New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1917-01-16
rstrict Attorney Appears
n Person TO Support
His Allegation
prFUSES TO TALK
OF PROSECUTIONS
couldnfC on Papers
Breckinridge Paid For,
He Declares

n,,,r;ct Attorney Swami appeared
.,.,,uy before the grand jury yes
80, 20 support his charge that some
-. documentary evidence used In
.,D.r,tion Of the cases against the
go pplcn officials figuring IN the
80, against him was stolen from
=. r,ions snd afterward purchased
-, stv money by Lucian s. Brcekin-
-. from an agent Of the employers
..S.Fifth Avenue private detective
sS,olen evidence is not admissible IN
s~in,l cases, as has been laid down
n. Federal case OF Weeks. Even in
a, Jared Flsgg case, where the evil
49,, was seized without due process
sJ,v the conviction WAS reversed"
IA District Attorney Swami last
right
DO you eontemplsts prosecuting any
-. connected with the purchase OF the
,r.r,d stolen svidenes?" he was asked.
81 can't answer that until all the evi-
meals in" replied Mr.. Swami.
n, fact that the District Attorney
,,k,d the grand jury to investigate
.. ebsrscter Of the evidence against
-. upiop officials Is regarded as his
frs, move to justify mis- action in ask
i,r for the dismissal Of their indict-
r,nts, when formed the basis OF
!udge Delehsnty's charges against him.
Story Of the Stolen Evidence
N substance the story OF the stolen
ri5snee is g follows;
Daring the big garment workers
rrke Of 1910 a row cnsued st meet
~ Of the International Ladies Gar
-s-+ Workers Union at 50 last
Togrtb Street. in which Max Sigman,
,,s Of the labor defendants figuring IN
ne present controversy, took an lmpor-
ant part. The meeting broke up IN
sld disorder, and the lights were SUD
Denly extinguished. When they were
iurned on, big bag containing SlO,OOO
si important union papers was re-
ported as missing.
The affair was well aired in the East
SIDE papers. and charges we're made 70
district Attorney Whitman that the
EMPLOYERS had plotted 70 steal the
MONS money and private papers.
things ouieted down when the strike
vas settled, and nothing more was
ieard about il until the murder trials
of SigmAn and five companions came
min 1918 before Justice Tompkins, in
tss Criminal Branch Of the Supreme
Ceur.
Morris Hilquit, Judge ". N. X. o.
colt and Abraham Levy, counsel Tor
the indicted men, raised the cry that
the evidence which was being used by
Mr. Breckenridge and the then Assist
ant District Attorney Delehanty against
their clients had been stolen from the
lAdies' Garment Workers Union. All
The defendants were acquitted and the
matter OF the alleged stolen evidence
vas apparently forgotten.
Alleged Thief Now in Prison
It was called 70 the District After
rsy's attention by counsel for the tabor
men after charges we're brought
against Mr. Swami. Assistant District
Attorney Markewich was set to work
On the case. and reported that the man
who stole the $4,000 and the union
papers was Able Beckern1an, now doing
iine IN Joliet, d., and one Of The de
ishdants charged with shooting Fred
trick Strauss in St. Marks Place IN
January, 1914. Mr.. Markewich said he
believed that Beckerman was hired by
employers to steal the papers and that
&, received all the $4,000 for his
Fork
In 1913. the District Attorney says,
ne papers we're purchased for SD by
lssac {. SHERMAN, a detective, Of l04
Nth Avenue, formerly process
server uaGer District Attorney Jerome.
IA 1915, when District Attorney Per-
Ans vas seeking indictments against
unlon men growing out of the 1914
srke, Nr. Breckenridge. through Ed
7aro N. Hecker. Of 200 Fifth Avenue,
an agent for the Manufacturers Asso-
cation, learned Of the existence of the
IspeTs. Hecker. 10 is said. offered to
produce them for $1,000 and he nego-
llted with Silverman 70 that effect,
cre " 1l'D MN 2oVV ANA wv 80
SHERMAN agreed to the sale, but he
says he received only $3.50 for his
share.
oHyermsn and Hecker were witnesses
!Sterdsy before the grand jury.
hecker had previously stated that he
aad received payment for the papers
liom Detective Clinton Wood at the
"a" OF $50 week. for which he said
1' gave Wood receipts "for confdon-
Ia services According TO District
attorney Swami. the vouchers for these
payments we're marked o K by Mr..