Something

print("<pre>");
        var_dump($return);
        print("</pre>");
        list($attributeWithAssocs) = $labelModel->RetrieveByColumnName('id', $attributeId);
        print("<pre>");
        var_dump($attributeWithAssocs);
        print("</pre>");

==== produces  =====
array(1) {
  [0]=>
  object(attributes_itmlabelmodel)(11) {
    ["attributes"]=>
    NULL
    ["errorcode"]=>
    NULL
    ["classname"]=>
    NULL
    ["errormessage"]=>
    NULL
    ["log"]=>
    NULL
    ["associates"]=>
    array(0) {
    }
    ["saveCallbacks"]=>
    NULL
    ["id"]=>
    string(2) "31"
    ["name"]=>
    string(14) "trustthedj.com"
    ["active"]=>
    string(1) "0"
    ["owner"]=>
    string(1) "2"
  }
}

object(attributes_itmlabelmodel)(11) {
  ["attributes"]=>
  NULL
  ["errorcode"]=>
  NULL
  ["classname"]=>
  NULL
  ["errormessage"]=>
  NULL
  ["log"]=>
  NULL
  ["associates"]=>
  array(0) {
  }
  ["saveCallbacks"]=>
  NULL
  ["id"]=>
  string(2) "31"
  ["name"]=>
  string(14) "trustthedj.com"
  ["active"]=>
  string(1) "0"
  ["owner"]=>
  string(1) "2"
}

bool(false)