The evening world., 1921-02-01
BRINDELL FEARED
ASSASSINAHIONS So
HE HAD BODYGUARO
Was in Albany When the Law
Creating Lockwood Com
mittee Was Enacted.

Stephen W. Birmingham, former
policeman and now employed as an
investigator for the Building Trades
Council, took the stand as a witness
for the defense to-day in the trial Of
Robert p. Brinden for extortion.
Birmingham said he was dismissed
from the Police Department last
Thursday evening on charges having
to do with his Unauthorized employ
ment in the council last fall, while
he was on an official leave OF alb
senoe from the Police Department.
A previous witness, David Danahy,
a business agent, had sworn that
Bt18en, Birmingham and himself
were on an automobile trip together
all the afternoon on which, according
to the, complaining witness. Max
Aronson, Aronson was paying $4,000
TO Brindell to stop a strike.
From the time he went with Brin-
dell to organize the Compensation
Bureau, OF the council, Birmingham
said he was the constant companion
OF BrindeA. acting as his bodyguard
from Brindell's home to the council
Office at No. IL St Marks Place.
BiFIningham's testimony regarding
Brindelrs interview with Aronson
was almost word for word like the
account given by Danahy.
Mr., Litueton put particular en-
/ phasis on the date and hour of Bir-
minghamis dismissal from the police
as being Immediately after the eve
ming newSpapers lRst Thursday an
nounced Birmingham was to take the
stand as one oe the principal witnesses
for Br.nddL He questioned him
closely as TO what happened in
BrindeH's office on the occasion OF
Mr.. Aronson's visit when the pay
ulent Of money was said to have been
asked. The witness said he was in
the office outside Brindelrs room, but
could hear every word that wac
spoken, as the door between was
open. He said the conversation was
all about the trouble on Mr.. Aron-
sons building.
Q. Was anything said OF payment
OF any sum Of money to Brindell7
A. Not a word.
Q: Was there any bargaining re-
garding money at all7 A. No. ..
Birmingham, alert and smiling,
gave his testimony as though he were
p. making a report 10 a friendly COM
manding officer. He watched JUS
d, tice Mc-Avoy closely. He seemed ut
torly unconscious Of the fierce glare
OF dLsapproval and sncers which Mr..
Untermyer directed at him.
The INSTRUMENTATION Of John L
Prendergast, construction superinten-
dent Of the Garment Centre Building
at Seventh Avenue and 8Sth Street,
was continued at the opening Of to-
days session. He was called to dis
prove the charge of JACOB Fradus that
Brindell had ruined Fradus by driving
him away from the contract by strikes
but was confronted yesterday by tha
record of a sworn statement he had
made before Leonard Wallstein, asso-
ciate counsel Of the Lockwood COM
mittoe, in which he sWore the only rea-
son for cancelling the contract of Fra.
dus was the demand Of BrlndeIl
Trehvale Pierce, the excavating con-
tractors who supplanted Fradus on
the contract followed. He fatty con-
tradicted the teStimoy of George H.
Clark, a subway civil engineer, as
} to a conference at Brindelrs office
at whioh, according to to Mr.. Clark,
Of permitting Fradus to finish the
work Mr.. Clark described Brndell
as pounding his desk and saying:
TITS got 10 be paid right here!"
Nothing was said about any pay
ment of money" replied Mr.. Pierce.
Not anything like that was said"
Did you ask Briudell TO help YOU
cot this job?" asked Mr.. LitLleton.
Absolutely not" said Mr.. Pierce
I'VE had the job long before Brindell
had anything to do with it,"
on cross exam nation by Mr. I'm
, termyer, Birmingham said Brindell
came to him and Said he wanted him
to stay with him all the time.
Q. Did he tell you why? A. Yes,
lie said he had been getting some
. anonymous letters with threats in
. them.
according TO BrindelI's counsel
the information here referred to was
; a report that a particular group Oh
employers-not the Building Tradee
Employers Association-had set a
price on Brinde!Ts head.l
Mr.. Untennyer learned apparently
, ! TO his surprise that BrudCu, with
Birnlin CHAM in attendance was in Al
hany at tho special session Of the
Legislature when the Loclow ood Com
, mittee was authorized 10 investigate
r housing conditions.
5 Unless there is a change in the
early plans of BrindeH's counsel
, Brindeu himself will not take tho
! stand. Martin Littleton, j. J'O'Con-
/ nor and Myies Walsh intend to settle
that point at a conference this after
noon.