The New York herald. [volume] (New York, N.Y.) 1920-1924, 1920-11-19
Witnesses Tell Lockwood
33d st. Is the Contractors
Court of Appeals.
EIDLITZ IS MEMBER
Hylan, Boisterous and Ar
gumentative, Faces Threat
of Contempt.
$47,62O MORE FOR GRAFT
Brindell Is Indicted in New
$4,000 Case; Backer Trial
Is Set for Nov. 26.

The Lockwood committee yesterday
broke through the rings Of building
srafters and manipulators which have
had New York in their grip for the
last year and found that the great
power back of Robert p. Brindell, the
indicted labor dictator, was the Build
ing Trades Employers Association. the
court of appeals of all contractors.
While the Criminal Court was turning
out new indictments and speeding the
trials Of those already named for
wrongdoing. the committee in session
in City Hall supplied masses Of
startling evidence which gave new
proof Of the remarkable power
welded by this modern labor king"
and went long way toward tearing
down the structure reared on graft
and collusion to stifie building opera
tions.
The days session was boisterous and
exciting. Mayor Hylan and Samuel
Untermyer clashed again during a
long cross examination until the COM
mittee's counsel, exasperated by what
he termed the Mayors stump speeches
threatened TO have Mr.. Hylan cited for
contempt Mr.. Unternlyer struggled
hard to establish connecting link
between City Hall and the Office of
John T. Hettrick. the lawyer who ran
the clearing house for contractors.
The Mayor denounced and defied the
lawyer and their wrangling kept the
crowd greatly amused.
More Tales Of Graft Tribute.
Next followed several witnesses who
told series of amazing stories Of cor
ruptiop. Some were calm and placid,
others fiery and dramatic. but in the
end they all told the Same thing--how
they had paid tribute TO Brindell and
his clique. Summed up. the payments
as detailed during the day amounted to
s47,620. It was the same story over and
over. with little variety in the telling
each time. Money was extorted. they
said, for the right TO bid on contracts.
20 10 through with the contract without
n strike or to hire Brlndell men TO do
the work.
George Atwell. whose name has fig
ured prominently In the hearings almost
from the beginning OF the inquiry and
who had been counted as one OF Brin-
deIrs main props. testified that his pay
,nents amounted to s17.120. He wore
he gave five checks. Three have been
DESTROYED Two bearing BrindelIs sig-
nature were presented in evidence. An
other witness told Of payments made In
the presence Of a witness.
II was Atwen who at the close OF the
day gave the Investigators the line they
have been seeking for weeks--what we
tho power back Of Brindell which made
all labor unions, wealthy contractors
and politicians bend tho knee to him.
ct had to 60 UP to the Building Trades
Employers Association with Brindeii'
Atwell said. lotto Eidlltz made
speech saying Brindell was doing fe-
rnarkable work and we must stand pe-
hind him. He could call up any builder
on tho telephone and get bids and infor-
nation In advance
Employers behind Brindeu.
You think the Building Trades En-
ployers Assoc iation played into Brindens
hands?" Mr.. Untermyer asked. The wit
ness said he did.
WHAT gave Brindell his great power?"
Mr. Untermyer asked.
"Thirty-third street. this association
the Court OF Appeals. IL included the
best builders, the bosses. the great con-
Germs like Fuller and Starrett and Ed
luz and all the rest OF them. And they
reouired that we hire only Brindells .
men. That was inserted right In our
eontracts--only men satisfactory to the
Brindell council"
That then Is really the source OF this
mans powery'
That is the source Of his power"
Another Indictment against Brindell
handed up during the afternoon charged
him with cxtortion and that superseded
thc attempted extortion" charge on
which he was held on Wednesday In
500. He was arragned on the Sec
end Indictment and his bail continued.
The sacond indictment charges Brindel
with extorting $500 from Louis j. Cohen.
contractor
George Backer, the builder. indicted
for perjury growing out of his testimony
before the Lockwood committee in con-
pection with passing $4,000 bribe,
yAs arraigned ana his trial set for Mo-
vennber 26 Brindell will appear on the
same day. when motions are made FOR
his trial
Mayor Hylnn was the first witness.
lie was primed for the second session
with Mr.. Untermyer. He was differ
ent witness than the Hylan who ap-
reared a few days ago and made such
a sad spectacle When he lid not have
answers ready yesterday ho made
speeches. He dragged in the five cent
snre." the Interests" the INTERIOR
ough" and all his stock eXpreasions
about the people" lie was verbose.
.asrrulous." Mr.. Untermyer called II.
lie did not sink down In his chair. but
leaned out over the table and defantly
shouted hIs protection OF "the people"
against Mr. Untermyer's attacks ION
behalf OF the traction ring"
"All want from this board Is fair
treatmentl" the Mayor shouted.
II never saw an official OF the Gov
ernnlent 40 disorderly and SO unamen-