The evening world., 1920-12-03
ON STAND
IN OWN DEFENSE
At PERJURY TRIAL
Accused Contractor Tells of
His Rise to Wealth From
a Sailor.

oeorsV q. Baoaser. millionaire
builder, being tried on e charge Of
perjury before Judge Rosslsly In
General Sessions, to-day took the
witness stand in his own defense.
Baulser said he was foreign-born
and came 10 America In 1891. He
has worked as a sailor. newspaper
dealer. chandelier dealer and real
estate operator and lived in Chicago
and Memphis, Tenn.
Rob, It Il. BrindeN was identified
by a newspaper picture as one Of
three mon with whom George BScker
Was talking shortly before Ephraim
b. Levy gave Backer the drst $4,000
Of the $4,000 Baclter told him VIA
the price Of having the strike called
on his building, according TO John w.
Noble, q witness.
Noble, employed by Backer az a
construction superintendent called
for tho defense testified that he had
seen BRcker talking with two mys-
terious strangers near the oonStruo-
tion Job. These, Edmund l. Mooney,
counsel for the defense, said might by
inference be taken as the Mutt and
jon" to whom Backer testified before
the Lockwood committee, he gave tho
money. This testimony was given
when Baoker admitted his story Of
losing the money at the race track
was false.
Mr.. Mooney produced the newspaper
clipping. and Noble said he had seen
the original Of the picture standing
across tho stroet while Bacloer waa
talking with the two strangers. When
cross-examined by Emory r. BuclSner.
special prosecutor. Noble said he saw
Baclker and the two strangers cross
the street and talk 30 the man there
After this conversation. he said, the
man drove away in an automobile.
James Fennlmore, another sdpo-ln-
tendent employed by Backer. also told
OF seeing Backer talking With two men
one tail and one short
Union iron workers on Ephraim
Levy's building when Robert p. Brin-
dell called n strike there, were re-
placed with open shop" men after
Levy paid his $4,000 brtbe through
George s. Backer, Robert T. Brooks,
iron contractor, testified
Mr.. Brooks, who is President OF the
George A. Tust Co OF Long Island
city, had the $500, 900 iron contract on
Levy's building. Under examination
by Edmund L. Mooney, BaokeTs
counsel, his testimony laid the
ground work for a plea that Backer's
handling OF the $4,000 brbbe money
saved Levy from financial disaster.
Mr.. Brooks told of conversations
With Backer and with Levy. who said
the strain of carrying his enterprise
under the strike was getting to be
too much for him
Backer told him they want $500
to settle the trouble" Brooks testi-
fed. He said Backer declared Il was
dirty money" "disreputable prac-
tice,- and threatened to drop the
whole job.
Emory l. Buckner. Special Prose-
cutor drew from Brooks the admis-
sion that "open shop" men replaced
union iron workers after "BOGne one
paid money to somebody"
Walter Stablef, Comptroller Of the
Metropolitan Life Insurance, and
Monroe Douglas Robinson. banker,
were character witnesses for Backer.
Henry II. Gibson. a real estate
dealer, Of No. IS Clark Street, Brook.
lyn, testified he met Baclter in the
Hotel Chatham for luncheon oil
July Ia, when Levy testified he paid
the second instalment 70 $4,000
While waiting for Backer, Mr.. Glib
son said he saw him meet two men
shake hands with them and hand one
. | -. avail