New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1917-04-12
Forced to Make False Re-
pudiation Of Testimony,
He Says
Prosecutor Is Accused
Allegations at Trial Involve
Assaults Laid to Labor
Leaders

David Manusevitz. a cloak operator
and principal witness for the City Club,
testified yesterday at the trial OF Dis
trict Attorney Swami for misconduct
in Office. Manusevitz declared that he
was forced, under threats Of imprison-
ment made by Assistant District Az
torney Samuel Markewich. to confess
that he had committed perjury when he
testified before the grand jury IN lsi4
that he had been attacked by Max sig.
man and Harry Goldberg, leaders OF
the Garment Makers Union.
MANUSCRIPTS testimony was offered
10 support the additional charges
against District Attorney Swami. These
alleged that the prosecutor had useo
his Office to indict men whom he knew
would be witnesses against him on inc
trial OF the original accusations. In
these charges allegations were made oil
an attempt at fraud in General Ses.
sions by recommending the dismissal oi
the indictments against the labor leau
ers Sigman and Goldberg and tweh'!
FIVE others.
District Attorney Markewich mad Iorceu
him to plead guilty to perjury on reD,
ruary IS last after he had grilled HIM
for hours on four occasions in the Dis
trict Attorneys Office. He swore Marke-
wich had told him that he must say
that Max Sulkes, the organizer OF
fake union for the garment makers IN
1913. had directed him to tell the grand
Jury that Sigman and Goldberg had as
saulted him.
On direct examination by Chase Mel
len. counsel for the City Club, Manuse-
vitz testified that his wife and Marke-,
witch hired Nathan Lichtblau. a friend
and fellow club member of Make
wich's. as his counsel. Lichtblau. the
witness said. had told him in the Tombs
that il was all fixed up with Markewlch
to save him from going to prison II he
Manusevitz would plead guilty to per-
Jury and testify that Max Sulkes
taught him to com.nit perjury.
Manusevitz Accuses Lawyer
Manusevitz also testified that As
sistant District Attorneys John 7. Dool-
ing and Morris Eder were present on
one or two occasions when Markewlch
told him what he must do to keep out
of prison. On another occasion. the
witness said. Assistant District At
torney Alfred J. Talley and the wit
ness's counsel were also present.
Manusevitz said that Lichtbblau re-
fused TO defend him unless he obeyed
Markewich.
IL told them it was a shame that
after | was beaten and was in the hos
pital for three weeks to say what was
not the truth" said Manusevitz. MI.
Dooling was mad like anything, and
swore at me when | would not say it
was Sulkes that taught me to commit
perjury.
The day | was arrested Markewich
and Eder talked for three hours In my
presence with Barnet Engel another
witness in the Manusevitz assault case
who pleaded guilty OF perjury A man
named Schneider, an agent for the
union, was there. Engel was crying,
but finally he said he would plead
guilty. Then Markewich came over TO
me and advised me to do as Engel had
done and get out Of it easy.
ii was in the Tombs seven days, and
my wife came to me crying and saying
that our children were sick and there
was no money in the house, so | gave
in. That was on Sunday, February II.
They asked me a lot of questions about
Lucian S. Breckenridge as to whether
he got any money from Sulkes."
Under REORGANIZATION by Mr.. Mar
kewich il was admitted by Manusevitz
that he swore before Judge Mcintyre
in General Sessions to the truth of his