The New York herald., 1921-01-14
ARONSON TELLS STORY
Repeats Lockwood Evidence
of Strike Called Off for
$1,000 Bribe.
SAYS CZAR WANTED So, 900
Labor Leader to Offer Alibi as
to EXtortiOn-Case Goes
Over Until Monday.

The way for the admission OF vast
accumulation OF evidence relating to
the reign of terror which Robert, p.
Brindell is alleged to have inaugurated
in the building trades was opened yes
terday by judicial ruling when the
taking of testimony in the labor cars
trial began before Supreme Court JUS
tice John " McAvoy.
The ruling made it possible for vir-
tually every one who testified before
the Lockwood legislative committee
regarding the eXtortion of bribe money
by Brindell and the far reaching power
of his Building Trades Council to be
called to the witness stand by Samuel
Untermyer, who is acting as volunteer
chief prosecutor. Other witnesses who
have not appeared before the Lock-
wood committee will also be called
upon for the purpose of proving that
the single alleged act of extortion for
which Brindell is now on trial was but
part of general scheme for reaping
a harvest Of graft.
The legal ground for the admission of
their testimony will be that it all tends
to show that Brindell was in position
to commit the specific crime charged
In the indictment for which he Is now
on trial; namely, that he welded suf-
ficfent power to stop work upon n build
ing being constructed for Max Aron-
gnt nm, ont. % T,at- ,,Ir
resumed on September 80, after Mr..
Aronson had paid to him s5.oo0 in cash.
Martin w. Litteton. chief counsel for
BrindelI. Tough; hard at the opening
of the trial TO limit ii to the testimony
OF witnesses in the .Aropson transac-
tion alone. but he was overruled by the
Court
BripdclI's Defence Outlined.
Brindells defence. it was learned.
will be that the strike on Aronson' 3
building was not called to extort n
bribe nor was it called off because of
payment of such bribe. He will con-
tend that it was all due to tho fact
that masons' helpers working in the
place were not affiliated with the Build
ing Trades Council, and that the re-
sumption of work was due to the fact
that they took out cards in Brindeil' S
union.
1t is expected that Brindells direc.
answer to Aronson's statement that he
paid 5000 over to him in his office at
about o'clock on the afternoon of
September 20 will be an alibi.
Owing TO the fact that both Mr.. Tn
ternyer and Mr.. Littleton are to APP
pear before the Court of Appeals in
Albany to-day for the purpose Of a.rgd-
ing an appeal taken by Brindell from
decisions of the Appellate Division and
of Supreme Court Justice Burr deny
ing a change of venue. the trial is now
off until Monday.
The presentation of the case to the
Jury began yesterday with numerous
clashes between Mr.. Littleton and Mr..
Unter1nyer. as the latter told the prose-
cution's story in unsparing terms and
declared that Brindell had first wrecked
the old Housewreckers' Union. and
after getting an iron grip upon the
building trades situation had proceeded
TO enrich himself by exacting tribute
from persons who were erecting large
buildings.
Incidentally he said that the fight
of the steel erectors for an open shop
gave to Brindell lever upon which
to work. He said that when Brindell
wanted 10 exact a bribe from a coa-
tractor he would give as an excuse the
fact that tho steel was being handled