The New York herald., 1922-01-20

1Hiilp "A. Edyloil, JT.,
& Co. o............... 800 3
400 Manhattan Avenue
Corporation. ...... 700
Mr.. Burns explained that his eyti-
mates might not be correct in all cases.
but said they were the bcgt he could do
after a hasty examination of the court
records.
The announcement Of the names OF
iteering methods reference was made
last week caused considerable excite
ment in the Aldermanic chamber. par
ticularly among the fifty or more
women tenants who were present.
Landlord a witness.
The only landlord whose name was
mentioned by Burns present at the hear
ing was William II. wortham. n negro
real estate operator living at 100 West
1920 street. Wortham and his wife
comprise the firm of Philip A. Payton,
Jr., & Co. He was called to the stand
by Samuel Untermyer. counsel to the
committee, and questioned concerning
his holdings. He admitted In rapid
questioning by Mr. Untermyer and Sen
ator Tolbert that in the last two years
he had appeared in one way or another
as plaintiff in about 500 cases. 200 OF
which. he said. represented litigation
growing out of rent increases and 900
other suits for nonpayment Of rent. He
operates or collects for some half dozen
tenements occupied by negroes.
/. d. Morrison, an attorney appeared
IN behalf Of Joseph II. Shenk, the hrsr
landlord on Mr.. Burns's list Mr.. Nor
rison is of the firm OF Morrison x Schiff,
800 Broadway also counsel for New
mark & Jacobs. the second name on the
list. He was willing to take the wit
ness stand to testify concerning Shenk's
affairs, but at the suggestion of Sena-
tor Lockwood It was decided to call Mr..
Shenk to-day. Mr.. Morrison admitted
at the end OF the hearing that his client
was the same Joseph II. Shenk who
two years ago served a term on Black
wells Island after being convicted along
with Abraham Glasser. his supelin-
tendent, of renting apartments for dis
ord ierly purposes"
Shenk was arrested in 1914 but in
terposed legal obstacles that prevented
him from serving his sentence for nearly
six years 1t was said at the time of
his trial before Judge Joseph F. Null
queen that Shenk enjoyed an income of
S1.000.000 a year through the operation
OF about 125 apartment houses of the
cheaper class. The names under which
Mr.. Burns testified Shenk operated were
the Ardmore Estates the Klasco Finance
Corporation, the Liberal Finance Cor
poration. the Klamer Realty Company.
the Penant Realty Company. the Ranger
Realty Company, the West Heights
Realty Company and the Joseph Shenk
Realty and Construction Company.
Van Damn Reported III.
II was said unofficially that David II.
Van Damn. another OF the landlords
mentioned by Burns, was i'll at Lake
wood. N. J.
The remainder OF Yesterdays session
OF the committee was devoted by Mr..
Untermyer to an attempt TO show that
the General Electric Company exercises
rigid monopoly in the manufacture
and sale OF incandescent bulbs: that il
was guilty of contempt of court In that
II perslstently had violated the spirit
OF the Federal decree entered at Toledo
In 1911 restraining II from practicing
many OF the things that Mr.. Unter1nyer
charges II still accomplshes through
suhterfuge
Anson w. Burchard a vice-presiden,
of the company. was the principal wit
ness He fenced with Mr.. Untermyer
nearly fOuT nouTS, inSlStlng Always tnat
the company was living up to the spirit
Of the Toledo decree and Mr. Untermyer
insisting even more cmphatically that
II was not.
Mr. Uutermyer dwelt at length on the
c5auisition by the General Electric Com
r.ny of numerous patents foreign and
domestic. acquired as n result OF Its
absorption. directly or indirectly, OF
other companies. At one point Mr. TIN
termyer said to the witness
I'VE say that you've no earthly right
20 these patents and they arc going 10
be taken away from you"
THAT is your opinion" observed Mr.
BurchArd dryly.
Mr.. Burchard was more successful
than some of the 5her witnesses I'm
getting statement into the record.
albeit In somewhat emasculatcd form.
when Mr.. Untermyer asked him n
there was anything he wanted 20 say in
explanation OF his testimony, the Cen
erai Electric's vicc-president said.
Before the modern tungsten lamp