The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1903-08-13
PARKS'S INITIATION FEE, $500.
TIFFANY STUDIOS TREASURER
TELLS or THE PAYMENT.

Effort Will he Made to Get Hia Tale In
Evidence AT Parks's Trial. WMch u
Booked 10 Begin To-day-s' riko
Called and the Reason Never knowm'
Sam Parks the business agent OF the
Housesniths' and Brdgemen's Union. Will
he out on trial to-day in Part l. of General
Sessions on an indictment charging nm
with extortion, unless supreme court
Justice comes TO his rescue at the last mo-
ment and grants change OF venue a
panel of 100 special jurors has been SUM
moned.
The prosecutions case against Parks has
been prepared by Assistant District Attor-
new Rand. Most of the evidence rs III the
shane OF aftidavits that Parks got large
sums OF money from bosses on his promise
to settle strikes, that the strikes we're settled
but that the money was pocketed ny farAs'
new story was told yesterday in an
affidavit made by Louis Schmitt, treasurer
OF the Tiffany Studios. 1888 Fourth avenue.
According to this story the firm declded
about q wear ago TO embark in the heavy
metal business. As soon as they got the
business in shape union delegates caLea
and an agreement for unionizing the plant
was signed.
Everything went along smoothly until
about Dec. 1, 1902, when strike was or
dered. The managers could not learn the
cause OF the strike and sent clerk to the
headquarters OF the union He was re-
ferred to Parks. According to the AFFIDAVIT
Parks said:
aYou tell Tiffany he can go TO hell I'm
not doing business with any peanuts ~
they send some responsible member OF the
concern to SEQ me IN do business.
Thereupon the firm sent their superin-
tendent TO sec Parks. This was about Jan. l:
Parks told him the firm had been fined
$500. A week later the superintendent
who asked what the firm had been fined
.That's the initiation Fee" Parks is al
legged to have answered. A.
Limitation fee for what?' inquired Mr..
Schmitt. =,
Ia the answer Parks made, according TO
Mr.. Schmitt's story, Then according to
Schmitt this conversation took place; =,
Schmitt--Where does this money 90 to?
! The union?
to me, Sam Parks. II you pay the money
you can employ union or non-unlon men 30
long as you don't get caught; -
Parks added, according to Sohmitt, that
he had tied up the Hecla Iron Works Tor
year and a half and he could tie up the
Tiffany Studios for the same length OF time
Schmitt agreed TO pay the $500 to Parks
and suggested paying 1t by check PARKS
demanded it in cash -r
aAll right" said Schmitt. "but tell me:
How Is it I couldn't find out from any OF our
own employees why this strike was or
dered?"
Il nuzzled those - -.
Parks is alleged TO have answered, and II
they talked they would have been fined
$50 and lost their jobs and would never have
been able to get another job so long as I'm
in town
Schrnitt said he went to Parks home by
appointment and handed over four one.
hundred-dollar bills and ten ten-dollar gold
pieces. Schmitt says Parks would not take
the money in his hand, but directed him
TO put il on a table In the room
well" said Schmitt, there's your
money, and he threw it on the table.
According to Schmitt, Parks remarked
that il was only fair, as everybody else
had paid under similar circumstances, and
then Parks added:
by rights we ought TO tax you III 600,
but brought some OF my special influence
to bear and brought 1t down to $500
Schmitt will probably be called as wit
ness for the prosecution TO testify In the case
in which Parks is charged with extorting
$40, 900 from the Hecla people for settling
the Hecla strike. The strike in the Tiffany
Studios plant was called of on the day
following the payment Of the $500 to Parks.