that the indemnity
bond was adequate. so we decided not
to surrender them, but to let IL stand.
Men like these have so many nicknames
that il is not easy to identify or in
vestigate them"
Next the examiner ELECTED from the
witness that the man who had written
the indemnity agreement securing the
company against loss by bail forfeiture
in the cases of all these burglars was
one, Albert Hyinan. Espresso said he
thought Hyman lived somewhere in Full
ton avenue. The Bronx. and that he is
the manager of the Grand Street Thea
ire.
@. How long have you known this
man, Alhert?"
About three years know him very
we'll"
".rhese same three confirmed burglars
had been bailed out by you on Alberts
indemnity surety before, had they not?'
The witness admitted that they had.
Gould you not fairly call it habit
these men had fallen into to call upon
your company whenever they got into
trouble?"
mo, ! hardly think so.'
ION about how many bail bond s has
this man, Albert, stood as indGmnitier
TO your company In the last two or
three years?"
81 should say about 100.''
ION what types of criminals did AL
bert usually become surety for you---
pickpockets-?"
II told you we don't take pickpock
cts"
"Oh yes. you do not take pickpockets
or robbers. you specialize in burglars
was the examiners comment, to which
the witness vouchsafed no reply.
Then Mr.. McQuaid wanted to know
what motive Albert could possibly have
for making these indemnity agreements
in behalf OF confirmed criminals.
well. he always has told me that he
never failed to collect something with
which to indemnify himself in case of
default und er the bail bond the wit
ness replied.