The New York herald. [volume] (New York, N.Y.) 1920-1924, 1922-11-04
BUS INSURANCE MAN
SAYS OWNERS PAID
5000 AND UP GRAFT
Also Charges SinnOtt Firm
Intimidated Drivers to
Get Business.
FORGERY Is ASSERTED
Dummy Treasurer Didn't
Know He Belonged to
West Farms Line.
SIGNED TO HELP FRIEND
Shearn Attacks Later Use Of
Signature in tom O'Neil
Company.
SIGNED TO HELP FRIEND


cation Of the municipality operated
bus lines yesterday was again redo
lent of graft and Of what Counselor
Clarence Shearn has branded rot
ten politics"
The session also yielded another
chapter in the story of the West
Farms BUS Corporation, the concern
through the fraudulent organization
of which many thousands of dollars
of easy money We're poured into the
Golfers of Under Sheriff Tom ONeil of
The Bronx and the late Arthur II.
Murphy, a Tammany leader Of the
same borough, and his estate.
Perjury is not the only felony for
which one of the men who took part
in this deal is likely to be prosecuted.
1t was disclosed yesterday that for
gerry also apparently played part.
Austin p Fox of the real estate and
brokerage insurance firm Of Fox &
Fox testified that bus operators and
bus owners who aspired to be APP
pointed to service on some Vof the
lucrative lines had to give up sums
ranging from $500 up" which graft
apparently found its way, through
more or less circuitous channels, into
the pockets either of city officials or
their subordinates.
This witness charged that Grover
a. Whalen, Commissioners OF Piart
and Structures. sought to put the soft
pedal on direct evidence of graft. and
that It was only when, through The
activities of the witness. these stories
had found their way into the news
papers that Mr.. Whalen consented TO
have an investigation made by NJ. y.
Fertig, Assistant Corporation Counsel.
To that investigator Mr.. Fox supplied
the evidence which resulted in single
conviction. that OF Jack Weinman, one
of the Whalen supervisors. who got a
SUSPENSION of sentence and who now is
driving bus in Newark.
Accuses sinnott Firm.
Mr.. Fox also charged that Sinnott *
Canty. the insurance firm. OF which the
brother Of Mayor Hylan,s con-in-law.
secretary is a senior member. obtained
business through the Intimidation or ous
drivers. Fox & Fox, the witness SAID
had lost seventeen policies to Sinnott q
Canty since the latter firm started last
summer.
Mr. Fox said his firm began 70 write
bus insurance In May. 1921, when Mt
Whalen's department issued orders that
all bus owners must take out insurance.
Bernard Greenberg. law clerk. who
was acquainted with many of the bus
drivers. had interested him in the en-
terprise When he came into contact
with the drivers. the witness testine'i,
h., found many of them complaining that
they had to pay money to get on the Dus
lines and were subjected TO other un-
expected expenses.
AS Mr.. Fox was an officer OF the
New York Auto Owners Association, 1t
occurred TO him. he said that II he
could enlist the bus owners In that or
ranlzation. they might through the
strength OF union, have n chance to get
their grievances redressed. For this
purpose he arranged TO have meeting
called for Friday, March II. 1921. Mt
50 Nassau street. After the call for
this meeting had been sent out, the wit
ness went on. Frederick Richter. chief
supervisor notified the bus mern that all
who attended the meeting would be sus-
pended.
Despite this menace, about nifty bus
men attended. Statements were made
by them there that they had TO pay from
5000 TO $500 to have themselves assigned
20 preferred lines. the higher amounts
being exacted TO get "A detail TO the
Eighty sixth street route, which was re-
garded as the best of all.
Mr.. Shearn Interrupted the exam
ination long enough to say that while
this matter OF bus insurance was under
review he wished TO enter upon the
record one OF Mayor Hylan's statements.
IL do this" said Mr.. Shearn. ''in the
Continued on Page Three.