New-York tribune., 1921-05-15
Builder Forced
TOTell Who Got
$54,35O Craft
New Yorker, Threatened
With Jail i'm Chicago In
quiry, Gives Agents Name
ON Promise of Secrecy
Fears Personal Violence
Declares He Never Had To
Pay Tribute Here Except
to Sidewalk Inspectors
speciol Dispatch to The Tribune

CHICAGO, May 14.--Faced with a
prison sentence for contempt unless he
revealed the name of the. business
agent to whom he paid $54,s50 in graft
money in connection with the construc-
tion of theateys in Chicago, George A.
Thomas, of New York, general manager
of the Longacre Engineering and Con-
struction Company, late to-day gave in
and told the mans identity to the
Daley committee.
He did this at an executive session
OF the committee. only after promise
was made that the mans identity would
be kept from the newspapers and the
public. The agent, according to Charles
E. Erbstein, attorney for Thomas, has
died since the graft money was paid.
The fight over the identity of the
business agent reached climax after
Thomas told an astounding story of
graft conditions in the building indus
try.
Fears Personal Violence
Thomas, who was mentioned by for
mer Judge George A Trude as the man
who paid over $4,000 in graft money
to bushes agent in connection with
the construction of the State, Lake
and AL. Wood theaters,. was reluctant
when called to the stand. He expressed
fear of personal violence and boycott
when he was first questioned by Joseph
B. Fleming, counsel for the committee.
When he did talk, he declared that
conditions in Chicago were much worse
than in New York City. In answer to
repeated questions, he said that ne had
paid $47,350 graft money to settle
strikes on the State Lake Theater. He
also said he had paid $500 tribute for
permission to go ahead with the wreck
ing of the Wood Theater.
All the money, he said, was paid to
q business agent of plumbers union.
Most of the payments were made in his
room at the Hotel La Sale where he
met the agent, he testified.
Conditions are just 100 times worse
in Chicago than in New York. Mr..
Thomas said ~ have erected num-
Der of buildings in New York and /
never had to pay nickel of graft to
anyone except sidewalk inspectors. |
found out when l arrived here that
there was only one way to erect build
ings, that was to find the right union
man."
Members of the committee expressed
skepticism that the contractor never
had been forced to pay money in New
York. Some of Thomas testimony
follows:
Q.-when did you first encounter
trouble on the Woods Theater build
ing? A-When we started to tear
down the old building.
Q.-.How long did the trouble last?
About three or four weeks, until
we found out that settlement could be
made by paying some money.
Q.-1sn't it fact that William j.
Newman (president of the w. J. New
man Wrecking Company told you that +?
Al don't remember.
Had TO Find Right People
Senator Daley suggested that MIR.
Thomas tell the story in his own wav.
Mr.. Thomas said: was a new
conner in Chicago at the time / toe,
the contract, but it was not long E.
fore found that the only way r,p
could erect building in Chicago w.
to pay more money and get in touc,
with the right people.
Q-Who were the right people ?
A.-Now, | must do business in Chi
cago and | don't see why I should bs
made to answer that question. If
give you the names ! might be subject
to personal violence.
Senator Dailey-There are going to
be too many indictments in connection
with this investigation for you to have
any fear of personal violence. They
are the ones who should be afraid.
Mr.. Thomas-I went through this
same sort of investigation in New
York. One concern in New York
talked. They did not get one contract
for eight years. Conditions are
worse in Chicago. I have been build
ing in New York for thirty years and
have never had to pay a cent.
Senator Dailey-Mr. Thomas, we
have reached the point where we feel
we are compelled to insist that you
give US the name
MIR. Thomas-suppose l refuse? N
Senator Dailey-You will have 20
take the consequences.
Mr. Thomas then gave the name IN
confidence.