New-York tribune. [volume], March 21, 1920, Page 12, Image 12

About New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924

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Dr.G.W. Jacoby
Sued on Behalf
Of Incompetent
Alienist Alleged to Have
Induced Woman, 82, to
Sign Satisfaction of Two
Mortgages for $30,000
?.?,
\ An Injunction Is Asked
Nephew and Trust Company
Assert Traiisaction En
tailed No Consideration
Dr. George W, Jacoby, an alienist,
president of thc New York Neurologi
cal Society and consulting neurologist
of several hospitals, yesterday was
made defendant in the Supreme Court
in a proceeding alleging that he had
Mrs. Serena Wronkow, an eighty-two
year old patient in Bloomingdalc Asy?
lum, sign a satisfaction of two mort?
gages for $30,000 on property of which
the physician was the principal owner,
without any financial consideration.
The action was brought by Kenneth
Mott, assistant engineer for the Tran?
sit Construction Commissioner, r.
nephew of Mrs. Wronkow, and the
Unitod States Trust Company. as com?
mittee of the property of the Bloom
ingdale patient. They applied to the
court for an injunction restraining Dr.
George W. Jacoby, Dr. Ralph Jacoby,
an office associate, at 44 West Seventy
second Street, and the ClifTord Park
Realty Company, from disposing of
certain cash and a mortgage.
Dr. George J. Jacoby and Dr. J. Ralph
Jacoby are president and secretary, re?
spectively, of the Clifford Park Com?
pany and, it is alleged, the chief stock?
holders. It is alleged that the Drs.
Jacoby were able, through the signing
of the satisfaction of mortgages by Mrs.
Wrinkow, to dispose of certain West?
chester property owned by the Clifford
Park corporation.
Jacoby's Attorneys Reserve Evidence
Mr. Mott and the United States Trust
Company learned of the paper signed by
their mentally incompetent ward, but
could not lind that any money had been
paid. Their attorneys wrote to Dr.
George W. Jacoby for information and
he referred them to his attorneys. The
latter explained that Mrs. Wronkow
had consented to thc satisfaction of the
mortgages. Dr. Jacoby's attorneys
wrote: "As there have been various in
timations which have reached Dr.
Jacoby of hostile action against him on
the part of Mrs. Wronkow's committee,
we have advised him to give you no
further information, b?t to reserve his
evidence to meet an>? attack the com?
mittee may make upon him."
Mr. Mott, in an affidavit, said that
when the payments of interest on the
mortgages his aunt had held, ceased
being made, he questioned Mrs. Wron?
kow. She said she had "signed some?
thing for Dr. Jacoby but did not
know what it was." Mr. Mott could noi,
find anv consideration for the act of
Mrs. Wronkow in satisfying the mort?
gages.
The complaint in "he case allegos
that. the Drs. Jacoby "consnired by
fraud and decit practiced on Serena
Wronkow, and by taking advantage of
? her mental condition and their close
and confidential relations with her, to
obtain the delivery by her to the
Clifford Park Realty Company of cer?
tain satisfaction of two mortgages,
and, having thus enhanced the value of
the property, they were able to sell it
to the Missionary Society of the Silc
sian Congregation for more than
$100,000."
_Dr. George W. Jacoby is a member
of several medical societies and presi?
dent of the Association of Physicians
and Surgeons of the Lenox Hill Hospi?
tal. He was one of the alienists re?
tained by the mother of Harry K.
Thaw when the latter was tried for
the killing of Stanford White. Dr.
Jacoby's attorneys said yesterday they
had a complete defense in the "action
against him.
Volstead Isn't Nearly as
'Dry' as Law He Framed
Minnesota Man Admits He Always Took a Drink
When He Wanted It; Drawing Unpopular Act
Merely Was One of His Jobs as Representative
From Thc Tribune's Washington Bureau
WASHINGTON, March 20.- How doos!
it feel to be cussed from coast. to coast1
as a rabid and fanatical "dry" when!
really you are "haif wet" and it was;
merely the fortunes of politics that:
caused your name to go on a prohibi-;
tion law?
