Norwich bulletin., 1920-12-17
DEFIANT WITNESSES AT
 "BUILDISG TRUST" HEARING

New York, Dec. 16.-Despite defiant witnesses and numerous interruptions from spectators. three of whom were elected from the meeting room. the joint legislative committee Investigating the alleged building trust" today continued it's investigation into the "oDen shop" activities of the National Erectors asso-
 Clash after clash ibetween witnesses | and Samuel Untermyer. the committees counsel, marked the proceedings, witch were witnessed by hundreds of persons who crowded into the hearing chamber in the city hall.
 l Walter Drew, counsel and labor com missioner for the association, was the first person elected from the room by the sergeant-at-arms for interruptin- the committees counsel. A few minutes later w W. Corlett. general solicitor for the
 American Bridge company, and A. E. Davis, also an official of the United States Steel corporation subsidiary. were ordered to leave for alleged prompting of witness.
 Captain Robert J. Foster. a private ee- tective, alleged head of 0 ''esp;orage system" of the erectors' association, had a stormy session on the witness stund aud was twice adjudged in contempt fol re- fusing to produce the reports of his ''se- cret agents" in the steel industry and n union organizations
 Testimony purporting to show that the | National Erectors' association had work ed in conjunction with the United States Steel corporation was given by >'ha:'lss l E. Cheney, secretary of the association | He admitted Mir. Drew had given linl in-
 structions to alter the minutes by. rian- ing omissions relating to meetings at which relations with the corporation Were discussed.
 Vice President Joshua Hatfield If the American Bridge company, a tubs diary Il of the steel corporation denied kI.owlsdge of any general policy by his company tc
 refuse structural steel to New York build CTS who employed only union wcrkmen
 He admitted, however, that Post & Nc.
 Cord, "open shop" iron erectors, handled
 all of the company steel in the nslropol itan district.
 William Bowen of New York, president and William Dobson of Indianapolis. sec retary, of hte Bricklayers Masons' ant
 Plasterers,e International union, took thl
 witness stand and denied test 'n,cisg givel . last week by w. K. Fertig, secretary 6 I the Marble Industry Employers associ;t ,, tion, that he had paid them various sum of money amounting to S6,500 in ''gratui ties"
 f Thomas Preece of Chicago. information
 al vice president of the union, admitted however, he had received $1500 iron
 Fertig for expenses" in connection witt . the international unions 1920 convention f at Cleveland.
 Standing by his original testimony, Fer . tig took the stand and declared he ha : paid the International, Bricklayers'. Ma sons and Plasters' officials S6,500 in Va
 rious sums, of which s1 900, he said, Wa paid to Bowen in cash at the Park Ave I nue hotel in December, 1919. for 'ex
 penses." He said he had also mad
 other payments to the union chief as we a as to Preece and to Dobson. . Fertig, however, exonerated Dobsor . declaring that the union officials ha I later returned him the $S50 he had give = him.
 The witness asserted that the none
 was paid the labor leaders voluntarily ar e was not in the nature of a bribe. Il 1 said that the money was entered on th
 associations books as general expenses.