New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1903-08-22

sam Parks, the walking delegate Of the
ITousesmiths and Bridgemen's Union who has
done 50 much to prolong the present standstill of
buidine operations in this city, stands convicted
n, = Jury Of twelve men of extorting from Jo-
senbys Plenty 5000 to settle the strike of work
-,en for that contractor at the Hamburg-Amer-
sar pier. in Hoboken last December.
with paIng face and hands in tightening
.ntcb on the rail in front of him Parks heard
the foreman deliver the verdict of conviction
.rbsn he whispered 10 his counsel. and when his
age and birthplace asked for he refused to
snsvrer. on the advice of his counsel.
Thus ends successfully what might be called
he FIRST period in the effort of the builders of
.,is cItv n shake of bondage to walking dele
ostoe who have forced them TO. pay tribute for
he nriyilege OF conducting business, the first
,.s-so3 since Parks's counsel viii appeal and
second legal battle viii be fought in the courts
Parks had already been convicted of assault
ing = fellow member OF the Housesmiths' Union,
and there are still pending against him three
other oa=as Sentence in the assault case was
suspande8. and thus there are to-day hanging
over the head of this walking delegate.
who cas so frequently boasted of his ability to
hiring the employers to their knees, Pleading for
mercy. two sentences and trial in three other
cases
ing employers organization that the employers
laid before District Attorney Jerome evidence
that they had been paying extorton money to
walking delegates. The District Attorney col
lected this evidence and took II before the grand
frrv with the result that the walking dele gate
vas indicted
The trial which ended yesterday in the con-
viction Of Parks began on August Il. Parks
on the witness stand on T ursday. declared that
he had never seen Josephus Plenty until he
him in the courtroom at the trial, and denied
that he had received the 5000 extortion money.
Plenty told Of conferences with Parks at the
latter's home. in which he said there was only
one way 20 settle the strike and that was with
cash.
Plenty related how Parks had refused to take
a check made out to Parks or bearer, and how
that check was cashed by man sent from the
saloon Of Bernard Lynch. friend of Parks. at
Bloomingdale's He declared Parks received the
money.
Parks's own witnesses admitted that the check
thus made out and thus cashed. They as
serted that Lynch got the 500.
VERDICT SOON AFTER II O'CLOCK
The jury went TO dinner about 7:3O O'Clock at
q downtown cafe. There they ate and talked
until nearly 10 o'clock. Parks and his counsel
waited In the courtroom impatiently. When the
Jury returned they at went into the jury
room, and up TO 1920 o'clock had given no in
dcation OF reaching a verdict. The Recorder
still was in his chambers waiting for their re-
turn.
At twelve minutes past II o'clock the jury
filed into the courtroom. They had been out
since twelve minutes to T. and had therefore
been considering their verdict for four hours
and twenty minutes. including the time they
were at dinner.
At 11:16 Recorder Gof took his seat the
bench and Foreman J. F. Kenane announced
that verdict of guilty charged had been
reached
There were about a hundred people in the
courtroom when the verdict was announced.
Parks who at the end of the trial had been taken
TO the prison. had been brought into the court
room 10y Court officer DegnaE. He stood lean
ing against the prisoners rail. When the fore