New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1921-10-06
Cash Given by Two Lines
for Dock Department
s'Tnhuence" in Rental
Deals, Say Witnesses
Broker Named i'm
Transaction Sails
Woman Identifies One
of Dwyer's Force as
a Private Detective

Evidence offered before the Meyer
investieating committee yesterday
tended to show that two steamship
companies paid $4,000 to "persons of
influence with the Dock Department"
In order to obtain leases to piers.
1t was directly testified by Captain
Francis r. Mayer. president of the
France and Canada Steamship Cor
poration, that his concern paid s25,000
10 ship broker named b. w Lougheed
in 1918 for his services in obtaining q
pier for the company through a per-
son Of influence with the Dock Depart
ment." Captain Francis would not
state positively that another $4,000
given to Lougheed under circum-
stances similar to those surrounding
The pavment of the $685. 600 was for the
same service.
Attorney Tells of Pier Deal
Edward 7. Corcoran, an attorney
now with the firm of A. I. Namm &
Son, Brooklyn, said he received $125oO
from the Brooks Steamship Corpora
tion for his services in obtaining pier
lease for the firm in January, 1920.
He testified that his agreement with
the company called for payment of
$4,000 for his efforts, but that be-
cause he was only able to obtain a five
year term instead Of thirtyyear con-
tract he agreed to accept the $12500.
Curt Steindorf, traffic manager of
the company at the time. identified a
check for S35,000. purporting to have
Hvcv n nv a y,11rr n
an insurance claim. but which, he said,
in reality was for the payment Of Cor
coran's fee in connection with the pier
deal. About the same time another
check OF $4,000 was issued to the
treasurer "for the settlement Of a
strike" Steindorf says th9t no such
expense was ever incurred by the com
out for any such purpose. He remarked,
With smile. he "Gid not know what
: F. Bradley Coke, the treasurer. did
with the money"
Dwyer Is Reported III
The committee had intended to recall
Police Inspector John T. Dwyer to the
stand during the morning, having sub
p@naed the po'ice offic'al for the pur-
pose, but the inspector failed to APP
pear because Of illness. 1t was said he
had reported sick at headquarters at
a. m. and had been excused.
Edward J. Denice, former reporter on
The New York Tribune, took the stand
carly in the day and made n sweeping
that he had been associated with dis
orderly resorts in 1914, or that he had
offered bribe of 5000 to the in
spector for the latter's withdrawal
from prosecuting q woman named Rose
Barr ck. as the police official charged.
"If ever cfrered him $1,000" said
Denice. "he would sit up all nirht and
wait f0r me 20 rome back with IT,"
Mrs: Arna e. Wams'ey. of Olmeted-
vile, Essex County, N. y, about three
hundred miles from this city. identified
John W S,uttor as the man who came
to her home in November, 1919. intro
ducing himself as detective and made
inquiries about Dir. Charles I. Alters
in correction with p seDaration suit.
Su'ter already has been mentioned in
connection with wirota3ning operations
near the home of DR. Alters in Staten
Island He was supposed to be doing
electrical work in the Office of In
spectcr DIVER 1T the time
Chief Counsel Elon R. Brown, of the
corrittee. charged that On the basis
Of the evidence it would seem that
sutter was acting as a private detec-
tlye FIR someb7 7dv else in the case while
drawing pay from the city. Sutter de-
MED he was ever in Essex County.
Dock Transaction Explained
The first testimony regarding the
pier deal was submitted by Corcoran,
gno Sid that re served vita Bernard
oarucn, tie banker, and was attache d
70 tae American mission at the peace
conference in Paris to which ne had
been detailed as an officer. In the
summer Of 1919, after his return from
me var, Re i'd Re had been retained
oy tie Brooks Steamship Corporation
70 OBTAIN dock lease for the com
pahy He said the company wasn't
pariiculav abogt what dock il was, and
ooraocd Of $4,000 If ne would put the
mater through.
lie said ne Immediately applied in
.ae znmmcr OF 1919 to the Com mmission-
~ o. Docks for q pier and that tne
ago. atoms continued until January
- or ~, 1920, wnen ne obtained the
aeS'rsa ieage. He said that the only
sg.aer assistance he had in prtting over
o. proportion was a letter from +.
bradley Coke, vice president and treas
ulsF 81 tie com pany, to the Commas
ne yaid, however, that he only got a
asc' Of sI2,5oo instead Of the SUN
sgfeed upon, because the company
"shsea Il thirty-ycar lease, and he only
~. ier-ycar lease. The witness also
sst~peeFed 70 gct more business from
me encefn.
taft steindorf, the traffic manager Of
~. ~ 60" pany, then was put on the
,ts@ha and told hog Re had learned Of
-. fnfife trangaction. Mr.. Brown
gI'Do9ce9 check for $4,000,
tss ts%ssn az sae time the deal wae pat
ftl1.'e3Rn' wnicA Steindorf eaid was used
~ pay Iorcpran's fee for obtain ny
Wy, e ease. s The check bore the inscrip-
~ xn' In settlement Of claims for In
sLi.hse premiums on the Nazarima
~ t'epsa ~ Lccroiz IT, Parry. premiums
sit we peTrns ncnt insurance, their
ss@sa ss~sas being $4,000" ftcindorf said
49,. was no g0eh claim, and that tho
.,in~ Was pure fiction.
Fictitious Accounts Barred
~, Efowp then introduced another
Dr.. Ios $4,000, which had been
s,sA,. ifofa tbe company's funds to the
sa.,.s u Ar. Core. This aum was vet
arsa 'a foe books ns having been
va, lr 'zettlinz a strike" There
ssrs,,n -, fpen expense incurred by the
MI pssiy said Steindorf. The latter
Ia - ~ Dir. Coze left for California
ny mr. week 81 August, 1870
opn't know what he did with
@sstsasA - sass s,x,