Andrew J. Volstead, member of Con-!
grcss from Minnesota and chairman of
the Houso Judiciary Committee, was!
the ono person in the country to an-i
swer such a question, and so it was put
to him. He answered it by telling the f
whole sad story. As author of the Vol?
stead prohibition enforcement law it'
was unnecessary to inform Repreaenta
tive Volstead that ebntlemen of moist
proclivities are cussing him daily. Mr.
Volstead already knew it.
Mr. Volstead is not a "dry" after
Bryan's heart. He has never endeav
ored to mako grapo juice thc national
drink, nor to make the nut sundao or
plain lemonade the piece de resistancs
of state banqucts and family side
boards.
The mild-mannered Represdntative
Volstead. who isn't nearly so ferocious
ns the "wets" picture him, actually has
been in a barroom in the past. He
walked right up to the bar and ordered
his glass of beer or K>ddy, according to
the spirit moving him at the moment.
Mr. Volstead has even spoken pleas
antly to the barkeeps of other days,
his greetings having more warmth and
sincerity in them than one-half of .1
per cent.
A Drink When He Wanted It
By that it must not be inferred that
Mr. Volstead has ever been a bar fly
or heavy drinker. He was just an aver?
age American who took a drink when
he wanted ono and could not be per
suaded to take it if he didn't.
"Are you a radical dry?" Mr. Vol?
stead was asked.
His blue eyes twinkled and he
stroked a drooping mustache before
replying.
"If I am I never knew it," said Vol?
stead.
"But some of the boys are abusing
you because of the drastic provisions
of the Volstead act," it was suggested.
"I know it," he said, "but it isn't
coming to me. Somebody had to write
the prohibition law to carry out the
constitutional amendment and the job
fell to me.
"You were the legislative goat then?"
"Mebbe, if you want to put it that
way," replied Mr. Volstead, smiling.
"It is the Volstead law because as
chairman of the Judiciary Committee
it came to me to put it through the
House and to write it."
Reprefsentativc Volstead scratched
his chin and seemed inclined to pro
ceed.
"I'll tell you," he continued. "I'm
not as 'dry' as a hundred or more
other members who voted for this
biU. I have never' hesitated to take
a little drink when I wanted it. I
never drank much, but I've walked up
to the bar and ordered a beer or some?
thing on a number of occasions. But
the sentiment in Congress was 'dry.'
lt was quite 'dry' and the law had
to be formed to carry out thc spiritr
of the constitutional amendment and
the wishes of a majority of Congress."
Not as "Dry" as His Bill
"Were you as 'dry' as your bill?"
interrupted the interviewer.
"1 wouldn't sav so," said Mr. Vol?
stead. "I think I am entitled to say
that I was responsible for one or two
of the concessions that went into the
law. There were some prohibitionists
who would have prohibited the manu-1
facture of drinks containing even one
half of 1 per cent. Somebody sug- I
gested to me that something ought to !
be done to take care of the near-beer
situation; that it was going too far to
t'orbid even a drop of alcohol. I put
in the one-half of 1 per cent, which i
j Spring and Summer
FURS
Charming New Models?
the final note of distitiction,
in the fashionahle wardrobe
WRAPS CAPES
ANIMAL SCARFS
Dry Cold Storage
of
Winter Furs
2%
Send for Booklet.
"The Care of Furs."
3M Rfth Aventte
BET. 35th and 36th ST "
Phone 2044 Greeley
was about as much as Congreaa would
stand for.
"I also assisted in the drafting of
tho provision making legal the home
manufacture of non-intoxicating fruit
juices and cidor. We agreed that
when this amendmont waa offered in
the Houso I would accept it. I did so,
but it went out on a point of order
made by some ardent prohibitionist.
vve got it back in the bill in confer?
ence, and it is in the law.
"The allowance of a pint of liquor
every ten dayg on prescription of a
physician was about the best compro?
mise possible. Originally it was sug?
gested that we allow a quart every ten
days, but somebody in the conferenco
committee aaid thia would never do.
"'Why,* he exclaimed, 'a man might
stay drunk the whole ten daya on a
quart."'
"The gentleman's capacity must be
rather limited," it was suggested.
