HIRSHFIELD ACCUSES LICENSE INSPECTOR

The New York Times
December 12, 1922

Asks That John E. Egan Be Tried in Connection With Fraudulent Permit.

In a report to Mayor Hylan, Commissioner of Accounts David Hirshfield recommended yesterday that John E. Egan, an inspector in the Department of Licenses, be placed on trial on a charge of assisting in the alleged falsification of a hackman's license and that proceedings be instituted charging conspiracy against Egan and his brother Thomas, an insurance and bonding agent.

The report contains the result of an investigation made by Commissioner Hirshfield regarding the arrest of Sidney Walfish on a charge of operating a taxicab under a spurious license and badge.  He served a term, according to the report, in a Connecticut prison and is under a suspended sentence there.  Before his conviction he operated a taxicab and his license was forfeited.

Hirshfield's report sets forth that his investigation showed that Sidney Walfish upon leaving prison applied to Egan for a license.  After several meetings, according to the testimony, Egan referred Walfish to his brother Thomas.  The latter told Walfish that it would cost $50 to have "the thing fixed up."  Walfish's brother Morris of 1,415 Wilkins Avenue, the Bronx, had been a taxicab owner and operator for several years and went with another brother, Sidney, to see Thomas Egan.  They were referred back to Egan's brother John in the License Department, and Morris Egan said he had lost his book and badge.  Egan, according to the testimony, gave Morris Walfish a new book and a paper representing a "lost" badge.

According to Sidney and Morris Walfish, Thomas Egan took Morris's picture off Morris's license and substituted Sidney's.  The also erased the name "Morris" in a signature and had Morris write the name "Sidney" instead.  Under this arrangement, both brothers testified, they operated taxicabs until an inspector who knew that Sidney had served a term in prison caused his arrest.