New-York tribune., 1920-11-05

Five Contractors Testify
They Paid Council Head
s13,O26 to Keep Him
From Breaking Them
PAYMENTS Covered
Period of Months
Charmed Circle of 9 De-
clared to Have Caused
Boost of $4,000 Oh
New Courthouse Job

Testimony that thousands Of dol
lars were paid to Robert P. Brin-
dell, head of the Building Trades
Council, by building contractors for
permission to carry on their bust
ness unmolested was the outstanding
feature of yesterdays hearing in the
Lockwood committees investigation
of corrupt practices in the building
industry.
Five contractors told of handing
over total of $13,026 on fifteen
different occasions, in sums ranging
irom 5000 to $4,000. These pay
ments were made between April 20
and October 3, Of this year, it was
SAID. Fifty dollars, according to
testimony, was given to a walking
delegate, representative of Brin-
del's, upon the delegates personal
demand.
Nearly all Of the witnesses de
clared that f they had not paid over
This money to the head Of the Build
ing Trades Council or his associates
they would have been put out of
business by strikes or by other labor
troubles
Charmed Circle of Nine
For the first time, too, it was charged
nat "a charmed circle of nine" had
hand in boosting the limestone bid on
he proposed new courthouse. These
nine men were said to be members of
John T. Hett1ick's "Code of Practice"
group. 1t was testified that rake-off
of AZ per cent was to so to Hettrck's
insurance fund ard another organiza-
tlon, and that this was added to the bid
cp the contract, boosting the price
sbout $4,000. In this connection,
Henry Hanlein, the successful bidder,
asserted yesterday that Hettrick "was
the whole show: he had all the CON
.ractors butfaloed," and that Hanlein.
was a goat
An agreement entered into by the
nlne men, which is said to have CON
tained the details Of the manner in
mich they were to cooperate in carry
!ne out the 50 10000 courthouse con-
'ract and the plan Of the divvy, could
OF be found 1t was reported that 1t
aad been destroyed.
The committee worked with double
dye Yesterday, and while Samuel In
iermyer. counsel for the committee,
end few Of his associates were eX
aminlng witnesses in City Hall. others
Tcrt presenting evidence to the add
Nonal grand jury in the Criminal
Courts Building Indictments on these
lresentments were expected to-day.
The disclosure of the circumstances
under. which the alleged eXt6rtion
money was paid over brought note of
mystery into the proceedings.
Money Passed IN Dark
One man told of placing a large sum
on a table in dark, empty room
and trusting to luck that the person
i3r whom IL was intended would get Il.
Another recountcd how doors were
locked and shades pulled down, and
l,tney passed over in silence. Still an
'tNer, who was not willing or could
not afford TO give more than some
iurdreds Of dollars, was reminded, il
vas testified. that "Brindell was no
mixer and that if the contractor was
to get any work to do, he "would have
20 come across clean" Brindcll re-
icrred to his money demands in con
Nersatlons with contractors as "bets,'
X was said
Albert Nolk, 4 general building con-
Nactor, appears to have suffered most
IN the matter of giving up. He told the
ogmmittee yesterday that he person
es.ly turned over TO Brlndcll total Of
Nou2o in seven payments. The sums
i'nrged from $50 to $500
LOUIS }. Cohen, housewrecking CON
Tractor, SAID he gave up $3.50 in four
Payments, the instaliments ranging
from $3.50 to $4,000.
israel Coldstein, another house
TrecAer, told of paying $500, of which
~ check. The check was produced
"s evidence at the hearing and showed
Ire Endorsement of Robert 2. Brindell
'ean OF the Building Trades Council
.uax MlAlnson. another houscwrcc ker,
fpssuned he twice gave up $1,000 to
yscoo l.. kamen, another contractor,
15i o%'1 ne gave Brindell $500 and that in
~uU'Non he had to hand over $50 as a
petsohni gift TO Joseph Moran, n dele
ss;a.e Of the Building Trades Council
~ ne didn't want 10 have any strikes
on his job
Another Form Of Graft
Volk said that he met an entirely
new method of what he claimed was ex-
sotuon He declared that from time
70 time a delegate named Peter Stadt-