The New York herald., 1921-09-23
.DOM|NICK HENRY GCF
$500 IN TOMDS FROH
LESSEE OF CITY PIER
Police Inspector Had $500
More From Italian Line,
Which Changed Guards
on His Suggestion.
GRATUITY is DEFENDED
British Vessel Company Is
Forced to Pay as Much for
Preventing Thefts as for
Rental of Wharyes.
FAVORS GIVEN SPECIALS
Cross's Agency Men Quickly
Get Police Badges After Re-
fusals When With Va
chris's Bureau.
FAyORS GIVEN SPECIALS

Dominick Henry, Police Inspector,
received $1,000 in cash as gratuities
from the Italian-American Steamship
Line after he had advised the employ
ment of the Adam Cross private de.
tective agency to safeguard piers
against thieves.
/ The second instalment of $500 was
paid after Inspector Henry had sent
word to Francis Gilbert, counsel to
the steamship company, from cell
in the Tombs that the first payment
was mot enough for what he had
done" The good advice given by the
high police official--to employ the
Cross agency-already had cost the
company big sum. At the time
Henry was locked up after convic.
tion for perjury which later was re.
versed in the courts.
Jules v. Behar, assistant manager
OF the steamship company, and Mr..
Gilbert testified regarding all the
facts in the transaction and the pay
ment OF the gifts yesterday when they
appeared before the Meyer commit
tee in City Hall. Mr.. Gilbert insisted
the payments we're free will expires.
sions Of appreciation of Henry's ser.
vices at time when he was in trou.
Bile and there was nothing improper
about them.
Change I'm Police Attitude.
Several watchmen employed by the
Cross agency on the Italian COM
pany's piers, Nos. 96 and 81, tteti.
fed that they we're asked to 60 to
Police Headquarters to see Inspecsor
Henry. When employed by Anthoay
Vachris's private agency, which ~ss
thrown off the piers to make way Or
Cross. these watchmen were refu "a
assignments as special policen l.
But when Cross took hold they want
to Police Headquarters for their jae4
and had no ditficulty obtaining oss.
ignation as special policemen sr9
getting active cooperation from 1c
city policemen assigned to duty tai-
side the piers.
The Furness-Withy Company, a big
English steamship corporation rent.
ing half dozen piers, also has found
1t desirable to employ the Adam
Cross agency for protecting its prop
erty against thieves. Henry II. Graef,
chief accountant for the concern.
was asked to tell the committee about
payments to private agencies.
! This examination did not proceed
far. but Elon r. Brown, committee
counsel, said the figures presented
showed that the cost for policing
Pier %. Hudson River. jumped from
$4,000 in 1919, when the McRoberts
Detective Agency was employed, to
sss.000 in 1920, when Adam Cross's
agency had the job.
Business Fails on, Costs Grow.
The witness thought the big in.
crease in cost of detective service
was due TO bigger business. Finally
he admitted the business had fallen
off a little. Then he could not ac-
count for II. and the subject was left
open until next Monday. when other
witnesses will be called. Cross has
replaced several companies on half \
dozen piers leased by this company.
Summarizing the testimony given
during the last two days in relation to
police protection OF the piers, Mr..
Brown said:
1T Is apparent in relation 70 this
Italian company that they couldn't get
the cooperation OF the Police Depart
ment until they made an arrangement
that was satisfactory TO the Police De-
partmcnt which gave a benefit to that
department. That Is matter OF
benefit that the Police Department
could indicate what officer shall con-
troll the watching and policing OF large
private properties, that have TO pay
as high os $4,000 year for the pro-
lection OF two or three piers.
These piers pay rental of $780,.
900 year. and they pay 100000 a
year for the purpose of having their
goods protected by watchmen. That
Is. they pay as much for the purpose
of protecting their property being
stolen from piers as they pay for the
whole rental, ridiculous proposition.
There is either a disregard for lazy
that Is incalculable. and cannot be a..