Evening star., 1920-11-24
GIRL IN CONTEMPT
|NBU|LD|NG PROBE
Miss 0'Dea, Stenographer OF
Supply Bureau, Fails to
Appear at Inquiry.

NEW YORK. November - (by the
Associated Press).-Today's session OF
the joint legislative committees in
vestigation of the building trust"
started with the adjudging in con-
tempt of Miss Elizabeth ODea, q
stenographer employed by the build
ers supply bureau.
This followed her failure to take
the stand after vacating of tenn
porary Injunction obtained by her
counsel fe"n restraining a, the cosnmistes n!ns
that the subpoena served on her was
invalid. A sergeant-at-armsw was sent
after the bureaus books.
Separate Probe Postponed
While the committee then was
questioning the next witness, Anthony
A. Palermo. the board Of estimate met
and decided to postpone until next
Monday taking Of evidence in its
separate investigation Of alleged col
lusive bidding on city contracts.
Paterno corroborated testimony OF
his brother. Joseph, yesterday that his
firm had paid $4,000 cash to dele
ing trades council for protection
against labor troubles'' on two apart
merit houes being built in upper Man
haitian.
The witness added that Brindell
got $1.750-or $50 man for thirty
liam zaranko's house wreckers' union
to remain on Job.
Miss O'Dea is stenographer Of the
| builders supply bureau. of which the
contracting firm Of John A. Mccarthy,
| business partner of Charles F. Murphy.
Tamnany Hall leader. Is a member.
| Another temporary injunction. re-
| straining the committee from OK
amfning Secretary Sidney J. Treat Of
the Association of Dealers in Hasons'
I Maf Yt01 a 10
on Chairman Lockwood.
| Books Are SURRENDERED.
| Workings of the estimating bureau
Of the Concrete Fireproofers' AsSo-
| citation were described yesterday aft
ernoon by Roswell F.. Easton. its origi-
nator. Books Of the builders' supply
bureau, comprising fourteen contract
ing firms, also were surrendered to
the committee by Miss Elizabeth
O'Dea. stenographer.
Earlier the hearing was marked by
a sharp clash between Samuel Inter
Imyer, committee counsel, and Grover
Whalen. commissioner Of plants and
private secretary, during his examina-
ltion regarding city ash dumping con-
tracts. TO these developments was
added testimony of former Magistrate
Frank e. o'Reilly of Brooklyn and
two attaches of the ffth district
magistrates court. concerning more
tor less close relations'' between the
}mayor and Commissioner Of Accounts
tHirschfeld. as law w4practitioners, with
John 7. Hettrick. VINO was court
stenogfapher there.
Hettrick now is q central figure IN
the building trust" as operator Of a
code OF practice" among 400 master
plumbers. ana plumbing contractors
Throughout the city.
Growth OF Organization. =
Easton told how the concrete fire.
proofers' estimating bureau, formed
June "a, 1919. grew from the Master
League Of Cement Workers' Associa-
tion until It expanded into the Con-
crete Fireproofers' Association, with
membership off twelve firms, which
individually are members Of the
Building Trades Employer Associa-
4 tion.
1t was agreed among the twelve
members. Easton testified, to permit
the bureau to make their estimates
on all proposals. then 10 per cent
was added to the estimate by the
| firm as an overhead charge before
bidding. The contractor. II success
full. paid the bureau ~ per cent Of
| the contract. Then, At the end Of
the year. the bureau divided the
money among the unsuccessful bid
ders. proportionately.