The times-news. [volume] (Hendersonville, N.C.) 1927-current, 1934-02-03
RACKETEERS
SHOWN UP IN
CHICAGO TRIAL
Tactics Revealed In Fed
eral Effort To Break Up
Conspiracies


of violence unfold daily before
the Criminal Court of Cook coun-
ty in the long awaited racket
conspiracy trial, the public is
getting clearer picture of what
has gone on behind the scenes
during the local drama of trade
racketeerinG. BCmbings. smash
ling of windows, pouring of acid
on clothes in cleaning plants and
other violence have been related
| by witnesses called to tell what
they have faced in trying to run
their businesses.
Although Chicago's arch pub
lie enemy" Al Capone, rests
! quietly in the federal peniten-
tiary, the weight of his hand is
held by authorities TO have fall
len heavy on many more activi-
ties than those with which he is
popularity associated.
That is why, in this trial now
occupying four assistant states
attorneys IS defense lawyers,
and involving 4 score of defend
ants, the name of Alphonse Ca
pone dominates the background,
if he himself is not to be found
lin the foreground.
! MEANS DECISIVE BATTLE
The trial. which is expected to
consume several months, is the
supreme effort Of the United
/ States to break up an alleged
conspiracy to control four in
I dustries-the cleaning and dye
ing. the laundry, the linen supply
and the carbonated beverage in
dustricS.
The Indictment charges the
group OF defendants, Capone
among them, with the responsib-
ility for bombings. boycotts, and
other forms of violence which
were allegedly performed in an
effort to bring every last little
retailer into line"-that is, to
force him to pay his tribute in
one way or another, to the
bosses.
Some 800 witnesses have been
called to take their turns before
the Jury and tell how they were
threatened, intimated, and other
wise forced to Cooperate" Al
ready 80 Of them have been
heard. -. ...
A typical story was that told
by Mr.. Harry Besserer, a retail
cleaner and dyer, as to how he
had been intimidated by "union"
officials into falling into line. He
was at the time an independent.
cut-rate dealer, charging 70 cents
garment. The union" refer
red to was the Retail Cleaners
and Dyers Union, trade organ
:zation headed bv one of the
defendants.
FORCED TO RAISE PRICES
First, his store window and
his neon electric sign was smash
ed, and then he was visited by
union official, he said, who
told him he had to come up with
the prices and put their sign in
the Misunderstanding $1.25: He
hesitated, he said, and then they
told him to go a meeting. At
that meeting. he said, he saw
several men in an anterOOm, do
ing guard duty with pistols strap
ped to their waists.
He was given until certain
time to put up the new sign, he
said, and at the appointed time,
the union men were parked
across the street to make sure
he did it. He did it. He said
he was told that police protec-
ton would do him no good.
Mr.. Besserer was followed on
the stand by Mr. Jacob Cohen.
Il cleaner and dyer. Mr.. Cohen
told first of a deal back in 1921
in which he paid $500 TO some
union bosses. Recently, how.
ever. he said he had his real
trouble when a strike was called
on him to force him to Join the
Cleaners and Dyers' Institute.
He paid 500 imitation fee, and
agreed to paE2 per cent of his
profits a month, which cost him
$50 or $40 a month, he said.
After doing this, he claimed,
eight of his regular retail dealers
who sent him their clothes to be
cleaned, were taken away from
him and the business turned over
to a company owned by union
Official. After that, he, claimed
his place. was bombed, doing
$25O0 worth of damage. L..
The public is greatly interest
ed in, the efforts of the prosecu-
ton to tie DR.. Benjamin NJ.
Squires into the alleged conspir-
lacy. DR.. Squires, professor at
the University of Chicago, who
has become an expert on labor
i'and prices, has served as price
afebiter for the local cleaning and
| dyeinp industry. DR.. Squires is.
one Of the defendants, while an
other, Oscar NJ. Nelson, is a local
alderman. a: =" ,.".
pa 30 -.-s rona;Jsr Til.