New-York tribune., 1921-02-15
Hettrick TIinted
AT Judges Aid,
W Illnesses Say
Two Contractors Testify
''Code of Practice Head
Referred to Chief Justice
White TO Bolster Scheme
Even Displayed His Photo
Names of Two Osher De-
PENDANTS Are Brought Into
Case and Threats Alleged


Hettrick' before Justice ,McAvoy yester-
day testified they had been told by
Hettrick that ne had referred his
''code-of-practice" scfaeme of alleged
eollusive bidding to Chief Justice
White of the United States Supreme
Court at Washington.
According to these witnesses, Het-
trick said that while Chief Justice
White declared he couldn't express a
formal opinion he did the next best
thing in sending him an autographed
photopragh of himself" This photo
graph, added the witness, was promi-
nently displayed in the office of Het-
trick, who pointed to it with assur
ance when doubt, was expressed as to
the legality of his scheme.
Other testimony was introduced by
the prosecution tending to prove the
states charges of conspiracy and
coercion, upon which Hettrick, with
three co-deiendants representing union
plumbers and plumbing contractors, is
being tried.
Two Contractors Testify
L ne reference TO CnleI JuSIlCe w HiLS
followed the identification by John G.
Eisenbray, clerk in Hettrick's office,
of several green and pink cards used in
the code OF practice" system. James
and Charles Armstrong, contractors,
told of meeting in Hettrick's office,
at l65 Broadway, in the fall of 1919, in
connection with the scheme.
"Hettrick explained some of the pur-
poses of the code Of practice sys-
tenn" said Charles Armstrong, "and
then went on to say he had talked with
Chief Justice White of the United
States Supreme Court about it. He
said that while Chief Justice White
was unwilling to give any formal opin-
ion on the matter because some cases
might come up before him in the fu-
ture, he had done the next best thing
IN giving him an autographed photo OF
himself. Hettrick pointed to this pic
ture hanging on wall in his Office"
The visit of the Armstrong; to Het-
tricks office preceded a visit to their
place of business of two delegates of
Che Journeymen Plumbers Union.
William J. Doran and William Chap
man, it was testified. This took place
the Armstrong; said, in April, 1913.
Doran and Chapman are co-defendants
with Hettrick in the trial. James Arm
strong testified that Doran and Chap
Hettrick's "code Of practice" was
known.
"They told me that If I did not joir
might have trouble and wake up some
morning and find | had no men working
for me-" added James.
'My brother Charles then came in
and | repeated the conversation to him
lie said to Doran and Chapman, That
sounds like threat They replied
If you feel that way, then take it as
a threat My brother then suggested
he would go to the District Attorney
with the matter and they said they
would gladly go, as the matter already
had been thrown out by the District
Attorneys Office on the ground that q
man couldn't be prevented from quit
ting work il he felt like it"
Decided to Join In Scheme
Charles testified that he later talked
the matter over with his brother, and
decided in the circumstances it woulc
be best to join Hettrick's group
He said here that Hettrick told him
that The principal reason for the code
was to correct mistakes in estimating
on jobs. When he asked Hettrick al
another time how he would see that
contractors got their allotment of work
n proportion TO the business done in
tIG IaSI SSNSi yCSLcr itS OSttdiSu 1GSt'
trick replied, "You lack confidence. We
would rather not have men like you
in the group"
John McMillen, another contractor
testified. that all bids for work
whether public or private, totalinf
more than $3.50 within radius o.
twenty-five miles of New York had frs
to be submitted to Hettrick. McMil
len.then told how he had put in bic
Of S4S,50o TO do some work for the
Cloughbourne Corporation, and tha
bettrIck ordered him to boost it tc
%4o,S50. He said he protested to Het
trick that he had no right to interfere
with his bid, but Hettrick, he added
insisted he abide by the rules.
The trial will be continued this
morning.
Twenty-Five of the twenty-nine cor,
pcrations and firms, members of the
Association o Dealers in Masons
Building Materials, pleaded not guilty
before Justice McAvoy in answer tc
indictments handed down last week
charging violation of the Donnelly anti.
trust law. Their bail of 81 500 was con-
tlnued until February rs, fixed as a
time limit on motions.