New-York tribune., 1920-10-22

"At s25 1000"
And to whom did he say he wanted
to pay the money!"
HE said he wanted to pay it to
Mr.: Rrindell and, think, the COM
mittee."
"You gave him the first installment
OF $4,000 in bills, did you not?"
II did. | gave them to Mr., Backer."
What was the arrangement about
the payment of the other 0.000?"
THAT was to be paid about a month
or two afterward. | didn't want to pay
1t all at once. ] wanted to see the
workmen back on the job before paid
the balance. The men came back to
work q few days after | paid the
$4,000: l subsequently gave the $10,-
600 to Mr.. Backer'
Two Checks Identified
Mr.. Levy here identified the $4,000
check dated May H. 1920, adding that
the money was given to Backcr to be
handed to Mc Brindell. He also iden-
tilted the $4,000 check drawn to Henry
Storck, one of his Office assistants. on
July Ia, 1920. This money, he thought,
this he was not sure.
1t was pointed out here that this
was the first time since the Sam Parks
scandal in connection with the iron
erectors' strike fourteen years ago that
labor union officials in New York have
been accused of calling strikes or order
ing workers back to their jobs for
money. Levy was subpnnaed and gave
his testimony under oalh, but declared
Guiding was not quite finished'
Mr. Untermycr here announced that
he had written a letter to Brindell. so
that he might know that Levy was tes-
tifying. He informed Brindell that he
could go on the stand and deny any-
thing that might be said concerning
him. O'Connor, Brindell's counsel, said
here that as far as he knew Brindoll had
not received this letter and that the
questions which drew the sensational
information from Mr.. Levy should not
have been permitted and should be
stricken from the record
Chairman Lockwood suggested that
O'Connor try to get Brindell on the
telephone and have him take the stand.
A moment later O'Connor announced
that he would have Brindell at this
mornings session at 1O:30 o'clock
sharp.
Admits Receiving 5000
Backer then took the stand. He was
an unwilling witness and, while he
admitted receiving the $4,000 from
Mr. Levy to fix up the strike, was eva
sive and vague on what he did with
the money. Backer is wealthy, having
built soma of the larger structures in
the city. including the Chatham
Hotel
He frequently contradicted himself.
He said at first that he took the money
to the race track and lost it, lie later
admitted handing the money to two
ex-workingmen,' whom he defined as
walking delegates, at the Hotel Chat
ham on the day he received it from
Levy. He denied that he paid the
money to Brindell. but said that Brin-
dell's power in the matter of fixing up
strikes was absolute and that he paid
the two men the money after having
discussed with Brindel the matter of
having the strike called OFF
Backer said all the men on the build
ing went out except the structural iron
workers and the bricklayers, adding
that "the brckayers' union was the
only decent labor union in the city"
1--WE don't agree with YOU" remarked
Untermyer. "We think there are very
few unions that aye not decent"
We'll, they always treated me fine"
rejoned Backer.
Dirty Money. He Says
Backer explained that Brindell told
him he would have to make an example
of this building because they were US
ing non-union structural iron workers.
He admitted, however, Jnat the same
iron workers were permitted to 90
back to work after the payment of the
$4,000.
The $4,000 paid over to these two
men," said Backer, twas all soiled. 1t
was dirty money"
aft yyOg all 6ir4v ,,oOrou oftor ~ ,vn q
paid" was Untermyer's retort
Backer explained further that the
ironworkers did not go out because
they were not unionized, while the
bricklayers were not members of the
Building Trades Council, of which
Brindell was the head. The bricklayers
are members of the American Fedora
ton of Labor, which is not true of the
Building Trades Council.
"You mean to say that the bricklay-
ers have treated you well?' said Mr.
Untormyer.
"All unions have treated me we'll
"Well. you have treated some of
them pretty we'll yourself, haven't
you?"
"Yes"
Forgets Details of Deal
When asked to tell just how the
negotiations with respect to the $25,-
600 deal were carried on Backer pro
fessed to forget many important de-
tails, but under stress of prodding by
Untermyer said: "Mr Levy never lies
What he says will corroborate"
How did the stopping of the strike
come about"
"Brindell is a good friend of mine
and | said iron workers are working
on other buildings, and why not let
this job go on? Brindell says we must
make an example of this building.'
"rhe same steel people came back,
didn't they?" 4S~ isEsa
81 believe so. ! am not sure about
It,"
Didn't the same contractor continue
to do the job?''
eyes. will admit I received the
SIS, 200 and 10000
81 do not have to, but I will tell it
because it is So
"You mean you could have gone on
the stand and sworn it was not so?"
"lf | wanted to lie. yes"
Here Backer said that Levy had be-
trayed his confidence. He went on to
say that he told Levy he thought he
could settle it for $4,000, although
$50 900 had originally been demanded
that later this sum was reduced &c
$50, 900 and finally $4,000 agreed upon
"And you thought it might cost that
and might cost more ?'
"You have known of previous cx-
periences ."
dyes"