Representativo Volstead smiled aa
sent, and cr?'.inued:
t "So we made it a pint every ten days.
Now, the national prohibition enforce?
ment act is not nearly as drastic as
some of thc state laws. There are
states where it is made a penal offense
even to have liquor in one's home. If
one will examine tho laws of the an
proximately thirty states which have
local statutes on prohibition I believe
ho will find that thc measure we
enacted, under mandato of the Consti?
tution, is a more liberal measure than
the average 'dry' law of the states.
, lV,In. our early eonsideration of the
bill it was suggested that a man mieht
be entitled to keep the liquor in his
possession, but no permission was
given for its consumption. I contended
that it would be ridiculous to say to a
fellow that he could keep Jhis liquor
but couldn't. drink it. We finally
reached an agreement that he mijrht
serve it in his home to himself and
bona fide guests.
"It has always been against the law
to make wines without a license Yet
numerous folks in their homes have
gone along and inade these wines from
home-grown fruits. No big row has
ever been raised about it, I believe un?
less a gross abuse and sale of the stuff
was attempted. In our bill we have a
provision authorizing the making of
nonintoxicating ciders and home wines "
But wh;.t if they ferment?" Mr. Vol?
stead Avaa asked.
Mr. Volstead said it was not incum- ;
bent upon him to construe and enforce I
the law, now that it was written, but I
he intimated he did not suppose the
liousewife and farmer would be sent to
jail so long as they endeavored to stay I
within the law and did not endeavor to
sell the home product.
"Our primary object," he continued, |
was to stop the evil at its source, and !
this the law does. It prohihits the
manufacture and sale of strong drink
and abolishes the saloon. Under the
constitutional mandate the law is about !
as moderate as could be written con
sidenng also the <bone dry' sentiment I
in Congress.
"The Supreme Court has declared that
Congress may determine what consti- ;
tutes intoxicating liquors.' If another
Congress comes along an<- ralses tlie
allowance of one haif of 1 por cent, that
is a matter Tor tho folks and that Con?
gress. The bill I drafted represented
the sentiment of the majority of Con?
gress at_ the time lt wah passed, and
was onlv an effort to put into effect the
national declaration oh prohibition aa
evidenced by the ratification of the con?
stitutional amendment."
Some one, burning with indlgnatlon
and out of pocket $16, attempted a day
or so ago to demonstrato to Mr. Vol?
stead just wbnt he thought of the Vol?
stead act. Tho angry citizen came to
one of the House corridoru, engaged tho
services of a page, nnd substantially
said:
"Here, boy, take this in to Volstead
nnd tell him I paid $16 for it. Ask him
to taste it and smcll it nnd see what
ho haa done to this country."
As the boy started through the cor
ridor toward the chamber Bert Ken?
nedy, doorkeeper of the Uouse of Rep?
resentatives, stopped him nnd asked,
"What have you got under your coat?"
"A bottle of whisky for Mr. Vol?
stead," the boy is said to have an
swerod.
The bottle of "whisky" wn? confls
catod. Analyais showed it to be a
pretty good grade of cold ten.
*?? ? ?? m
"Dry" Amendment Attacked
Four St. Louis Suits Abo Seek
to Nullify Volstead Act
ST. LOUIS, March 20.?Tlie constitu- 1
tionality of ' the Eighteenth Amend- j
ment, thc Volstead enforcement act and
the action of the Missouri Legislature
in ratifying tho amendment was at- ''
tacked in four suits flled in the United I
States court here to-day.
Thc petitions were flled by the Indc- i
pendent, St. Louis, Griosedieck Broth- i
ers and the Louis Obert brewing com-1
panies nnd asks that Federal officers
be restraincd from enforcing the '
amendment.
Tho suits assert the amendment ib
unconstitutional in thut it deprives I
the states of the right of self-govern- '
ment, aiid that the Volstead net is il-1
legal because it was passed under the
amendment.
The ratifying act of the Missouri
Legislature is declared invalid because
Of the nllcged unconstitutionallty bf
the amendment.
