The New York herald. [volume] (New York, N.Y.) 1920-1924, 1920-12-22
INSIDERS REVEALED
RING OF PLUMBERS
Court Appearance of Majority
Indicted for Conspiracy
Removes Much Secrecy.
80 WENT BEFORE JURY
Turned States Evidence and
Apparently Escaped Inclu-
sion in Indictments.

With the appearance in court yester-
day OF most of the fifty-two defendants
accused of conspiracy to boost the cost
of plumbing materials. inaccordance
with plans formulated by John T. Het-
trick, indicted lawyer. of 1875 Broadway,
a rift appeared in their combination.
When fortytwo OF the individuals and
corporations named in the indictment
either had furnished the required bonds
and the others had assured the court
through their counsel that they would
appear to-day, some of the secrecy
which had surrounded the charges was
dropped u then became known that
the Indictment was based largely upon
the testimony OF persons who had been
included among members OF the ring and
who apparently had escaped indictment
themselves by becoming States wit
nesses before the Extraordinary Grand
Jury.
In all. IL appeared from the papers on
file in the Supreme Court that Samuel
A. Berger and Kenneth M. Spence. Spe-
cial Deputy AttorneysGeneral. who are
prosecuting cases growing out Of the
investigation of the Lockwood Legisla-
| tive Committee, had called thirty-nine
witnesses before the Grand Jury and
that all of those were either closely con-
nectd with the plumbing or building
trades, while several were former mem
bers OF HettriclS's combination. although
thir names DO not appear upon the list
OF defendants.
Thirty-six defendants appeared yes
| terday, Hettrick and five others hav-
ing appeared Monday, when the indict-
ments were filed. Those named In the
indictment, with the exception of the
six whose names were printed yester-
day are: Alexander Bryant Company,
William Wallace; Caravan &c Deigan,
Inc, Michael j. Caravan and David
Deigan Fallihee e McCaul Inc.
Thomas f. McCaul and John J. FALL
hee; w. G. Cornell Company. Wilson
G. Cornell and Edward Slosson; Jarcho
Brothers, Inc, Jacob Jarcho; j. II. Jas
per. Inc; Lasette & Murphy Inc,
Frank b. Lasette: James McCullagh
| Company. James McCullagh; PollaclS &
O'Neill. Inc, Isidor Pollack and John
| G. O'Neill; Milton Schnaier Contracting
Corporation; Wells & Newton Com
pany Frank j. Fee and Charles A.
Murphy, Kenny-Moran Company. Inc.
Patrick L. Kenny; Monroe NJ. Goding,
Inc. Monroe NJ Golding: Hopkin
Plumbing Corporation. William Young
Plumbing company. j. S. Murphy Com
pany. l. ]. Barth Plumbing and Heat
| ing Company, V. s. Rittenhouse, Inc,
j. Mcmillan Company, Inc. John f.
| We'll. Inc. Charles II. Darmstadt TIC.
George r. Gibson Company, Tomas
L. Mclaughlin, Inc. w. Y.gEack Com
pany. John l.. Knight. Jamce Connolly,
George Connolly, William !. Doran and
| William II. Chapman.
Doran & Chapman, no are officers Of
the local plumbers union, were already
under indictments charging them with
completely in extortions alleged to have
been practiced by and on behalf of
Robert y. Brindell. The indictment ia
this case. which follows the lines of
the indictment in the case of the cut
stone contractors ring in charging
violation of the State antitrust laws.
accuses them of having been criminally
concerned in the combination of which
the other defendants were members. 1t
has been previously asserted that they
coerced plumbers into joining this
group.
The indictment alleges that the COM
bination complained of was formed on
December !. 1919. and that the defend
ants, nearly all of whom are master
plumbers, agreed to make the bid Cor
more than 500 without first submitting
II to Hettrick and obtaining his APP
prevail, and that in this way they APP
portioned bids among their bands and
dispensed with competition.
Jonah Goldstein and Terence j. Nc
Manus appeared In court yesterday as
counsel for groups OF the defendants.
Pleas of not guilty were offered on
behalf Of all. Bail in all cases except
Hettricks was fixed Monday at 5000
for each individual indicted.