The New York herald., 1921-06-28
EX-SENATOR BROWN
COMES TO SPEED UP
MEYER COMMITTEE
Gov. Miller Sees Chairman
in Albany About Trouble
and Delay in Getting
Satisfactory Start.
O'MALLEY TALKS OF LIE
, Senator Robinson Assumes
Responsibility for Giving
Job to an EX-COnvict
Pledged to Reform.
POLITICIAN NOW BLAMED
Probers' Doorkeeper Explains
Threat to Cut Out Heart
if Accused as Being EX-
cited Innocent Talk.
POLITICIAN NOW BLAMED

Gov. Miller took hold Of the Meyer
Investigating Committee yesterday,
with the result that in few hours it
was evident the State inquiry into the
Hylan administration would begin to
speed up.
Senator Schuyler M. Meyer. chair
man Of the committee, made quick
trip to Albany, where he talked with
Gov. Miller. The Governor was re-
ported to be displeased with the way
the committee he indorsed had been
drifting. State officials who have been
watching developments are alarmed
because they fear the committee Is
making a bad start.
Announcement was made that Elon
X. Brown chief counsel Of the COM
mittee, had cut short his other State
litigation in Albany and was prepared
10 take charge of affairs. Mr.. Brown
arrived during the day. stated he was
ready to give all of his time to the
work and had a long conference with
Senator Meyer as soon as the latter
returned from Albany. 1t was under
stood that Mr.. Browns sudden ac-
tivity was prompted by the Governors
impatience.
Only One Knew Sohr's Record.
The mystery back of the employment
OF Karl Sohr as an investigator for
the committee was cleared when Sena-
tor Theodore Douglas Robinson, Re-
publican member of the committee.
announced he was sIy-rcsponsible.
that he knew the mans prison record
he was down and out. Commissioner
Edwin ]. OMalley protested against
the presence of Sohr IN the Depart
ment OF Markets and that started the
trouble.
Commissioner O'Malley passed the lie
direct to Senator Meyer because of the
latters insstence that Sohr had been
employed as subpoena server only.
The Commissioner brought out evi-
dence to show that Sohr had worked
in his Office for weeks and tried hard
to get desk in the Office where license
money. amounting to upward of $1,000
a day was handled. The investigator
boasted that II he got into the office
he would "own City Hail." the Com
missioner said. That started the in
quiry.
Samuel Buchler, Deputy Commissioner
OF Markets. was the one who turned
up Sohr's record. AS a result, Buchler
complained yesterday to the Commits
sioner that a threat had been made
against him, and the cond uct OF an
other employee of the Meyer committee
is being investigated.
Max Hirtenstein, doorman fo- the
committee at Its Office at 3S Park
Row, went to the office Of Mr.. Buchler's
former law partner, Louis Richman,
also at 3S Park Row, and made the
threat. according to the Deputy Com
missoners statement. Hirtenstein's
words. Buchlcr said were
He threatened to cut out my heart
and to sell my skin in the streets II
] did not atop such business"
Threat Only "Innoccnt Talk"
Hirtenstein was asked by members
of the committee for an explanation
and admitted having said something
like that, but insisted 1t was excited
and innocent talk"
Commissioner O'Malley's protest
against Sohr stirred up n big fuss both
In the city administration and the COM
mittee which for the day quite over
Swallowed all questions of graft investi-
eating and waste of public funds. Tho
city officials were laughing because they
believed they had put the investigators
In n hole the Tammany members were
doing their best to keep the thing alive
and undoubtedly there was some III feel
ing and concern among the Republicans
over the incident. although they tried
to make light of II.
The revised account OF Sohr's activi-
ties. as checked up by Mr.. O'Malley, is
like this: Sohr asked to have his desk
changed to the license room and his loose
talk about n handbook and helping him
self to city money aroused suspicion.
Deputy Commissioner Buchler was as
signed TO find out about Sohr and took a
desk next TO the investigator. Buchisr
talked Hebrew 10 Sohr, although the lat
ter insisted he was Hungarian. Buchler
said Sohr told OF having learned n me-
chanic's trade In Auburn In 1902. but
could not remember the name OF his em-
rloyer. The Deputy Commissioner
Jumped a train for Albany and went
through the prison records. He took
what he found In Albany TO Police
Headquarters here. and in about Ave
minutes sohr's picture and record were
turned up In the Rogues' Gallery.
Word came down quickly from Auburn
that Buchler had been there. and the
Meyer committee made hasty inquiry.
with the result that Sohr was ousted or
Friday. The committee prepared state
ment explaining it's action. but that was
not made public because some one in the
committee believed II would be unfair 10
sohr, whose family was said 20 be In
distress The statement was suppressed.
and that gave O'Malley his opportunity.
A picture was published showing Sohr
At work at Police Headquarters and
standing near him was Hrtenstein That
made the latter angry and he went to
Eichman's Office with his threat 10 cut
Continued on Fourth Page.