Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1954-08-14
Probers Indicf
ki!nte, Lowry
In Kickbacks
Painters Union Aide
And Contractor Are
Named on 5 Counts

Named on 5 Counts
A Washington painting con-
tractor and a painters union Of
fetal were named by a Federal
grand jury yesterday in a five-
count Indictment charging vio-
lations of the Taft Hartley law.
Robert e. Minte, the contrac-
tor, ana Robert C. Lowry. secre-
tary-treasurer of District Council
No. 81, Brotherhood of Painters.
Decorators and Paperhangers of
America, AFL, both were charged
with conspiring to violate the
labor law.
In addition, Mr.. Minte was ac-
cused of. two counts of paying
$1,000 and $500, respectively, to
Mr.. Lowry. and Mr.. Lowry was
charged on two counts of receiy-
ing this money.
Moore Not Indicted.
Archie B. Moore was listed in
the indictment as a co-conspir-
ator but he was not indicted. Mr..
Moore, ousted business agent Of
: the District council. was the
chief accuser of Mr.. Lowry be-
fore the House Anti-Racketeer-
ing subcommittee last week,
when that group probed allega-
tons of bribery and extortion
among officials of the painters
union
Mr.. Moore, who testified on
Capitol Hill to splitting pay
ments with Mr.. Lowry, said in
advance of his grand jury APP
pearance that he was going to
tell the whole truth. even at the
risk of getting indicted himself
Both Mr.. Minte and Mr.. Low
ny stood on their constitutional
rights and refused to testify, ac-
cording to their attorneys, when
, they appeared before the grand
jury. Mr.. Minte was the object
of a search by deputy marshals
for two days before he volun-
tarily appeared before the grand
jury yesterday.
Speeded to Beat Deadline.
The case was rushed. through
the grand jury ahead of other
cases expected to grow out of
the Moore charges because the
statute of limitations would ex-
pire August IT.
The grand jury made it's re-
turn yesterday before Judge
Walter Bastian in U. S. District
Court for the District of Column
bia.
The grand jury charged that,
commencing about July "a, 1851,
and continuing until about De-
cember 81, 1851. Mr.. Minte and
Mr.. Lowry conspired with MIR.
Moore and others to violate the
Taft-Hartley act.
The indictment charged that
Mr.. Minte as an employer I'M
lawfully agreed to pay repre-
sentative of his employees, and
that Mr.. Lowry, as representa-
tive of the employees of Mr.. Minte,
unlawfully agreed to take the
money.
Mr.. Minte is president sof the
Edward w. Minte Co., Inc. here.
Five covert" Acts.
The grand jury listed five overt
acts in its conspiracy count as
follows:
/. That on or about July "a,
1851, Mr.. Lowry and Mr.. Moore
met with Carl F. Sodeman, then
estimator for the Minte COM
pany, and went to Forest Glen,
Md.
2. That on or about July Is,
1851, Mr.. Lowry called Mr.. Minte
from Baltimore.
3. That on or about July 26,
1851, Mr.. Lowry and Mr.. Moore
met at a meeting of the District
Council.
4. That on or about August
II, 1851, Mr.. Lowry and Mr..
Moore met with Mr.. Minte.
5. That on or about December
81, 1851, Mr.. Lowry and Mr..
Moore met with Mr.. Minte.
Mr.. Moore testified on Capitol
Hill that Mr.. lMinte was trying
to get permission from the union
to allow his men to spray paint
at the Forest Glen Hospital. Mr..
Moore said Mr.. Lowry called
Mr.. Minte from Baltimore on
July Is and said, II have a
thousand questions to ask you.
he testified further that Mr..
Lowry told him Mr.. Minte's an
swer was, And ! have a thou
sand answers.
Mr.. Moore said he connected
that with the idea of $1,000
payment. The next day. Mr..
Moore testified, the District
Council agreed to let Mr.. Mlnte
spray paint.
Mr.. Moore said he and Mr..
Lowry split with others $1,000
received from Mr.. Minte on Au-
gust II, and he said the union
officials received another $500 at
a Minte Christmas party on De-
cember q.
Mr.. Lowry, IN his Capitol testi-
mony, denied receiving any pay
mentS. Mr.. Minte acknowledged
the $1,000 payment and said he
also might have made the $500
payment. but he denied that
either payment was for favors
received from the union officials.
no -