The daily worker. [volume] (Chicago, Ill.) 1924-1958, 1927-10-04
Workers Jeer at Sigman
In Libel Case
Continued from Page II.

'CSAASAAAhNh Ii Ll age L j.
district attorney. Thuout the entire
session Sigman maintained an air of
injured innocence.
Workers Laugh.
The courtroom yesterday was
crowded with left wing needle-trades
workers. Several times the Judge
called for order following the hilari-
'ous laughter which broke forth when
Sigman made his seemingly innocent
and naive answers.
Have you ever broken a union,
Mr.. Sigman?" his lawyer asked po-
htely.
Never" replied Sigman, who even
during the present week has been
promising the bosses in the cloak and
dress industry greater and greater
concessions, with piece-work and the
speed-up system again being inaugu-
rated in hundreds of shops, with his
active cooperation.
Have you ever sold scab books ?"
mo" answered Sigman who, dur
ing period extending over several
months conducted bargain sales on
membership cards in the information
al. For fifty cents old members were
"reinstated" and all back dues waived.
Denies Everything"
The line Of questioning grew out of
the introduction in evidence of a car
toon drawn by Chopper for the Fret
heit under the caption: "Sigman's
Freak Show. I sell everything cheap:
unions, union workers, scab books,
hot mammas, hot dogs, and more and
more. This cartoon, together with
several articles which appeared in
the Freiheit and Unity" describing
Sigman's ballyhoo circur in Storm
Lake, Iowa forms the basis for the
criminal libel" charges which he is
at present making against the Fret
heit and the left wing needle-trades
leaders.
He invested at least $4,000 in his
Iowa property which he had been de-
scribing to workers in the union as
a farm" to which he had returned
in 1921 after retiring from the union.
Just Wanted Living" He Saws.
'You see," he told Judge Brodsxy,
who presided at the hearing yester-
day, 81 made up my mind to leave
New York, and wrote my two bro
theirs in Storm Lake if | could make
a living there Ny brothers, who
were then in the junk and used-car
business, replied that they had Just
come across wonderful proposition,
and if | could invest at least $4,000
they would take me in as third
partner"
Sigman said that he sent the re-
CURED $4,000. $4,000 he had saved
up" he explained, and the balance he
borrowed from friends land officials
of the union"
His salary was $l00 q week, and
in answer to question from the
judge as to whether he was able to
save the $4,000 from his salary, Sig
man answered, 81 should hope So"
Would Sell Out for $4,000.
Asked by his own lawyer if it We're
true that his Coney Island was worth
100000 as it is claimed, Sigman de-
clared:
II viii sell the whole business to
the Freiheit for $4,000" Whereupon
Joseph Brodsky, attorney for the de-
PENDANTS, snapped;
1--WE don't go into that kind of
business activity, and we are sure d
real spokesman for trade union
wouldn't. either"
The Fourth of July weekend is
usually gala period at his carnival
at Storm Lake, the president of the
|. L. G. W. u admitted on the stand
yesterday.
81 am in the habit of hiring out
some of my stands to concessionaires.
Yes, they sell hot dogs and have
other kinds of attractions" Sigman
denied, however, that any "hot man.
mas" were available at his Iowa
place.
Exposed in Freiheit.
His statement about the conces-
sions and the hot dogs came after he