New-York tribune., 1920-10-26
Hettrick's Letter Offer.
ing HyIan Union Sup.
port if He Signed Court.
house Contract Shown
Connecting Link
In Housing Probe
Controversy Arises Be-
tween Governor and In.
termycr ON Prosecutor

The Lockwood joint legislative
committee Investigating the building
material trust is believed to have dis
covered the connecting link between
the labor organization and contracto
combination whose operations are de-
clared to be responsible for the acute
housing situation.
A letter was made public yesterday
which John T. Hcttrick, adviser to
several groups of contractors, wrote to
Mayor Hylan. In it Hettrick offered
the Mayor the commentator of labor
unions if he signed a certain contract
for construction work on the proposed
new courthouse. In the communication
Hettrick specifically says that he rep
rescnts many of these unions, thus
establishing his connection with both
sides of the alleged combine that has
almost throttlcd competition in the
building industry
Disposal of "Insurancc" Pot
The disclosure is held by the commit
tee to be of vital Importance in casting
some light on the possible disposition
of the mysterious per cent "insur-
ance' pot to which the members of the
code of practice contributed This
fund was in custody of Hettrck, who
advlsed his clients subscribing to the
"code,' and who received per cent of
the gross business of the firms for his
services The other 3 per cent, he de-
clared, went to eliminating the evils
incident to plumbing, cut stone, and
steam and ventilating contracting bust
nesses."
Samuel Untcrmyer, counsel for the
Lockwood committee, maintains that
TINS per cent totaled approximate v
$4,000 TOR last years business of the
plumbing industry alone. Hettrick saws
that the years business amounted to
from S3,0OO,OO0 to $4,000 600, making
the insurance fund only about $12O,OOO
1t ls the contention of the committee S
counsel that much of this money was
paid out to placate labor leaders and
other powers, to secure immunity for
the contractors in the combination
from strikes and to obtain advantages
for the circle in other ways
The letter was made public by Com
missioner Of Accounts Hirshfield, who
had been investigating the S2,372 600
contract with Henry Hanlein & Son.
The contract was rescinded along with
four others by the Board of Estimate
last Friday at the instigaton of the
Mayor. 1t was written two weeks ago,
but was undated 1t reads:
Honorable John F. Hy!an, Mayor
of New York City, City Hall
Dear Sir: May | call attention to
the present status of the contra ct
awarded by the Board of Estimate and
Apportonment to Henry Haniein &
Son for the stonework on the New
York County Court House?
$4,000 Bond Filed
My client, in accordance with the
contract, filed his faithful performance
bond for Sl15,000
This matter has been under inves-
tlgatlon by your Commiss oner of Ac-
counts because of newspaper articl IS
appearing in The New York World. All
OF these articles have proved on in
vestlgation to be gross lies, and the
editors and managers Of this newspaper
acknowledged to me personally last
evening that they had been grossly
deceived by their reporter in this
matter The result is that their cru
sade, apparently aimed against your
honor, S Mayor Of the City of New
York, has been dropped
1--WE have been subjected to a delay
Of nearly month, and further ex-
tended delay will work great injury to
/ my client. 1t Will be necessary be.
! tween now and November 10 to have
! quarrlcd 100000 feet of stone for this
4 job, as it is impossible to quarry stone
CONTINUED page ciehtecn)