New-York tribune., 1922-03-27
RrindelI Men
Abuse, Hiss and
Jeer Unterlllyer
Storm of lnvectives Hurled
atAtiorney for Holmslron
at Gathering of 5000
Carpenters Union Men
Clients Fine Is Remitted
Building Workers armed
the Law viii Protect Man
Who Helped Jail CRATER


samuel Untermyer, counsel "a the
lakewood committee, whose discoveries
ant Robert p. Brindell to Sing Sing.
as greeted with Kisses, jeers and sjz
ing epthets when he appeared yester
az before Brindcil's own union i'm sun
ro-; Of tic application of one Of Bsin-
5eu, labor rivals for readmjssior to
,se UNION. Mr. trtermyer's reception
raicated that Brindell is stul a con
.-olling spirit in the union.
The union was Local 1856 Of the
Dock and Per Carpenters Union. Its
members met in the afternoon at Ar
ragton Hall. % St. Marks Place. to
consider au application made Tor read
mission By August Holmstrom. who
fought Brindell when the latter was a
czar in the building trades aud testified
against him when he was on trial for
demanding money from contractors 10
cali strikes OF
Hostile Roar Greets Attorney
There were three thousand men at
the meeting and Il deafeniug uproar
burst out when Nh Un.ermyer rose.
The attorney could not make himself
heard. In the midst Of the hostile
group stood Ray Clarb, who was fore
man on the job at the new telephone
company building at Wall and Broad
streets. Some Of the labor mon said
later that it was the CLARK crowd"
;ast was making the noise.
Il there were any Untermyer men
there they We're helpless in the face Of
the opposition. 1t took Tom Purdie.
president OF the union. and Louis Ben
son, business agent. several strenuous
minutes even TO subdue the tumult to
proportions with which Mr.. Untermyer
felt that he could contend
He was interrupted continually. "You
fsker!' some one would Yell and then
a deafenlng torrent of abuse would be
let loose. When Mr.. Untermyer stood
helpless IN the storm, Mr.. Purdie man
aged to get his audiences attention and
called for Il vote as to whether the
attorney should have the privilege Of
The floor.
Yes called several. "No." thun.
dered the throng. Mr.. Purdie declared
II an affirmative vote amid the catcalls
Of the incredulous majority. The car
penteIs had no hesitancy in stating
much money Brindell had cxtorted
from contractors, they said. Brindcll
WAS their man and Untermyer had put
him in Jail.
Clark Asks Question
DO YOU clam m that a man who start
ed Il dual organization aud kept men
out OF work for three years is entitled
to union card?' demanded Clark in
stentorian tones.
AIR jntermyer's response was lost
IN the applause with which this query
was greeted.
Al this stage of the proceedings Mr..
Purdie announced that il was time to
exclude reporters.
Mr.. Untermyer admitted later that
il had been q strenuous experience. 1t
wasn't so bad as it sounded, though,
he said it was just case Of being
heckled and not one of being insulted.
He considered that he had emerged
with partial victory because, although
voting down motion to readmit Hol-
etrom, the carpenters had authorized
him to take a card in another union
and rcmitted his fine.
THE meeting was packed for Brin-
dell" Untermyer said "The keynote
was sympathy for Brindell. They took
the position that they did not care how
much Brindell got from the contract
ors as long as he took nothing from
them. | was able to show. however.
that he had even depleted their own
treasury
Members Of the union leaving the
hall, sullen and angry, said Mr.. Inter
myer could take any consolation he
was able TO get out Of the resolution
passed
In his address to the men Mr. Inter
myer said that he had attended the
meeting primarily to convince himself
whether 1T were possible that the
charge made against the men was
true-that the union was still under
The domination Of Robert p. Brindell
and whether the strong-arln methods S
which he enforced upon 4 great body
o. honest workingmen still prevailed.
brjndell, he said, had betrayed organ
lzed labor and made a million dollars
out OF the betrayal and had disgraced
the cause.
Cites Holstrom's Duty
lie had come to vindicate princi-
pie, the attorney continued. Hostility
% the traitor Brudell, he said, had
made Holstrom q martyr. 1t was Hol-
strom S hounden duty 10 expose Brin-
delIs thievery. There was 10 justi6ca-
tlon for the persecution Of HoIstrom,
Mr.. Cntermyer said. since he had com
mitted 10 crime save that Of having
exposed . crook who had been the
worst enemy organized labor had
known n a generation.
" your union has any such power
70 keep this man from working under
these circumstances,' he added, that
power must be taken from you. Every
riend of organized labor viii want It
taken away for if il is exercised, as
you have been exercising it. it Will
mean the death knell of organized
.aoor. II the law is not strong enough
ID restrain YOU it Will be made SO.
BrndeU, the former union leader
vas convicted and sentenced to Sing
sing or evidence produced by the Lock
wood committee and supported by evi-
oence given by Holstrom. After Brin-
deli had been sentenced the union
promptly expelled Hostrom and fined
hm.
H