Pier Strike Enters
Second Week With
No Sign of Yielding
Thirty-four Vessels Tied Up
in jHarbor and Prospect
of Vegetable and Fruit
Famine Grows Menacing
The longshorcmen's strike against
the coaBtwise lineB of the port of New
Yojk entered upon its second week yes?
terday with no indlcatlon of yielding
from either side.
Despite the pleadings of state and
Federal conciliators that the shipown
ers und strikers come to some agree?
ment, tho shipping interests maintain
it is impossible to gran tthe wage in?
creases demanded by tho workers with?
out going into bankruptcy, while the
longshoremen declare they will not re?
turn to work until their pay is raised
from 65 cents an hour to ?0 cents, the
scale of the deep sea men.
Tho plan of T. V. O'Connor, presi
ddnt of the International Longshore
mcn's Association, to go to Washington
to interest Admiral Benson, chairman
of the Shipping Board, in obtalning
higher freight rates for the coastwise
lines, was changed nt the last mlnute
yesterday. Mr. O'Connor left for Bufj
falo, where hc was caled to the bedside
of his twenty-eight year old son, who is
suffering from tuberculosis. There will
bc no further conferences until his re?
turn, probably to-morrow.
In the meantime tho situation in the
harbor is becoming more critical, with
the city facing a famine in vegetables
and fruits and the prospect of higher
prices in these commodities in the im?
mediate future. Professor William Z.
Ripley, chairman of the National Ad
justment Commission, which has been
trying to bring about a settlement, said
that an immense crop of foodstuffs in
thc South will spoil if the controversy
is not speedily ended. These include
great quantities of tomutoes, fruits,
strawberries', celery, lettuce, eggplant,
beans, rice, cabbage and peanuts.
So far there are thirty-four vessels
^*5e|eS!
A Fascinating
Easter Wardrobe
At Haif Ihe Usual Cost
may bc had from the present
collections of Maxon Gowns,
Suits, Coats, Sport Costumes
and Wraps of much charm
and fincsse.
Why at haif cost??because
they are Exhibiti m Models!
$29 to $169
Con Model Own.
JSS7 broadway, ($br.4S*St
One (lig:it up?Klevator rr Stalrway.
MZCREEW'S ANMML. SPRING SAL
Embrtzcing Every Department
BEGINNING TOMORROW MORNING
A Sale For Men
7666
Genuine Gillette
Safety Razors
at JP'txJ
waA each
(Including Tax)
Less Than One-Half the Standard Price
These Razors were made
for the United States Gov?
ernment and before being
accepted were thoroughly ex
amined and inspected. Each,
therefore, is in perfect con?
dition and ready for use.
As every one knows, the
regular and standard price
of a Gillette Razor is $5.00
the world over. The "McCreery" sale price is in this
case but $2.45?less than half the regular price. Why?
Simply because we were able to help the government
by taking their surplus stock.
These, ordered for the Navy, are each compactly fitted
in a durable Navy Blue kit and therefore suitabie for
every time or place. Each kit contains besides the razor
12 blades and a metal mirror.
10,000,000 Men Use
Gillette Safety Razors
This McCreery Sale
Will Satisfy Just
7666 More.
Don't Delay!
No Returns
No. C. O. D.'s
No Approvals
^
James McCreery & Coi
5th Avenue (Main Floor) 34th Street
tied up in the harbor, with thirteen
others lying idlo at other ports. Pas?
senger and freight traffic with BoBton,
Charleston, Jacksonville, Norfolk, Wil?
mington, Savannah, Brunswick, Tampa,
Mabile, Galvestoh, Now Orleans afid
Koy West haa been almost completely
cut off. In addition, more than 175
lighters and barges have been put out
of ?ommlsslon and altogether about
7,500 waterfront workersmade idle. The
steamship companies claim they have
lost $213,900, while tho wages of the
men forced out of work totals about
$186,967.
Negotiations in connection with the
demands of the marine engineers,
mates and pilots for higher wages, bc
cording to H. L. Joyce, chairman of the
Marine Mnnngers' Railway Association,
will be continued to-morrow morning.
?-.
