The New York herald., 1921-02-18
WHITMAN'S JURY
NDICTS FIREMAN
in PENSION GRAFT
John j. Kelly, in Medical
Bureau, Is Accused OF
Taking $3.50 Bribe.
MORE ARE SUSPECTED
Woman Gives Tip Which
Turns the Spotlight Oh
Fire Headquarters.
NEW AUTOMOBILE CASES
Two Motor Squad Mem Under
Scrutiny-Mystery About
Three Other Charges.
MORE ARE SUSPECTED
NEW AUTOMOBILE CASES


teries on the Fire Department yester-
day and obtained the indictment OF
one of it's members on the double
charge of bribery and acceptance OF
an unlawful fee. Whether others are
indicted depends upon developments
before the Grand Jury within the next
week.
The accused man is John ]. Kelly,
a first grade fireman assigned TO the
office of the departments medical
board. 1t is alleged that he got $3.50
from another fireman, Joseph I'm
brioscia, on the understanding that
the latter should be recommended oy
the surgeons for retirement on a pen
sion because of total disability. I'M
orioscia actually was retired for the
reason given and now draws pension
Of $3.50 a year
Mr.. Whitman's information is that
rrnbrioscia drew $70o from bank on
the morning OF the day the medical
hoard granted to him a certificate or dis
ability. OF this he Is said TO nave paid
Kelly s400 in cash before the certificate
was filed out and $50 afterward. Re
xarding the disposal of the remaining
1900 Mr.. whitman has nothing to say.
Imbrioscia is alleged to have said tnat
Kelly told him the $3.50 would have 10
be divided with other persons. IL is
known that evidence on which the indict-
inent Of FIVE others besides Kelly might
he recommended was before the Grand
Jury yesterday, but there was only time
TO consider the case of Kelly
Motor Squad Is Up Again.
Two OF these additional cases had to
do with members of the police automo-
bile SQUAD. The nature of the three
others is not known. Mr.. Whitman
would not speak of any matter except
the ind ictrnent of Kelly. who was accom-
panied from the Municipal Building by
Detective Al Thomas and released in
General Sessions in $4,000 bail.
The first. tip as TO Kelly was given to
Mr.. Whitman by a woman. She said she
had personal knowledge that Imbrioscis4
had paid money to Kelly on the latter's
representation that he could get Inn
brioscia out Of the Fire Department on
pension. She was a Grand Jury witness
last week Later Imbrioscia testified.
At FIRST he Is reported to have denied
everything. Then Mr.. Whitman put
Imbrioscia and his wife In room to-
gether, and at the end of an hour. so the
story goes. the pensioner was ready to
return to the Grand Jury room and talk
freely.
II Is understood that Imbrioscia told
Mr.. Whitman he and Kelly we're old
friends, and that when Kelly proposed
10 him the retirement on a pension. al
though Imbrioscia had been in the de-
partment only eleven o. the twenty
years required of a man who is physi-
caliy it Kelly said he had got lot Of
men out Of the department by the use
OF his influence.
Mr.. whitman said last night he did
not know whether others were grating
in the Fire Department He said he
had plenty Of corroboration in the case
Of Kelly.
rmbrioscia, who In 80 years old. be-
came a firerhan in 1908, and was a menu
her Of Engine Company %, In Franklin
street. On November 10. 1919. the med
ical board Of his department reported.
after examination, that he was unfit.
due to absorption Of intervertebral fibre
cartilege between lumbar and sacrsl
spine and separation OF sacro lilac Joint"
Unable to Perform "Any" Duty.
The report said ne was unable 10
straighten his back and was in pain all
The time. On December II, according
to the original document subpenaed by
The Grand Jury. the medical board cer-
tfhed to Commissioner brennan that the
man was totally. permanently. physi-
caily disqualified for the performance of
any duty In the Fire Department
Commissioner brennan thereupon re-
tired him on pension equal to half his
pay. which was $1,000 a year. The
certificate vas signed by Or. Joseph r.
Smith. chief medical examiner Francis
NJ Banta. william J. Tierney, secretary
Herman s. Refs, Robert w. Hall, John
J. White. Walter s. Frey and r. 7. Ray.
The department has printed form
FOR these reports and certificates. with
blank spaces TO be filled in. The printed
form has the words. disqualified for
duties in the Fire Department In
tmbrloscia's case the word duties" was
struck out and the words amy duty
substituted Mr.. whitmsns theory is
that Imbrioscia believed he was In dan
ger Of being assigned 10 an easier berth
IN the department instead Of being pen
stoned. which was his desire hence his
willingness TO pay for o certificate that
would assure him a complete discharge.
There IL. however. no evidence that the
payment Of money affected his chances
one way or the other
Kelly Is 36 years old. While q mem
Der Of Engine Company 5e he fell
through the pole hole IN the fire house
and fractured bone. lie was assigned
20 clerical duty in the medical office AZ
headquarters in 1915. lie lives at $50
West 124th street
Although the Board of Estimate on
Wednesday gave everybody a clean bill
OF health so far as contracts in Queens
are concerned. Arthur NJ King OF Mr..
whItman's staff. IL still investigating.
au