New-York tribune., 1922-10-20
Witnesses in Shearn In
quiry Say They We're
Knocked Cf'' Routes
for Failing to Register
People Crowded
LIN Like ssHerrings'
45 Passengers Jammed
Into l8 Seats i'm Order
to Make Business PAY

a brand new chapter Of political CO.
ercion and a grist Of circum stances
strongly resembling old-fashioncd
Iammany grating methods were .un-
covered yesterday afternoon at the Of
noes Of the Transit Commission by
FORMER Justice Clarence j. Shearn in
examining former bus operators en-
pioyed under the supervision of the
department. of Plant and Structures.
various witnesses testified that after
buying busses at cost Of thousands
Oh dollars, paying insurance liability
oi Seoo year and complying with all
the rules, they were "knocked off" by
one Richter. the city employee in
cAhafge, because they had not regis
tered and voted in 1920.
Ihey testified that unless they over
loaded their husses there was no pos
slnliity oil making ends meet-that
oVerioading was part of the system,
ana That when there were not enough
passengers to overload bus they had
a, system of dragging running at q
SLOW headway--in order to pack the
buses and make enough from nickel
fares to clear themselves.
The inquiry yesterday conducted by
Judge. Shearn was continuation Of
what Is known as Transit Commission
investigation No. /, which takes note
OF all transit facilities, rapid transit.
surface lines, etc.
Overloaded 3i3 Per Cent
1t was after Walter T. Edrerton. a
transit inspector, had testified to over
leading on the Spring Street line of
$40 per cent-which means that for
every person occupying seat at least
Two were standing that Judge Shearn
interrupted the proceedings to bring
on as witnesses various former bus
OPERATORS
The first one was Peter Ruocco os
Paterson, who said that for several
years he had been a justice of the
peace in New Jersey and had become
g Whalen bus operator in October.
1919 He continued as bus operator
until March a, 1929, when. he was
knocked off, without warning by a
Mr.. Milady, subordinate OF frank
Richter, chief supervising inspector
in the Department Of Plant and Struc
lures.
This was after Justice Ruocco had
paid out $500 i'll an exchange to get a
bigger bus. After his dismissal, which
came wirhout warning, he asked Mr..
Richter why he had been dropped and
was told that it was because he was
a non-citizen. The dialogue between
Judge Shearn and Justice Ruocco at
this point follows:
Q-And what reason did Richter
give you for laying you off :? A.--Why.
asked Kim for what reason I was
knocked off for, and he told me he
SAID. That is orders from head
quarters"
Did he say anything to you about
your not having voted? A--"All nom
citizens must discontinue" that is what
he told me; that is his orders. he had
orders to do it.
Q.--Well, what did he say to you
about your not having voted as one Of
the reasons for laying you off? A.
Because had not registered.
Q.--You had not registered? Al
did not register last year.
Q.-But how could you register !?
You lived in New Jersey, didn't YOU?
A.-Why, ! had a residence here. 81
room, which stayed part of the week,
and, of course, the rest of the time /
"ouio 20 nome.
Insurance Premium Demanded
Q--You also had to pay a premium
for fr some Insurance.. didn't you? A
Yes, in May, 1921, Commissioner
Whalen issued orders that ali bus OBJ
orators must have a liability insurance.
Q.-So from October, 1919, until
May, 1921, the bus owners Operated
without any insurance Without
any insurance@at ALL; yes.
What was the premium that you
A.-$600.
!. Q.r,S6oo year? For how long?
A.--For q year.
Q,-How long before you were turned
Off because you had not registered to
vote had you paid your insurance
A.--Why, my insurance | finished pay
ing. was to pay 500 down and sis
a week, see, until the 5000 was paid.
hnally paid everything up on March
tcentlnucd on pegs eight,