The daily worker. [volume] (Chicago, Ill.) 1924-1958, 1927-10-19
SICMAN FOUGHT WORKERS WITH THEIR OWN MONEY
FACT BROUGHT OUT AT HIS SUIT AGAINST FREIHEIT
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(Contjnued from Page One)
ployers' Representatives to suspend
the fund until June, 1925"
"Who was put in charge of the
fund.-" Boudin asked.
Sigman admitted that he himself
was in charge and that the repre-
sentatives of the employers resigned
at that time. julius HICKMAN and
David Dubinsky, right wingers, were
then added to the board, according to
Sigman. These three men thereafter
were in control of the fund, which
at that time amounted to S380,000.
Sigman was asked who became
treasurer of the board of trustees
after the resignation of the bosses
representatives and the succession to
their places of HICKMAN and Dublin
sky. Sigman became evasive.
HICKMAN was elected secretary"
he said
Caught Evading.
Il did not ask you who was elected
secretary" continued Boudin. 81
want to know who was elected treas
urer."
Sigman admitted that the treasurer
was Sigman.
Boudin next asked the. witness why
he had evaded the question. Sigman
did not reply.
Slgman was next asked what was
done with the $380,00O after it was
given into the exclusive control of the
board of which he was treasurer.
"How much money was paid in I'M
employment claims?" Boudin asked.
about $5,000," Sigman answered.
Diverts $175, 900.
"How much was loaned to the in
ternational?"
"$175,O0O."
That's almost half of the entire
fund, isn't it,"
eyes"
Another 100000 was used in pay
ing off second mortgages on certain
union property testimony showed.
The property in question up to that
time had housed the offices of the
New York Joint Board and the left
wing locals, 2 and 9. The Joint
Board and Locals and 9, themselves
unable to pay off the mortgages,
were thus forced to vacate the pre-
misses. The right wing under the di-
rection of Sigman took possession.
Sigman also told Boudin that only
few hundred dollars had been col
lected for the insurance fund since he
and his two henchmen obtained ex-
elusive control of it.
A few seconds later he admitted
that Several thousand dollars" had
been spent during the same period
merely for the administration of the
fund and "in an attempt to collect
outstanding funds"
For Right Wing Propaganda.
do you mean to tell me, Mr.. Sig
man, thai you spent several thousand
dollars to collect a few hundred dol
lars?" Boudin asked. Boudin also
| charged that the fund was being used
to prepare propaganda against the
left wing, pointing out as an example
the pamphlet, "The Communist
Plague in Our Unions"
This pamphlet was introduced in
evidence Wednesday by Samuel Mark
ewich, former assistant district at
torney and lawyer for Sigman. At
torneys for the defense showed by
cross examination that the pamph-
let was fraudulent.
Quotes Pamphlet.
Joseph r. Brodsky, attorney for
the left wing workers quoted from
the pamphlet the passage, "No, Com
munists must hold paid or unpaid Of
fees in the union" Sigman was
asked if he agreed with this view.
YES" he answered.
Several minutes previously Attor-
ney Brodsky had referred to peace
treaty between the right and left
wings in which the Sigman admins
tration had agreed not to discrimin-
ate against any members of the union
for their political opinions.
do you still hold the view that a
Communist should be allowed to run
for union Officer" Brodsky asked.
In contradiction to his later reply the
witness answered, Eyes"
Mrs. Tillie Sigman, wife of the in
ternational president, was the next
witness called.
She was closely questioned about