Evening star., 1938-11-16
vehit|e Commissioner
In New York Accused
Of Bribery, Extortion
Dewey Charges Hornett
Accepted SCI, 900
From Companies
BY the Associated Press.

By the Associated Press
NEW YORK, Nov. l6.-Charles
A. Harnett, State commissioner of
motor vehicles, was arrested in the
district attorneys Office today on
charges Of bribery and extortion.
District Attorney Thomas e.
Dewey's Office said Harnett was al
legged to have accepted $4,000 tn
bribes between October, 1884, and
January, 1888. from the Parmelee
Transportation Co. and through
three subsidiaries, the National
Transportation Co., Inc; the Yellow
Taxi Corp, and the Hamilton Peters
Operating Co., Inc.
MIR. Dewey said an indictment
against Harnett had been ready
since late in September but had
been deliberately held up until aftep(
the political campaign in which
district attorney ran unsuccessful
as the Republican candidate for
governor. 1t was filed yesterday, he
said
The action against Harnett was
said by Mr.. Dewey to have resulted
from an investigation into what he
termed the taxicab racket in which
several others have been indicted.
Harnett, who also is chairman Of
the State Traffic Commission, ap-
peared voluntarily at Mr.. Dewey's
office after he had been notified Of
the charges against him.
Charges Against Moran.
Former Assemblyman Edward S.
Moran, jr, 81, a Brooklyn Democrat,
was indicted last June "a on six
counts charging he received bribes
and illegal fees from two taxicab
companies - the City Parmelee
Transportation Co.. Inc, and the
Terminal System, Inc.
1t was not explained whether
there was any connection between
his case and that involving Harnett.
The indictment against Moran
contained four felony and two ex-
tortion counts, the latter misde-
meanors In the case of a public Of
flcer. He has not yet been brought
to trial and is at liberty in bail.
Moran, who represented the 18th
Assembly district, Kings County,
from 1927 until the past election, was
accused Of accepting $4,000 from the
two taxicab concerns in return for
the use of his influence in prevent
ing legislation which might be re-
garded as detrimental to the COM
panies. He was also accused of pro-
noting legislation favorable to them.
Moran was further charged with
promising to attempt to obtain
reduction in the State gasoline tax,
which was cut from to 3 cents a
gallon in 1886 The alleged bribery
occurred from 1885 through 1887.
Moran, chairman in 1885 and 1895
OF legislative committee investi-
eating the operation and fares Of
taxicab companies, was accused of
receiving $4,000 in cash from the
Parmelee company following the re-
duction of the fuel tax, and there
after monthly installments of from
$500 to $1,000 from Terminal.
Mr.. Dewey, mentioning a State
law requiring the POSTING, o. surety
bond for each taxicab in operation,
said Harnett, using discretionary
authority. had permitted the Parme.
lee concern and its three subsid.
iarles to file personal bonds instead
OF covering more than 1000 cars,
| and likewise permitted Parmelee
to borrow back so per cent of the
surety bond.
The prosecutor asserted the COM
pany and its subsidiaries agreed to
pay Harnett $1,000 a month and
additional sums to make a total Of
about $4,000 year.
The extortion count alleged that
the commissioner asked and re.
ceived money for his official serv-
ices in permitting Parmelee to con.
tinue as surety on the personal
bonds of its affiliate companies and
refused to permit other operating
taxicab corporations to file similar
personal surety bonds.