Meredith forGood Roads
Secretary of Agrieulture Urges
Appropriation of $100,000,000
WASHINGTON, March 14.?Edwin
T. Meredith, newly appointed Secretary
of Agrieulture, believes there should
be active continuation of present Fed?
eral and state codperation in connect
ing state road systemB with the sys?
tems of adjoining states in order that
tho working out of an adequate high?
way program for the whole United
States may proceed in an orderly man
ner. Ho also advocates the continu
ance of work now going forward under
the Federal aid road law.
"As 1921 is the last year covered by
the law," Mr. Meredith saya, "it would
he highly desirable, in my opinion, for
Congress to make provision as
promptly as possible for the continua?
tion of the work under the present
system by an appropriation of at least
$100,000,000 for each of the four fiscal
years beginning with 1922."
Springtime Furs
ANIMAL SCARFS
Anticipating the present vogue for one, two
and three animal scarfs we are able to present
at last season's prices, an unusual eollection of
%ussian Sable Fitch Stone ZMarten
Hudson Way Sable Japanese SMarten
Animal Scarf in Baby Fox and $_t C
Fine Eastern Skunk. Special at ?_/._>
lntroducing the
CHOKERCOLLAR
Fashioned o/luxurious and popular priced furs
to supplement the Spring Costume; featured
particularly for dress wear in Russian Ermine.
iSalcLfPrice Q,G>.
FULTON & SMITH STREETS
6ROOKLYN
MSCREERYS annual spring sales
Embmcing Every Department
9.75
9.75
An Extraordinary Sale
Women's Low Shoe
Special 9.75 and 12.75
(Prices Include Tax)
After this sale these Shoes will go back
to their regular prices.
All Sizes?All Widths.
Thirty-one Different Styies.
J% 12.75
12.75
At 9.75
Regular 12.00 and 12.50 grades
Tan or Black Calf Oxfords, walking
heels.
Black or Brown Kid Oxfords. walking
heels.
Purnps in Plain or Patent Leather.
Christie Ties, hand-turned soles, Louis
heels in Satin, plain or Patent Leather.
Brown or Black Kid Pumps combined
with Satin.
Styies in tongue effect in Brown or
Black Kid combined with Satin, also
ian Calf.
Genuine White Buckskin Sport Oxfords.
At 12.75
Regular 14.00 to 15.00 grades
Two-eyelet styies in Satin, Kid and
Patent.
One-button models with Brown Kid or
Patent vamps and Satin quarters-?or
Patent vamps with White Kid quarters.
Also all Black Satin.
Instep Tie of Black Kid or Patent
Leather. Gray Buckskin or Black Satin
Tan or Black Calfskin Oxfords, Mili?
tary or Cuban heels.
Black Kid Blucher Oxfords with Cuban
heels.
No C. O. D.'s.
No Approvah
No Rctur
ns
The Last Little Touch
7 o thc L.asicr Costume
A Beautiful Vanity Case
5.00
regularly 7.50 and 8.75
We have just 300 of these. so there
will not be enough fer all who will
want one. but early snoppers will
find them extraordinary values at
5.00. They have never been sold for
less than 7.50.
Three models are illustrated. They
comein two sizes (large and small),
are made of plain Moire Silk or Silk
Brocade of rich colors with gilt or
French gray metal frames and
chains. All are Silk lined and fittcd
with purse and mirror.
"La Reine"
Ivory Finished Toilet Set
Very special 35.00
(Ten Pieces)
lt is aptly named "La Reine." mean?
ing The Queen, for it is. in truth. queen
of all designs. holding swav by tho
sheer beauty of its lines and its rich.
creamy shade.
Ordinarily it would be priced several
dollars higher, but as it comes to ufl
while we are celebrating our Spring
Sales we have marked it af merely a
trifle above eost to u^.
Gray Hair Goods
The assortment include-, <-ray
Switches and Transforniatiom of
fine quality, naturally wavy !,;nr.
18-inch Switches. e 95
20-inch Switches. . 9^95
Transformations . 6*95
Furs for Spring Wear
Fashionahle Scarfs of the most desirable pelts including Sable. Mule.
btone Marten, Squirrel, Baum Marten and Fox in rich shades.
Very Special
One-skin Japanese Marten Scarfs of eho.ee, selected pdftt. 45,00
fc
James McCreery & Co.
5th Avenue
34th Street