The New York herald., 1920-12-29
A MILLION IN INCOME
Holsters Surrender, Decid-
inc to Divorce Brindell
and Work SingIy.
HARD HUNT FOR SECRETS
Lockwood Committee Finds 1t
Is Difficult to Get at
Terra Gotta Facts.

Samuel Cntermyer and the Lock-
wood Committee added yesterday the
nfth to the list of price fixing build
ing trades organizations which, under
the committees fire. have agreed to
dissolve ths.- >siliations and do ousl-
ness Independently.
The remainder OF the committees
days work comprised the disclosure
OF nationwide organizations of cement
and terra Gotta manufacturers, who
had systems of receiving and dis
tributing information regarding prices.
bids and contracts similar TO the sys-
tenn of John T. Hettrick, whereby. it
appeared, uniformity of prices was
maintained. In the case OF cement,
II was absolutely impossible for a pur-
chaser to resell cement he bought or
10 use it for any other purpose than
that for which he was supposed TO
have bought it.
Tho surrender of the Hosting Associ-
stion made UP of e5 per cent. OF the
building hosting of this city. was an
nounced Immediately after the commit
tee began yesterdays session. John e.
Eustis, an attorney Of 200 Broadway
took the stand and made it known that
the Holsters Association, OF which he
was secretary and treasurer. had decided
e. dissolve and to withdraw its member
ship from the Building Trades Employ
ers Association. which is linked BY
agreement with Robert p. Brindell, the
indicted czar of the building industry.
From now on. Mr.. Eustis said, the hoist
ers will engage in business independently
and with free and unrestricted competi-
ton. He was at pains 10 impress the
committee with the sincerity of the de-
cision.
No linn unity for Holsters.
Mr. Unterrnyer assured him that the
action of the holsters did not in any way
grant immunity to them from prosecu-
ton. and he read into the record minutes
from the associations records showing
that as late as November 8, 1920, an as
sociation committee, headed by II. S.
Gardner OF Newark. was busy working
out plans to obtain uniformity In prices.
Eustis admitted on the stand that Gard
rer had told him that at one time efforts
were made to get John 7. Hettrick orig
inator of the code of practice" and the
card system OF the building contractors.
TO serve the holsters.
The Hosting Association was com
posed of Thomas & Buckley Company,
Smith Operating Company. Northside
Hosting Company Carlson Company.
Brooklyn: III IS. Gardner, Newark: the
White Hod Elevator Company and the
A. E. Pelham Operating Company.
Don't you know you are losing 4
tob?' was Mr.. Untermyer's parting shot
at Eustis.
II don't mind" the witness replied.
1T was not compensating me for the
time devoted anyway"
When the cement situation was taken
up IL was revealed that Mr.. Untermyer
had been able to obtain the presence of
number of big cement men from New
Jersey, Pennsylvania and other States as
witnesses. II appeared that the chief
counsel for the Lockwood committee had
achieved that end about ten days ago.
when his process servers swooped down
on a convention of cement men at the
Biltmorc Hotel and served subpenas
which resulted in a number of them
having to pass the Christmas holidays
in New York In order to attend the COM
mittee hearing yesterday.
Though the cement witnesses proved
10 be perhaps the most reluctant sources
OF information Mr.. Untermyer has en-
countered so far. he was able TO show
that there arc three regional associations
Of cement manufacturers, covering
roughly. the East. the South and the
West. into which members submit all
prices and other data concerning cement
sold by each. and which information In
distributed by the association TO all
members.
All Of the regional associations ex-
change Information, and all members Of
tho three associations are members Of
the National Cement Association, also
called the Portland Cement Association
Mr.. Untermyer established the fact that
cement prices are maintained at "a uni
form level by all companies supposed to
be competing and that any change in
prices is reflected in the quotations OF
all companies simultaneously. No wit
ness would admit that prices were fixed
by the associations.
string Tied to sales of Cement.
Witnesses admitted. however. that the
cement association operations went so
far as 10 refuse to sell 70 consumers Of
cement any more cement than for the
purposes stipulated in the contract Of
sale and compelled an agreement from
the purchaser that tho cement bought