Sigman, Morris (Max). Trial, Criminal Case., 1915-1915
Collection Number: 6036/011
Kheel Center for Labor-Management Documentation & Archives
Cornell University Library
DESCRIPTIVE SUMMARY
Title:
Sigman, Morris (Max). Trial, Criminal Case., 1915-1915
Repository:
Kheel Center for Labor-Management Documentation & Archives
Collection Number:
6036/011
Abstract:
Records documenting the "Trial of the Seven Cloakmakers," including transcripts of
minutes before the Grand Jury of the County of New York and the New York Supreme Court,
as well as the opening address of Morris Hillquit, defense attorney.
Creator:
New York Supreme Court
Grand Jury of the County of New York
Hillquit, Morris
Quanitities:
0.5 cubic feet
Language:
Collection material in English
Founded in 1900 by local union delegates representing about 2,000 members in cities
in the northeastern United States, the ILGWU grew in geographical scope, membership
size, political influence to become one of the most powerful forces in American organized
labor by mid-century. Representing workers in the women's garment industry, the ILGWU
worked to improve working and living conditions of its members through collective
bargaining agreements, training programs, health care facilities, cooperative housing,
educational opportunities, and other efforts. In 1995, the ILGWU merged with the Amalgamated
Clothing and Textile Workers Union (ACTWU) to form the Union of Needletrades, Industrial
and Textile Employees (UNITE).
The collection consists of the complete transcript of minutes for the trial of "The
People of the State of New York against Morris Stupnicker, Max Sigman, Julius Woolf,
Solomon Metz, John Aspitz, John Wedinger, and Max Singer," which began on September
23, 1915. Also contained in the collection is the transcript of minutes from the Grand
Jury hearing which took place on March 15, 1915, and the opening address of Morris
Hillquit. A truncated narrative of the trial including actual testimony from the minutes
also appears in Elias Lieberman's manuscript "A Portrait of a Leader: A True Story
of a Man and an Era," (6036/001).
On July 31, 1910, just after midnight, Morris Feuerwerker called out for police.
As he was leaving the Picket Committee headquarters in Casino Hall at 85 East 4th
Street, he was struck from behind. The police started chase and caught an individual
running from the scene, Max Breiman, but Feuerwerker could not identify him as the
assailant. Another man was found lying face down in the middle of the street and helped
to a nearby drugstore before being taken to the hospital. Herman Liebowitz, a tailor,
had been struck in the face and head suffering a fractured skull and later died from
his injuries. No one was arrested for the crime and at the inquest, Feuerwerker testified
that both he and Liebowitz had been at the Picket Committee that evening and while
leaving after midnight, were assaulted from behind. Breiman testified that on his
way home, he approached a large crowd that had assembled. He felt someone punching
him, and turning around he struck back before fleeing only to be collared by the police.
Liebowitz's death was unsolved and the police began to investigate. Detectives surmised
that the assaults on both men were linked and that the assailant must have been one
of the strikers, many of whom were interviewed. No new evidence came to light and
questions remained whether Liebowitz was maliciously pushed or accidently fell. The
strike continued and when it was settled, the Picket Committee vacated the building
and the crime temporarily forgotten.
Three years later, the file on Liebowitz's death languished in the police archives.
While in jail awaiting trial, "Dopey" Benny Fein, a gangster and labor racketeer,
attempted to make a deal with the district attorney by confessing to other crimes.
Dopey Benny confessed to the murder of Liebowitz, though he was in no way directly
involved. Dopey Benny admitted to having been hired by unions to beat up strikebreakers
and force shops to unionize during strikes. His confessions and alleged misdeeds on
behalf of unions cast suspicion on organized labor. The case was assigned to the new
Assistant District Attorney Lucien Breckinridge, who was eager for a noteworthy trial.
