The New York herald. [volume] (New York, N.Y.) 1920-1924, 1920-11-08
FisurIng on Gratt Totals.

y Accountants spent Few hours yeseer-
6ay running through the testimony piled
up at the public hearings and reckoning
ouf approximately what sums must nave
been paid TO Brindeu and his council
a. shown in the sworn evidence pre-
Ssnted :.
. They figured up that the stream OF
money which flowed into Brindeis
strong box or into his council through
NIL sources amounted TO Approximately
nalf n million dollars between April
and October last. That Is the indicated
figure based upon the testimony
4 into the pot went the amounts eN-
terted under threat OF strikes which
would tie up all construction work sums
wnich contractors have sworn they mad
10 pay 10 get jobs fees OF several varie-
tss wrung from laoorers for the prlSl-
lego OF working with a Brlndel cara
split partnN ship and all the Little odas
and ends of revenue paid as tribute 20
one or the most remarkable systems OF
eraft ever devised.
The members OF the ring who were
N on the graft had various names for
their "pickiugs." Witnesses have testi-
led that Brindell described flat thou
G.nd dollar assessments as berries.
Other have told OF tho "dlvvy" the
wake off" the ''bets' and the com
sensations demanded.
In this item OF half a million is In
GUIDED only the actual sums specified
by witnesses before the committee.
Numerous hints have been dropped OF
other revenues which the accountants
hive not even tried 10 approximate and
about which more win be learned later.
o. ab 900 Plum for silent Partner.
I One OF tho biggest items in the whole
kyytem was thS spit partnerships"
Ehat described he little scheme worked
tut by Brindell for tanning In part
her on a Job. When the Labor KING
thought a contract price was TOO low he
boosted il whatever in his Judgment II
would stand, and then put partner IN
b. look after It. according TO witnesses.
\ One builder told OF plan l jump
contract for s275. 900 10 100000. giving
The silent partner the added s125,000.
Another witness told of Brindell's anger
Acauss a contractor had taken an ex-
eayating lob for $4,000. when the price
he had sc. was $4,000. This is the
biz revenue and the committee has not
rotten around TO Ii yet.
Z Nor does the half million include any
Estimate of the revenue derived from the
aysteIn Of taxing $1,000 q floor on owners
and builders erecting skyscrapers, In
LonnectfOn with the GOtram 4NAliclld4
sank building It was shSyn that the
s'systern" called for $4,000 floor on iron
Buildings
Z Hero are the sums OF money which
Witnesses have atold the Lockwood COM
Mfttee were paid 70 Robert p. Br'ncell
his agents or the Bsilding Trades Coun-
ril between April and October asst. This
~Yst Includes only fees exacted for the
privilege OF working or getting contracts
and direct levies on jobs TO prevent
xtrskes. The witnesses and the amounts
OF graft" passed. either by or through
them. are:
George S. Backer, the indicted con-
tractor, as direct tribute 20 Brindeil y25,coV
William Waissel, for being classified
Ter contracts under the Brindeh
Ilrob Fradua 20 get contracts. ....... 1000
Albert A. Volk, contractor FOR "A
berries OF contracts. initiation fees
for vorknen and waiting time. V,SJl
tracts. ..........s......s........e.. 1850
Israei Cioldstein. rercentaee oa-,coi- A..
tracts. .............'. 1890. $500 w
Max Mninston. percentage on con- -.
tracts. .-..s-ss..s'.H 2sVNp
jacob Kamen, percentage on contracts 1900
Neyer s. Bloomberg, percentage on
contracts. .......... .............. h,bo
walter and Frank Melton. partnership
George J. Atweii, payments which
Brindeii told witness he Rad re-
estved on contracts .......-.... 10000