New-York tribune., 1920-11-06


housing shortage.
Volk said the money demanded on the
Gotham National Bank Building was
never paid over. and that was the only
building in his recollection, he asserted.
that no tribute had been paid upon. He
said q strike was called on the opsr-
alton for four days and that it was
settled with the assistance Of Mayor
Hy an. the Building Trades Employers'
Association and the District Attorneys
office
Peter +. Florence, associated with
the Gotham Banl. and one of the SUI
perintendents on the job, said that
r'ore than these reasons, the commit
tees investigation, frightened the labor
,eaders oil. He said that they had
a&teed to hand over So 600 to Pike and
that arrangements had been made to
nave witnesses and frame" the re-
celver Of the money, but that the mon
desls ted in their demand after the in
vestlgatlon got under way
Other witnesses were Never S. Blum
berg, q contractor, who said he gave
Nonnelly Bros, plumbing firm.
$4,000 to be paid to Erindell. 1t was
oStenslhly he said, for the purpose
Of having a strike called Off. which
was caused by the presence of plaster
ers helpers not affiliated with the
bN' tCiNE 1 RACES (OunCll.
Ihesc men, however. said Blumberg,
went back to the job after the money
was handed over
Thomas and James Connolly admit
ted ON the stand handing over the
money. James Connolly said he took
the $4,000 up to d subway station at
llGth Street and Seventh Avenue and
handed the money TO d tall dark man
whom he did not know. He didn t
say why he selected this particular
man as the person 10 receive the trb-
ute and asserted he WAS stranger
to him.
Walter Melton. another contractor of
Astoria, l.. l., who had previously de-
clned to make any disclosures what
ever Of his relations with Brinden.
yesterday made clean breast of all
ms experiences. He said he paid Brin-
dell $500 in two or three instailments
and had acted as sort of silent part
rer for the labor leader. on which ec-
c&slons he said he always had to split
with Brindell.
Talked to Brndell Man
lie explained he had been prevailed
upon by his brother Frank. a house
WrccAer, and others to tol the truth.
AS the reason for his former stand, he
testified that Joseph Moran, d dele
gate of Erindel!s called him on the
telephone week ago last Wednesday,
and said: melton, if you are CONS
to be subpmnaed you want to stand
rat, and if you don't you know what's
gong TO happen 80 you. They're after
brndetl and trying to subpoena him !"
Il told Alcran that I didn't know any
thing and that nobody saw me
pas any money to Brindel Moran
tihen said: well YOU better stand pat,
because If YOU don't you'll have to get
out OF business, So watch your STEP "
Ianlon again faced The committee
very unWillngly. Nh Untcrmycr tried
to ret him to explain how the "charmed
circ'o Of nine' contractors came to
draw up the missing agreement on Til .
Npportionment or WORK and profits in
connection with the rescindad lime
stone contract on the proposed new
Courth ouse. he said the scheme of
getting other mon in on the work was
HetsWck's. There were three meetings
in y ytsich's 5 Office, he said, where the
matter was discussed
AT these conferences, said Hanlein,
his eight associates made demands for
shares Of the contract that amounted
to $50 per cent. of his estimate His
estimate was 81 ,GG3 GOO. This esti-
mate WAS later boosted to 81 $40, 600,
and when finally approved by the
Board Of Estimate it was $2,372, 600.
Mr.. Untcrmyer tried to show that the
demands Of the other eight contractors
for share in the profits under the
Hcttrick scheme boosted the original
100 per cent. estimate of 81 663 GOO
about so per cent. more, reaching the
final price.
Agreed to Divide Work
Nj,
per cent. OF the estimated price. He
declared that no estimate Of cost had
been made. and that he could not sav
What the profits would have been if
the job had actually gone through. Be
sides, said Hanlein, his associates had
nothing to do with his estimates. but
were to do what work he chose to give
tham
"lf you didn't choose to give them
nart Of the contract" asked Mr..
Jntefmyer, "cnd it was a .oss, they,
according to your version Of the agree
nent, would lose money Did you
ever hear of any such agreement be
fore ."
mo, sir"
DO you ever expect to see such an
2&reemcnt again ,"
"No, sir
"And yet you expect US reasonable
non to believe that such an agreement
WAS actually made; that these eight
other associates agreed to sign an
agreement as an organization solely
for your bcnoht?'
at is q hard job,' went on Hanlein
ITO make you believe that that's wha.
took place"
yes, it is getting harder all the
time" rejoined Untermyer.
National Combine Hinted
Further questioning of IIanlein com
pelled him to admit that the limestone
trade OF the entire United States was
IN the grip of the National Association
Of Stone Cutters. He said that the
code OF practice requires all members
OF the national association and allied
locals to submit copies of their bids to
the recording secretary "to preclude
cut-throat competition.'
"Do | understand" asked Untermyer,
"that il contractors who belonged to
the association bid on a job and all
bids are rejected by the man putting
up the building that your rules pre-
vent any man Offering another bid
again?'
" think it works that way"
And the same holds true of the
locals ?'
~ cs."
The country, then, is pretty well
sewed up in this subject, isn't it,"
eyes,
The hearines will be continued nevt