Max Sulkes was a private detective who ran the Empire Detective Agency. Looking to
expand his business, Sulkes began providing companies that had striking employees
with a new supply of workers as well as protection, in the form of large guards, for
the scabs entering the factories. Essentially, Sulkes was running a strikebreaking
operation under the guise of a legitimate employment agency. He placed ads in the
paper looking for cloak operators, cutters, pressers and finishers, and then the workers
would be deployed to shops on strike. As the ILGWU doubled the number of strikers
on the picket line, Sulkes and his agency multiplied the number of strikebreakers,
security, and intimidation tactics. To improve the quality and competency of his strikebreaker
force, Sulkes devised to set up a social club to attract unemployed or disgruntled
garment workers unhappy with the ILGWU, and in November 1913 "The International Ladies'
Garment Workers of the World, Inc." an early racketeering labor union, was born. As
strikes were called by the real ILGWU, Sulkes and his garment workers would show up
to supply a scab workforce and attempt to break the strike. Taking legal action, the
ILGWU, led by its counsel Morris Hillquit, filed an injunction to prevent Sulkes from
using the name International Ladies' Garment Workers, and Sulkes was forced to rename
his organization the "United Cloak and Skirt Makers Union." With a long held grudge
and hostile feelings towards the ILGWU, Sulkes became interested in the Liebowitz
case that his acquaintance ADA Breckinridge had been appointed, conveniently supplying
the prosecution with witnesses for a crime committed four years ago.
On the night of April 4, 1914, the police pounded on the door of Morris Sigman and
arrested him for the murder of Herman Liebowitz. Two days later Morris Stupnicker
was arrested, followed on April 18 by Saul Metz, second vice-president of the International
and president of the United Hebrew Trades, all members of the union and all held without
bail. The arrests of officers in the ILGWU and the alleged connection between the
murder and the strike created a sensational story for the newspapers. Witnesses who
had appeared before the Grand Jury included the doctor who performed the autopsy,
the police officer at the scene, and three other men who had been cloak makers during
the strike, but were now aligned with Sulkes and his agency. After reviewing the minutes
of the Grand Jury testimony, the attorneys for the union, led by Hillquit, were able
to get the defendants released on bail--$15,000 for Sigman, and $10,000 each for Metz
and Stupnicker. Freed just before the ILGWU convention, the men were warmly received
by their fellow union members and Sigman was elected the new secretary-treasurer.
While the impending case was set to go to trial in October of 1914, the District Attorney's
office continued to ask for adjournments, and the trial continually postponed month
after month until the new District Attorney, Charles A. Perkins, took over the case.
On May 11, 1915, Sigman, Metz and Stupnicker, along with Julius Woolf, Abraham Weidinger,
Max Singer, Isidore Ashpitz and Louis Holzer were arrested and charged with the murder
of Herman Liebowitz and placed in jail without bail. On August 7, 1915, bail was set
at a total of $135,000 for the release of all the men. The murder trial was moved
to the New York Supreme Court and a date for the trial was setSeptember 20, 1915.
The charges against Louis Holzer were dismissed on September 13 and on September 19
the seven men returned to jail to await their trial and fate.
On September 23, 1915 at 10 am in New York Supreme Court, the case of the People
of the State of New York vs. Morris Stupnicker, Max Sigman, Julius Woolf, Saul Metz,
Isidore Ashpitz, Abraham Weidinger and Max Singer charged in murder in the first degree
officially began in what would come to be known as the "Trial of the Seven Cloakmakers."
The main focus for the prosecution was the explanation of how Feuerwerker and Liebowitz
came to be at the Picket Committee that evening. Both men had just arrived that day
from Hunter, New York, where a shop had opened and was employing scabs to work. While
Liebowitz had ceased work at the announcement of the strike, with five children and
another on the way, he started to look for employment. The ILGWU had learned of the
shop and sent some of their own men, including Max Singer, under the guise of scabs
to find out the location of the shop and bring the workers back to the city. On Saturday,
July 30, 1910, the union men arrived at the factory to halt production and induce
the other workers to accompany them back to apologize for ignoring the strike. A scuffle
ensued with the landlord of the shop who ordered the men off the grounds and the union
committee was attacked and placed in jail. All returned, including Feuerwerker and
Liebowitz, on Sunday, July 31, where they were brought for questioning before Sigman
and the Picket Committee. After apologizing for strikebreaking and donating money
earned to the strike fund, the men were released.
