South Bend news-times. (South Bend, Ind.) 1913-1938, 1920-11-25
THREE
In new YORK
TRUST PROBE
Wrought Iron and Wrought
Steel Industries Named
In Charges.
ADJOURN TILL MONDAY
Legal Skirmishes Mark Pro-
ceedings in Wednes-
days Hearings.

NEW YORK, Nov. "a. - New
York's warfare against the alleged
building trust today brought forth
three new indictments charging eX-
tortion, as we'll as testimony link
ing the wrought iron and wrought
steel industries 10 the long list of
other producers of construction
materials which are alleged unlaw-
fully TO hold prices uniform
throughout the country.
While the allied forces of an ex-
traOrdinary grand jury and the
Joint legislative committee made
this progress in their major offens-
ives, legal skirmishes occurred in
two counts, and the city's indepen-
dent inquiry into its millions of dol
lars in contracts was postponed un-
til Monday.
Decisive Defeats.
Twice during the day the joint
legislative committee was diverted
from its investigation 10 defend it.
self against onslaughts in the
courts. The committee was victor
ious in both occasions
Decisive defeat marked the efforts
Of the builders material bureau in
both the supreme and appellate
courts to restrain the committee
from getting hold Of its books and
from examining its stenographer,
Elizabeth O'Dea. Two injuHctions
were secured by counsel for the bu
reau. but were quickly vacated, and
later in the day an application for
a stay was denied.
Then counsel for the bureau
agreed to produce the books and
papers under the subpoena, and to
have an officer of the bureau on
hand 10 testify. Miss O'Dea already
had been adjudged in contempt by
the committee for failing 10 answer
summons.
Robert 2. Brindell, president Of
the Building Thades Council and
alleged king" of building trades
workmen in the metroI oils, was
named i'm two of today's indict-
ments. both charging extortion. The
other indictments also charging eN-
ortion was against BrindalIs
chief Of staff" Peter Stadtmiller,
member OF the building trades
,Ouncil.
High Bail.
Startmiller's bail was fixed at
100000. Brindell, already under
100000 bail on previous indict-
ments-One charging eXtOrlon and
the other attempted eXtortion-
was not required TO furnish addl-
tional bail, but it was intimated he
might be called on to do so Fri
day.
Charges against Brlndell alleged
that he forced Louis J. Coohen, a
building contractor, 10 pay him
$500 under threat of stopping work
on a construction job last July.
Stadtmiller was accused of eXtort-
ing $1,000 from the Garden City
Wrccking company by threatening
to put the firm out of business IN
case Of refusal.
His counsel vigorously protested
the high bail saying Stadtmiller
was a poor man on a SIS week sal
ary." but Judge Mulqueen said he
understood there We're TO be other
indictments and that Stadtmiller
was BrindeiPs "chief of staff
The bail should he the same,
he said. 1T is high but in my
opirt0n IL is not high enough.
Then he ordered both defendants
Ito appear in court on Friday.
Testimony that three-fOurths of
the wrought eel trade in America
is controlled by thSee Iowertui
corporations, maintaining prices
USUALLY absolutely uniform and
that two great manufacturing con-
Germs dominate the entire wrought
iron business with similar effect.
touched the peak Of interest in the
evidence which the day brought
forth.
Previously the committee had
heard witnesses say that national
associations regulate distribution
and prices throughout the United
States in limestone, marble, sand
and other building materials.