The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1906-07-22
CASE OF CORONER ACRITELLI.
vrppER OF BUTLER HELPS
TuR0W SOME LIGHT ON TT.
,,,.or, That Bolts Drop Eight Stories on
yon.Inion Men by Accident Com.
nan, Not subject to Penalty for Delay
an a puilding II 10 Putting Up for Itself.

xn,.Inion Men by Accident Com.
nm, Not subject TO Penalty for Delay
On a puilding II 10 Putting Up for Itself.
IN the case Of Coroner Acritelli, whose
,hIosophy on the improperly OF going near
Sam Parks iron worker when he feels
.rrderous has attracted some notice since
ss Investigation OF the murder OF Michael
pr,ler ON the Plaza building began, there
developed yesterday some contradictions
~ the statement given to THE SUN by the
coroner on the day before. In seeking to
doyelop the fact that the Fuller company
had been guilty Of conspiracy in sending
Snncial Policemen Butler, O'Toole and
cullen to the eighth floor OF the Plaza build
inc Coroner Aoritelli stated that the
construction company was behind In it's
contracts and had deliberately attempted
70 force a strike and thus ave penalties for
Ia rdincss under the exemption clause allow
ing overtime in case OF strike contingencies.
Officers Of the Fuller ooncern remarked
tor instance, that the George A. Fuller
Compapy is itself chief owner Of the new
plaza building and is, consequently, under
no contract whatsoever. save with the
United States Realty Company, Of which
concern it is a part. The United States
Realty Company owns a th~ree-quarter
interest in the building. The George A.
Fuller Company, as a corporate part OF
the realty firm, does the construction work
m the buildings which IL W through
the United States Realty Company, and Is,
consequently, not liable to impose a penalty
upon itself for delay in the erection Of one
OF its own buildings.
1t is pointed ont by the legal advisers Of
the George A. Fuller Company that the
construction firm would suffer through a
strike and that any dissatisfaction on the
part of the union men working on it's build
ips would entail loss. The Fuller concern
sought out union labor in the first place
and had to gain the permission OF the Allied
Iron Trades Association before laborers
Of the Housesmiths and Bridgemen's Union
could be employed at all.
Supt Norris in charge Of the construc-
ton work on the Plaza building, oontradicts
Coroner Acritelli's assertion that the pre-
yious record of assaults by union men upon
%pon-union laborers working in the Plaza
structure did not justify the employment
Of the three watchmen to keep watch over
yesterday:
Two weeks before the murder Of Butler
and Immediately after the coming of the
non-union men TO work on the lighter iron
work on the lower floors bolts. T-joints,
boards and hammers began to fall through
man was hit by a rivet while standing
near President Sterritt Of the FULLER COM
pany; his assailant was arrested and later
Jumped his bail. Things got SO bad that a
week before Butler was killed l posted a
notice to the effect that if any man was
xa,rht lroppipn hNlfa or nfhcr maffora
from the upper stories he would be dis
charged.
There were four men to my knowledge
beaten in the cellar by union men, after
being sent there by a union man upstairs
to see the superintendent about getting
and I consequently. do not know their
names. The non-union men came to me
and complained that they were afraid OF
being killed. Then l hired the three special
policemen.
at IL ridiculous to gay the special police.
men didn't know what they had to do. and
were ignorant Of the danger they were run
ming into. When Lhired them / told them
they would go up against a tough set Of
men. They had done the same sort Of job
before and knew what kind OF men they had
to deal with
Coroner Acritelli hopes that his position
in the matter of the inquiry into Buffers
death will not be misunderstood. He
doesn't care to have 1t appear that he is
trying to cover up a murder.
Put / think 1t Is only fair to give the
under dog a chance" say Mr.. Aoritelli.
Now, about those falling bolts" he en-
plains with suavity, you know that often
the man below who tends to the hosting OF
the steel girders forgets to slip a bolt into
the ends when he gives the signal to hoist,
Result is that when the beam gets up to its
place the two men there can't make it solid
In its place. So they call below for a bolt
and one is thrown to them. They are only
standing on a small space and sometimes,
Of course, they miss the bolt. Then the bolt
falls
Coroner Acritelli concluded his prelim-
mary examination Of witnesses yesterday
morning with the taking Of testimony from
two members of the union. One OF the
union witnesses, who was wanted earlier In
the examination, but who went fishing, re-
turned yesterday and was subppnaed for
the inquest set for Tuesday.