The evening herald. [volume] (Albuquerque, New Mexico) 1914-1922, 1920-11-27
Has Labor Boss Made
Fortune in Building Graft?

NEW YORK, Nov. 27,-How much
money, IL any. has Robert T.. l}rin-
dell, head Of the Building Trades
Council of New York city received ~
the result Of his amazing control of
building operations in New York and
elsewhere
This Is probably the most ubaorb-
ing question OF the entire scandal tEHt
has grown out Of the investigation a.
the Lockwood Legislative committee
and the consequent deliberations OF
the special grand jury and city of.i-
cial Investigations.
Huge Sums Paid
The first phase of their attack
upon corruption In the housing SIT
uatiOn has bcs1 ended by Chairman
Lockwood ana Chief Council samuel
Untermyer.
Brlndcll, according to Testimony
taken, received the following amounts
from contractors and house wreckc's
for the privilege OF continuing their
work:
Geo. s. Backcr. contractor. o.. $95, 900
a. j. Atwell, house w%reckcr.. 7.671
Albert A. Nolk, eXcnvator. ,.. 1871
NJ. Blumberg. house wreckcr.. 5000
l.. j. Cohen, house wrecker... i.25O
w Melton, house wrcckCr... 1000
II. Melton, house wrcckcr...,. 3,3p0
NJ. Minlnson, house wrcckcr. 1000
j. Fradus. house wrccker o.. I.0fO
j. l.. amer house wrcskcr. tOJ
+. Goldntein. house wreckcr. 700
This IL a total OF $50 81.
Then Brindcll, according TO the
sa me testimony, received FROM the
other side Of the house-thnt Is from
the workers, the following:
Dues and initiation fees FOR lui'd
ing Trades Council, new members
dock workers, walking delegates. ard
for working cards for m%Hn,bcrS mn
nually, averaging S42O.O 900.
Brindell was the highest paid labor
.'vacutivc In the country, receiving
sls,O00 a year.
Is Questionable
Certain other witr qsscs testified
that Bnindell tried to cXtOrt Sb0,lOO
more. but failed. Gucsscs and estlmat
cs as to the probable amount BrindclI
has received have been made by prac-
tically every concerned in the IN
ve~stigations. They vary from $1,000
900 to SO, 900, 600.
As for the Lorkwpod investigation
Itself, IL has wound and threaded It's
way through such a maze of anaz
ing factH that no onc-nOt even I'm
termyer himsclf-wili predict where
II will lead. The Investigation began
Oct. 20. and developments followed
swiftly, the outstanding results OF the
investigation being briefly ms follows:
INDICTMENT OF George s.
Backer, millionaire contractor, by
the additional Erand jury on "a
charge Of perjury. Bncker first
testified he gnmbled away sea-
900. but later seid he had given
Il to two men he did not know
and had found Mt the Chatham
hotel.
CANCELLATION or SG9.b0i,-
sol city contracts, on which CYL
dence tended TO nhow there was
collision OF bidding contractors.
EVIDENCE tending to show
that Robert =. iBrindell headed
an enormous ring that mulcted
practically everyone who has had
any building to do
EVIDENCE tending to show
that John Il. Hettrick maintain
cd at 1876 Broadway n clearing
house for colluslvc bidding by
contractors. Hettrlck IL h col.
lcctor OF tho Code Of Practice
by which contractors operated
EVIDENCE to show that there
was collision between nine con-
traotora OF n 'charmed circle
who got control OF the courthouse
limestone contract for S2,S72 goo.
This contract has been cancelled.
TESTIMONY that BrlndelrH
graft scale was on u basis Of
$1,000 per floor II building. his
demand being In n case $4,000
TO allow his men to complete a
five storv building,
EVIDENCE that extortion
none waH maid In out of the way
piaces IN Central park. In auto
mobiles. In hotels and In subway
kioake.
EVIDENCE that no building