New-York tribune., 1921-01-08
Bail Bondsn1an
Insists He Is a
Philanthropist
Albert Asserts Prisoners
for Whom He Supplied
Surety We're ''Boys" He
Knew From Babyhood
Lost S3, 100 in One Case
Declares He Continued After
This to Assist Strangers;
Didn't Worry Over Aliases

Philanthropy and providing bail for
"thc boys" were the same thing to
Hyman Albert, all East Side indemnitor
bert's testimony yesterday before Mag
istrate George W. Simpson in the Grim
inal Courts Building, at the John Doe
investigation into the practices of these
companies.
A husky "bouncer' for the Grand
Street Theater, Albert, blushed and
stammered when Assistant District At
torneys McQuaid and Pecora demanded
"Yes" or "No" as an answer. Thev
wanted to know whether it was actually
true, as Aibert's testimony indicated,
that after losing $3,10O through one
fugitive from justice he. "hfty-dollar-
a-wcek man. continued to provide bail
for men that he knew nothing about
and took financial responsibility for
their good faith. Finally he said "Yes."
Tried to Help ''the BOYS"
Albert then explained that, although
now living at 1909 Fulton Street, the
br INK, he had lived for fifteen years
on the East Side, and in providing bail
at his own risk he was only trying to
he,p the boys he had known from
babyhood.
He explained further that in the case
OF the $4,000 loss he had known tho
wife of the fugitive. at was a woman
with two kids, crying, on a rainy night.
so | thought I'd take a chance" he
said.
Albert was asked whether he had
resources sufficient to stand such
losses. Albert said that he made a
little money on the side, but depended
manly on his theater pay, and to get
the s3,1o0 had been obliged to take
two years savings from the bureau
drawer, or he had no bank account.
and to borrow $500 from Joseph Weis
man, a grocer, and from an usher.
l.. answer to other questions of the
sort, Albert said that sometimes he
did not know the eaxct identity Of men
for whom he became heavily RESPONSE
bic, because he did not bother to
straightcn out their aliases,
How can you expect a reasonable
man to believe you give security for
men that you know nothing about?
Assistant District Attorney McQuaid
said. Lay your cards on tho table
now"
Albert just smiled.
Mr.. Pecora asked Albert whether it
was not true that he did business with
others than "the boys" and charged
considerable amounts for his "serv-
ices" accepting stolen property as
collateral.
Never Requested Statements
Albert answered that beyond the .
per cent going to surety companies for
whom he acted he did accept from,
strangers perhaps per cent Of the
amount of the bail. but he denied that
he ever took goods Of any kind as
security
Didn't you stop doing business with
Topper's Office Mr. Pecora inquired
because he disapproved Of your ac-
cepting stolen goods as security?'
/ Albert said that was not the reason
Topper. general agent for the New
Amsterdam Casualty Company.
Magistrate Simpson vas told By
Albert that the surety companies never
requested statement of his resources
! taking his indemnity agreements with
/ out question.
Louis Espresso, of Espresso &
+ OLeary, 3G6 Broadway, with whom
Albert said that he co0perated in the
/ bail bond business, was asked by Mag.
istrate Simpson whether the surety
companies ever tried to recapture fugi-
tives forfeiting their bonds. He sale
the companies did make efforts tc
effect such captures.
Espresso was instructed to bring tc
the next hearing, on Monday Afternoon
at 2:3O o'clock, a list OF cases in which
Hyman Albert was indemnitor for the
Fidelity and Casualty Company He
said that he did not have complete
records in his own Office, but this year
was beginning to keep them