Evening journal., 1921-12-06
ELECTRIC UZNIONHA
GOLD NINE NDUES:
DIVERTDEATHFJZNDS
Special to The Evening Journal.


NEW YORK. Dec. sATestimony
tending to show the manner in
which the local field for inside cleo
trical workers was completely DOM
mated by william A Hogan. finan-
cial secretary Of Local No. 3. Inter-
national Brotherhood OF Electrical
Workers. was brought yesterday at
the resumed hearing OF the Lock-
wood Legislative Committee on
Housing in City Hall. According 20
this testimony. huge amounts OF
money-expert accountants testified
that there was no way OF telling how
much - have been collected since
1917 in the form OF permit fees from
electricians who sought work and
were willing to join the union, but
were kept out because the books
were full"
All OF this. II was shown, added
materially to the cost OF building.
Non-union electricians were forced
TO pay $3.50 a week for permission
to work. while 81 week was as
sessed against their helpers. Union
members paid 81 and $3.50 a month
respectively. When contracting cleo
tricians - and It was shown there
were between 400 and 500 OF these
connected with the union-had a
score or more Of electricians at york
on a big Job over an extended time
the amount they paid to Local No.
for permit cards ran into big fig
Il -
Bile 10 estimate. the witnesses said,
because in the latter part OF 1917
the practice Of numbering the cards
consecutively was discontinued.
Four clerks we're kept busy taking
In money at the headquarters OF the
organization at 100 East Sixteenth
street. but no cash book was kept
and auditors who attempted "a
check up the organizations receipts
and disbursements said yesterday the
task was hopeles.
Death Benefits Annexed.
The foregoing was the outstanding
feature in the first days disclosures
concerning the broader aspects OF
the building situation in New York
Another sensation. developed with
plenty Of dramatic accompaniment
had TO do with the affairs Of Secre-
tary Hogan, Of Local No. 3. Samue
Untermyer. chief counsel TO the
committee. wanted TO know how
Hogan became beneficiary to the ex.
tent Of 81 900 each in the case OF
four members OF the union who died
The high spot in his examination
was when Secretary Hogan admitted
he had collected a 81 900 death ben
eft from the organization as bene
hciary under the will" OF on'
James f. Smith, a member wh'
lied in a Jersey City hospital OF
October 21. 1913
After severe cross examination
Hogan explained that the "will'
Smith left was an authorization II
writing for him 10 collect the money
made out on a card and filed Will
his record at union headquarters
II never had been probated an
Hogan did not collect the money, n
explained, until nearly two year
after Smiths death. Smith, he said
had been living in a furnished room
ing house apart from his wife. bu
the witness could not recall the ad
dress. Suddenly Mr.. Untermye
asked:
do you know Mrs. Smith. tn
widow"
YES. met her"
She's a cripple, isn't she?'
Il don't know"
Mr.. Untermyer turned toward tn
door. Come here. Mrs. smith," n
called. An elderly woman clad II
black and supported on either sid
by sergeant-at-arms OF the com
mittee umped painfully into tn
hearing room and took seat facin
the witness.
Untermyer.
"I would not know for sure" re
pied Hogan. Il have not seen tn
lady in years"
Got Her Husbands Benefit
but you do know that she 90
none Of her husbands death beneh
don't your"
Yes, 1 know that"
And you know you got it, don
your"
yes"
hep" continued Mr.. Untermyer.
HE did" replied the Witness n
left a beneficiary card"
did you ever offer the will to 0
probated in any court?"
NO. did not"
Don't YOU know that you cannc
get away with mans estate in tina
fashion,"
The witness began TO explain tina
ne did not know. and added that h
thought he could produce a will tha
had been drawn in the Office Of WI
liam ID. McNulty. counsel for th
union. who was in the habit OF draw
ing such instruments the witnei
said, for members. Mr.. McNult
who was present at the hearing sal
that he thought there was such
will in his office and that he woul
try TO produce II.
Hogan was temporarily excuse
from the stand while Mrs. Smiths n
widow. was asked to tell OF the ci
cumstances OF her husbands deaf
She had visited him in the hospita
she said, about week before
died. They had been marri'
twenty years and had no childre
although Smith had a son by a pr
vious marriage.
did your husband tell you OF h
affairs?" Mr.. Untermyer asked.
Well" replied the witness. u
said he was going TO die. that
could not be cured. and he sal
VIII you see me buried? I sa