The Birmingham age-herald., 1920-12-18
.29 PLEAD GUILTY !. ID VIOLATION OF ANTITRUST | A w 27 Paving Corporations Fined $2,5OO as Individuals With
 Similar Fine for Each
 Corporation
By Associated Press

New York, December 17.--Twenty- mine
 cut-stone contractors, indicted for viola
 tion of the Donnelly state antitrust act, today pleaded guilty before Justice John B. McAvoy, in the criminal branch of the supreme court.
 Twenty-seven paving corporations were fined $2,5Oo as individuals, with s2,5o fine for each corporation. Two contrac- tors not having corporations were fined s 900 each. Justice McAvoy ruled that the individuals must spend one day in jail for each dollar of their fines not paid. | The defendants indicted in connection with the investigation of the building trust" were all members Of the New York Cut-Stone Contractors association, whicn has been disbanded, and through their counsel announced that they will aid the prosecution of other cases.
 ENDS IN CONFUSION Shortly before they appeared in court, the joint legislative committe investigat- ing the building trust" abruptly ad- ljourned it's public session when it's hear ing was thrown into confusion after an ] attempt by Senator Kaplan to have the committee instruct Samuel Untermyer, l it's counsel, to demand maximum jail sem tences for any, one pleading guilty to an indictment. so that no defendant would receive leniency for turning states evil dence."
 The Kaplan motion was vigorously op- posed by MT. Untermyer as 'monstrous outrage upon public interest" and was overruled by Senator Lockwood. chairman of the committee, who insisted that the l body go into executive session to con slider Kaplan's appeal from the chair mans action.
 1 The committee then adopted a resolu- I ton expressing confidence in it's counsel, 1fe nct harsn l fcial to the people of the city. the state
 and nation through their untiring eff | forts"
 1 The resolution also asserted that the l committee has no Jurisdiction as to the l criminal proceedings. as these matters
 are solely within the Jurisdiction of the prosecuting authorities and the court" | POSSIBILITIES THREATENING i The public hearing was thrown into confusion during the wrangling over the Kaplan motion, the hundreds of spec tators that crowded the room alterna tely cheering, booing and hissing the remarks l of Senator Kaplan. Mir. Untermyer and Senator Lockwood. Many of them left !, their seats and pressed through to the committeeman desk when the hostilites became warm and threatening
 ] It was in the midst of this tumult that
 Senator Lockwood notified the audience that the public session for the day was l over. as the committee would go into executive session to settle the matter. ! Ebert H. Gary, chairman of the United States Steel corporation. in a statement issued late today, absolved the American
 Bridge company of any irregular prac-
 tices in connection with the committee E ! investigation.
 "I have not had opportunity" Mir. Gary
 said Ito read the full proceedings before the committee. but 1 believe full investi- gation o. the subject matter will show ] that nothing has been done by the com psny which is contrary to law or in any
 respect reprehensible- le-certainly not witt
 the knowledge or approval of the officers
 of the United States Steel corporation ol
 q the AmeTican Bridge company"