New-York tribune., 1921-01-22
Sixty Indicted
As Members of
Plumbing Ring
Grand Jury Takes Blanket
Action Against Firms
and Individuals Named
in the Lockwood Inquiry
An to Plead on Monday
Contractor Testifies That
Brindell Asked $4,000
for 'S'Strike insurance.

proceeding before Supreme Court Jus
uee McAvoy, the extraordinary grant
iury yesterday handed down q blanke
Indictment accusing a large number o.
master plumbers Of conspiracy unde,
tbe Donnelly antitrust law. Tn,
charges were made on the basis Of evi
dsnee revealed during the Lockwood
eommittee's investigation of the build
Ing industry.
About sixty individuals and firm,
vers reported to be involved. Theil
names were withheld.
Shortly after the charges were hand
ed to Justice McAvoy counsel were or
dered to produce the defendants II
court Monday morning at II o'clock tt
answer to the indictment. The mer
involved are said to be members of {
Bronx organization doing business II
Manhattan. Many of their number ar,
declared to have been associated with
group Of plumbers who operated un.
dor the John T. Hettrick "Code Of
Practice" scheme Of collusive bidding
volk Is Cross-Examined
The Brindell trial yesterday wa,
mainly concerned with the examina
ton Of Hugh Robertson, of the con
struction firm of Todd, Irons & Robert
son, and the cross-examination of AL
bert A. Volk, an excavating and house
vrecking contractor, who on the da,
before told of various sums exacted o1
Aim by Brindell
Martin W. Littleton, counsel fo,
Brindell, attempted to show in the
course Of his examination of Volk tha,
The latter had entered into a partner
ship with Brindell, and that the mon
sys paid over to the labor leader b,
Volk were Brindell's legitimate share:
b accordance with such an arrange
ment
Volk, however, declared that while
1t was true that he, had five or six talks
with Brindell on the subject of such 6
partnership nothing ever came of the
matter and no agreement on the point
had been made.
Robertson's testimony had largel,
been revealed by him before the Lock
wood committee. He told of Brindell'-
demandirg $4,000 Strike insurance.
70 prevent labor troubles on the $40.
100000 worth of Building opera ions o
he Robertson firm, which included thu
construction of the Cunard Building. a,
Broadway and Morris Street, and tn.
immense Cunard docks on the Jerse,
ode of the Hudson, opposite Forty-scc
and Street.
Shows Fear of Brindell
Robertson yesterday showed th:
same fear Of Brindell's power h,
ssinced before the committee, and with
every disclosure tried to give the i'm.
PRESTON that money was paid to Brin.
dell "for his assistance as an expert IN
settling labor troubles"
Robertson, under examination by
Hamuel Untermyer, went back to March
Al, when, he said, there was a strike Or
the Cunard Building operation. Afte,
consulting various labor leaders, he
sald, ne finally was introduced to Bria
DELI at the latter's Office, IL St. Marks
Place. After a short conversation il
The presence Of others. he said, Briu
dtL took him into private office.
WAS there talk, then. of strike in.
urance?" asked Untermyer.
Yes" replied Robertson.
What was said? Tell the jury who
suggested strike insurance"
think Mr.. Brindell started the
scnversation and first used the term
1trike Insurance."
Robertson went on to say that he
nId brindell of the tremendous amount
o. money lost through strikes, of the
ysuOoo,OO0 proposed expenditures OF
sae company and that there ought to
- way OF settling labor troubles.
brindell then said it would be q
sooo tnlng for us to get strike insur-
Ees," continued Robertson, land I
'A'o u would be fine thing to have"
Wanted $4,000 at Once
The two, according to Robertson, met
9 luncheon at the Hotel Comm cd ore
sOous week later and the subject was
ssa,n taken up. Here Robertson said
se nad never heard of strike insur-
snee' before, and Brindell didn't sug-
sess any company who issued such in
sarance.
s. The two met again at Forty-fourth
.s. ss.set and Fifth Avenue, at the Guar
ssIv trust Company operation, where
ss.s was bricklayers' strike. 81 told
SAD Robertson, "that / wanted
e.srhp nhslp and cooperation to get labor
Sapies Strengthened out, and asked
~ ~ nov much it would cost. He
80 10000. He wanted $4,000 right
convenience" '
Mnen Robertson at first objected to
-.ssoeis alleged demand for an i'm
srJ ss payment of $4,000 on account.
49,. onered 10000, he said Brindeli
~ 80 .haI ne was in need of the
a., $500 10y ~ once. lie then testified they
a.. gan at the Commodore Hotel and
su,c,, a1 is1t 1900 on the seat of an
Nj after driving around the
ksde, "a she hotel with the labor
= seiks eross-examination had much
ss,ss.sh ~ With two-hour conversation the
1, issot ri.s had with Brindell, in which
I'M tS'ssoeo Tor the labor heads good
Il. az length, said Volk, he extended
sssla aAno and yentured: "Now. you'll
Hy;.Sns nsnds with me, won't YOU Mr..
r.ns;.ali pasii = To which. he said. Brindell
= x,e.. s,... ~ shake hands. but you h.v.
JsJ isfr and come across"
eas,,ux here told how Brindell was
a.ssAs iench 1t his own Office at the
t.ssano ano how he had invited the con-
~n 70 eat with him.
.s,~s. once before he didn't rive ma
vi added volk, "but q sand
~ S1sssr that" asked Mr.. Littleton.
kses ySu T. send him something for his
sent him \ smoked tongue
Hsfni,s &' Will be continued Monday