The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1904-10-12
TRIBUTE TO DIAMOND PHIL.
TWO ALLEGED DEMANDS, FOR
CASH TO AVERT STRIKES.
One Was Refused, and strike Followed
the Other Was Granted, and Payments
and His Arrest FOIlowed-An Oner OF
$500 Sc0rned ~ mot Cigar Money"

the Other Was Granite ed, and Payments
and His Arrest FOIlowed-An Oner OF
$500 Scorned as mot Cigar Money"
Diamond Phil Weinseimer, walking dele
gate and former president OF the Building
Trades Alliance, the organization he founded
to fight the employers in the building trades,
faced jury yesterday on the charge OF
having extorted money from George j.
Essig, boss plumber. His wife, dressed
In plain black hat and skirt and velvet
jacket, sat In the court room all day.
When, at adjournment in the evening,
abe spoke few words to her husband be-
fore he was led back to the Tombs, Vein
seimer took diamond-studded match box
from his pocket and lighted cigar.
In addition to the charge that Weinseimer
had held up Essig, evidence was brought
out to show that he had also tried to shake
down the Johnson-Kahn Company, the
builders OF the Chatsworth apartment
house, at Seventy-second street and River
side Drive. where Essig had the plumbing
contract.
Assistant District Attorney Rand, for
the prosecution, told the jury that they
were not to solve any great industrial ques-
ton, but just to determine whether or not
Weinseimer was guilty Of extortion. He
said that after calling one strike on the
Chatswo rth, when the Johnson Kahn Com
pany refused to pay $500 to avert it, Vein
seimer demanded 5000 from Essig, who
took up the contract abandoned on account
Of the strike. and actually got from Essig
81 900 in cash and seven notes, to be paid
at intervals, az the price Of not calling
another strike.
Walter Curry, a journeyman plumber,
testified that he was working on the Chats
worth when a strike was called on Nov.
10 last John Kendall had the plumbing
contract then. 1t was a $4,000 contract
and Kendall employed twenty-five men.
Curry was told that the strike was ordered
because Kendall was not a member OF the
Master Plumbers Association.
Curry WAS out Of work eight days and
got another job Then he was notified
by his union to call at Essig's shop in l25th
street He called and found other men
who had beon employed on the Chatsworth.
Curry said Essig's bookkeeper paid him
t34 for waiting time" or for the eight days
he had lost
you personally got $34 from Essig's
bookkeeper for work you had never done
for Essig7"
sYes-
George Kendall testified that his men
! quit work on the Chatsworth on Dec, 81.
on an allegation that the job was being
| Jumped" and because he was not MEM
Der Of the Master Plumbers Association.
Jumping" the job, it was explained later
on, meant that the builder supplied the
material and the boss plumber was paid
! oh fNr thn lah
that when the strike was ordered he got a
release on his contract.
George j. johnson Of the Johnson Kahn
| Company was the principal witness. 1t
was apparent that counsel for the defence
were a little surprised when Mr.. Rand
brought in the charge that Weinseimer
had Tried to hold up the Johnson Kahn
Company. But in cross-examining Mr.
johnson, Mr. Raines tried to show that
the charges laid before the District Attor-
Building Trades Employers Association,
principally the Eidlitz brothers. Mr.. john
son, however, testified that it was his own
intention from the time that Weinsemer
made his demand on Essig to go to the
District Attorney after work on the Chats
worth had been completed.
Mr.. johnson said he was introduced to.
Weinseimer on Nov last while Kendall
had the plumbing contract. by +. j. Selley,
who had a plumbers trade paper. He
met Weinseimer at Forty-second street
and Sixth avenue. This is Mr.. Johnson's
narrative:
.Wenseimer said, Mr. johnson, am
going to call strike on the plumbing job
Well the boss is Jumping the job and he
isn't member of the Master Plumbers
Association He is not Jumping the job
and will try to get him to Join the asso-
citation, said. There isn't any likeli-
hood Of him getting in We I ane s. said a
You are making about $4,000 on the job.
Give me g., 500 and will fix it. You don't
want to have any trouble"
johnson testified that he told Weinsemer
that his company wouldn't think of paying
| 81. 800; hat it was out of the question. Vein
seimer might get present of $500 if there
we're no strikes on the Chatsworth, but
that was all Weinseimer said that $500
was not cigar money" Then they. went
to a saloon on the corner and johnson
| started to renew the conversation.
Not here said Weinseimer. Il don't
want to go where Parks went"
johnson saw Weinseimer couple OF
times after that, but held to the PROPOSE
| ton that Weinseimer might get present
| OF $500 IL there were no strikes on the Chats
worth. The strike was called week or
30 later. Then a contract was made with
Essig to complete the plumbing work for
$4,000.
| son SAID tnat ne DaO nedTu tHdu TeslR wa
| to cav the waiting time" for the men who
had been employed by Kendall, but there was
no such agreement between the company
and Fssig. Mr.. Raines wanted to know
WHY Kendall was not held for damages for
not completing his contract. but Mr.. John
| son showed that there was strike clause
| in the contract. Mr.. johnson told Of talk
| ing to Charles l.. Fidlitz, president Of the
Building Trades Employers Association,
and his brother. Otto. about Weinseimer's
demand on Essig for 81, 900. After talking
with the Eiditz brothers, MIR. johnson went
! to the Office Of Mr.. Cohn, counsel for the
building Trades Employers Association
and there met Fssig From there Mr..
johnson and Essig went to the District
Attorneys office and made formal charges
against Weinsemer. That was on Aug. II.
| Mr.. Rainee wanted to know why MIR. johnson
| had waited from Jan. /, the time Essig went
| to work on the Chatsworth until Aug II,
| before going to the District Attorney.
Because l wanted to wait until work
on the Chatsworth was finished, said Mr.,
johnson. 1T was always my intention to
90 to the District Attorney"
Mr. johnson denied that he ever talked
with the Eidlitz brothers, or any employers
about fixing" Weinseimer and thereby
putting an end to the building troubles last
su miner. The cross-examination OF Mr..
johnson will be continued to-day.