It is at that point that accounts on what happened next that night differ. The prosecutor's
eye-witness testified to being on the street in front of the hall after midnight and
seeing Sigman, Stupnicker and the others strike Liebowitz on the head and while he
lay on the ground stomp him before fleeing. Upon cross examination it was discovered
that the witness, Isaac Levine, was a member and president of the Sulkes "union."
Further casting doubt upon whether his testimony was valid, there was skepticism that
he was actually present the night of Liebowitz's murder and his story most likely
fabricated. A second witness for the prosecution provided damning testimony against
the defendants but again upon cross examination, uncovered that the witness was pressed
by Sulkes himself to concoct and tell his story to the District Attorney's office.
In the case, the District Attorney attempted to prove a conspiracy. DA Perkins argued
that the defendants conspired to stop work in Hunter and bring the workers back to
the city, and therefore conspired to commit murder or assault. Since all men were
members of the Picket Committee, all were guilty of the same crime. After the prosecution
rested, the defense asked for a motion to dismiss the charges, which was denied and
the case proceeded. Under direct examination, the defendants gave their testimony
to illustrate their character, establish their whereabouts that night, and demonstrate
their innocence. It was soon learned that some of the men were not even present at
the hall the night of the murder. All of their statements held up through cross examination,
continuing to erode the prosecution's case. After the defense rested, again a motion
was called to dismiss the charges and this time those against Metz and Woolf were
dismissed due to insufficient evidence. At the end of the closing statements, the
jury deliberated for only two hours before coming back with a verdict.
On October 8, 1915, the men were found not guilty and acquitted of the false charges.
Hillquit and the defense provided the jury with detailed accounts and information
on the history of the strike and the role that the Picket Committee and Sigman played
in delivering relief to the strikers, preventing strikebreaking, and the eventual
victory of the strike. The prosecution relied on evidence supplied by shady characters
linked to a man with a known hatred for the union. There had long been a prejudice
and suspicion of organized labor which enabled a case with little credible and factual
evidence to make it to trial. The ordeal took its toll on all those involved, and
Sigman resigned from his position within the union shortly after the verdict. Yet,
even in the adverse and antagonistic situation, the seven cloakmakers prevailed and
proved their innocence.
Access to the collections in the Kheel Center is restricted. Please contact a reference
archivist for access to these materials.
This collection must be used in keeping with the Kheel Center Information Sheet and
Procedures for Document Use.
INFORMATION FOR USERS
Sigman, Morris (Max). Trial, Criminal Case. #6036/011. Kheel Center for Labor-Management
Documentation and Archives, Cornell University Library.
Related Collections: 5780: ILGWU records 5780/006: ILGWU. Morris Sigman correspondence 6036/001: Lieberman, Elias. Manuscripts.
Names:
Sigman, Morris, 1880-1931.
Stupnicker, Morris.
Woolf, Julius.
Metz, Solomon.
Ashpitz, Isidore.
Holzer, Louis.
Weidinger, Abraham.
Hillquit, Morris.
Liebowitz, Herman.
International Ladies' Garment Workers' Union -- Archives.
CONTAINER LIST
Container
|
Description
|
Date
|
|
Box 1 | Folder 1 |
Transcript of minutes
|
1915 |
Scope and Contents
Grand Jury of the County of New York, The People of New York v. John Doe; March 15,
1915. 408 pages.
|
|||
Box 1 | Folder 2 |
Transcript of minutes
|
1915 |
Scope and Contents
New York Supreme Court, The People of the State of New York against Morriss Stupnicker,
Max Sigman, Julius Woolf, Solomon Metz, John Auspitz, John Wedinger, and Max Singer;
September 23, 1915. 731 pages.
|
|||
Box 1 | Folder 3 |
Opening address of Morris Hillquit for the defendants
|
1915 |
Scope and Contents
September 30, 1915. 56 pages.
|