Montana labor news., 1932-05-26
RICHBERG IN EXPOSE HITS WRIT
JURIST
rIEup WITH oRRUp FORCES is CHARGED.

l
WASHINGTON, D. c-sensatiOnal revelations of the alliance between
"njunaionmad" Federal Judge James H. wikerson and the "corrupting
and a national disgrace were made this week by Donald R. Rchberg,
counsel for the Standard Railroad Labor Organizations.
Mr.. Richberg hurled his accusations at a hearing of the United States
senate subcommittee investigating Wlkason, whom President Hoover and
the reactonary Chicago Tribune are trying to promote TIC the y ) Circuit
Court of Appeals.
In his testimony, which made senators gap, Mr.. Rchberg laid down
cold, convincing facts showing how Judge Wilkerson aided and abdted
Samuel insult, power trust baron whose huge holding company schemes
recently failed with hundreds of millions in losses to innocent investors to
grab off a monopoly n Chicagos transportation system and plumber and
exploit the public He also exposed how WHkerson had pedded out re-
ceivershps and their hundreds of thousands in fees to his henchmen' M
attacked the Chicago Tribune, sanctimonous defender of Flaw and order,
for its teup with the gangland underworld.
PATRONS OF "GANGSTERS"
Richberg offered to show that a large share of Wlke@ons hackers be-
long to the political and utility machines which have used the gangs" for
their own ends; that the judge himself has repeatedly "aided and comforted'
those corrupt influences; and that those who ar really battling to clean
up" Chicago have had to fight, every step of the way, the interests which
re boosting" Wlkerson.
at is my duty to the committee, o the labor organizations which
| represent, and to myself, now to undertake the disagreeabe task of
producing evidence which will show the part played by Judge WHker-
o in giving aid and comfort to those corrupting forces that have
made government in Chicago a mOckery of law and order, and a ma
tonal dsgraue.
This committee has been outrageously imposed OF by witnesses who
have presented evidence in support. Of this nomination Mr.. Richberg
continued. "Spokesmen for and participants in the big racket which has
corrupted government in Chicago and Illinois and made uncounted millions
for the political and Big Business racketeers have paraded themselves
before this committee a leaders of m army of civic virtue and hurled
mud Unfortunately at decent labor organizations o self-respeeting ci-
MILLIONS IN RECEIvERsHIps.
81 will present evidence which cannot be controyerted to show that
one little group collected over a million dollars in less than five years
through a r@aivershp in Judge Wiikersons court with his approval
Two of the beneficiaries of this generosity, who collected at least $751;.
OOO, have testified in his behalf before this committee.
81 will show that Judge Wlkerson appointed his chief political sponsor
and lifelong associate-Edwald j Brundage-recefver not only of the
Chicago, Milwaukee & St. Paul Railway, from which recevership he was
paid $4S,OOO a year, plus 100000 as a final fee, but at the same time he
appointed Brundage receiver for the Daniel Boone Wooden Mills, which
rcevership lasted until the United States supreme court found it had
been fraudulently obtained.
II will show at the same time said Brundage "a employed at the rate
of $4,000 a year by the Sanitary District as a part of the political squan-
derng of the moneys of the District which has caused the indictment and
conviction of the president and other members of the board of trustees.
81 will also show that in the receWershp of the Chicago Street Railway
the power of the court a used not only to pay large and ujustifiable fees
to lawyers and receivers, but also to aid Samuel insult and associates in
putting over a consolidation of the street railway properties which was
fosted on the public by fraud and misrepresentation.
81 will show that the witness, Frank J. Loesch (This gentleman always
advertises himself a S the President of the Chicago Crime Commission;
never as the the attorney for Big Business), who appeared before the COM
mittee as the spokesman for public interests, has been for a generation the
attorney for the Pennsylvania Railroad, has been an active M vigorous
participant in the effort of employer organizations to destroy labor unions
and that he ws of the chief sponsors of T. :. Grove, former president
of the Sanitary District, now convicted of msuses of publs funds and
under a penientary sentence.
81 will show that Robert Isham Randolph, who testified as chairman of
the Secret Six and his business associates, collected vel a hundred
thousand dollars in the last few years from the Sanitary District.
81 will show that Joseph Fleming, who testified a attorney for the NOV
ing picture houses, and Weymouth Kirkland, who testified as attorney for
the street railways, are both members of the firm of lawyers representing
the Chicago Tribune and that that firm has represented several of the
worst criminals of Chicago and has represented other interests associated
with such gangsers and racketeers.
81 will show that men in the circulation department and editorial
departments of the Chicago Tribune have been intimately associated
with gangster, gambling and racketeering interests in Chicago for
many years, and that their star reporter Of the underworld, known IS
the unofficial chief of police of Chicago was assassinated because of his
long activity in selling protection for criminals thMugh his intimate
association with the chief of police.
SUPPORTS CHARGES.
Mr.. Richberg then proceeded to calmly pile up evidence in support of
his sensational charges.
Perhaps the most telling feature of his testimony vas the story Of how
Judge Wnkerson assisted SAM insult to secure a monopoly of Chcagos
insult already dominated the elevated roads, but he wanted to take over
the surface. lines and to head off the city from using the large fund which
it had accumulated for the purpose of building subways and generally con-
trolling the transportation situation.
Wikerson picked a committee of citizens which reported in favor of In
sun's plan, and in putting over the scheme.
In addition, insult promised relief to the unemployed by the expenditure
Continued on page four)