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Ten Men Arraigned on ‘racket’ Charge

August 21, 1934
See Original Daily Bulletin From This Date
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145 West Forty-fifth street—where crews of telephone solicitors telephoned prospects, using the names of judges and prominent citizens.

60,000 CALLS

The detective said he raided the midtown office and found five men at school desks soliciting funds by telephone. He said 60,000 ‘phone calls were made in one month.

The defendants were charged with obtaining money under false pretenses. The charge grew out of the alleged use of names of judges without permission.

One of the solicitors, Leffler said, identified himself as “Judge Silberman,” over the ‘phone.

“What court are you from?” Leffler testified he asked the solicitor.

“I’m down at Municipal Court. Any time you want a favor just let me know,” the “coxey” (salesman) is said to have replied.

The salesman, Leffler testified, received thirty-five per cent of each contribution, while the messenger got ten per cent. These revelations were made by the Jewish Daily Bulletin last week.

SEIZES MESSENGER

Leffler said he promised a donation of $15 for the United Relief Associations’ camp at Phillipsport, N. Y. He arrested the messenger who came to obtain the contribution and then raided the “boiler room” (room from which the soliciting was done).

The defendants are: Al Weinstein, 23, 92 East Fifty-third street; Harry and Sidney Siegel, 893 Trinity avenue, the Bronx; Nathan Iskowitz, president of the organization, 2510 Dean street; Zisa Billick, 1319 East New York avenue, treasurer; Robert Barron, 62 Avenue B; Samuel Fine, 1510 Ocean parkway; Maxwell Schren, 1479 Dahill road, and Mortimer Schren, 2826 West Twenty-ninth street. (All except the first three reside in Brooklyn).

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