The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1888-11-29
WAYS OF THE ANARCHISTS
Testimony of Police officers Against
HrOnek, the Alleged Dynamiter.
The Accused Takes the Stand in His Own De-
Tense and Vigorously Denies Everything
That Has Been Charged to Him.

TO every word Of the testimony. The first wit
ness vas officer Mnchaski. one OF Inspector Bon
fields Bohemian detectives. He gave the jury
the details of a confession made by Hronek
sitter his arrest After the conspirators
had been locked MP in the jail Muchaski Wis
tied Hronek in his cell. Hronek had q copy Of
the Daily News in his hand. II have just been
reading here he said, ''that some Of the people
who were arrested with me are giving things
away and putting all the blame on me. Now I
am going to tell the whole truth" Muchaski
then arranged q meeting between Hronek, In
spector Bonfeld and a stenoerapher in the IL
brary of the Jail. The officer continued his tes-
timony as follows:
"Hronek first said that many Of the bombs
found in Linng's possession were made by
Schneider. Schneider also made the bombs
which he [Hronekl had.
Where did you get the dynamite in your
house. he was asked.
"tFrom q man named Karafal.'
".How much dynamite did you have ir the
housed
81 don't know how much the officers found
"We told him that was not what we wanted
to know. and he replied that he supposed that
he had about 120 sticks of ii. His wife knew
where it was, and he desired to see her. This
he was allowed to do the following day, in the
rotuuda of the Jail. He said that he might
have bad some bombs, but he did not know
how many"
The witness said he gave Chlsboun eight
bombs, and then be proceeded TO tell the story
Of the trip 10 Riverside and to Aldine square.
The next day Muchaski met officers Haas and
Nordrum at Mrs. Hronek's house. and with her
went to Halstead street and took o cs- TO
Eighteenth street. They then walked west to
Center avenue. and Mrs. Hronek asked that the
officers stay behind, as If the friend saw them
he would not give MP the dynamite. She went
down stairs in the basement on the southwest
corner, which was occupied by Rudolph Sevic,
a gun-msker. In about ten minutes she re-
turned, bearing a heavy basket covered with
-four. The basket contained thirty-four sticks
of dynamite and eight bombs. all Of which were
sprinklad with the flour. At Ter house she was
asked where the bombs were kept, and she
pointed to q -four barrel in q closet off her bed
room.
The crossexsmination brought out the state
| ment that Hronek had said at the interview In
| Jail that he had thrown some of the bombs into
the river. He had also said that there was con-
siderable indignation about the execution of
Spies and his companions, and he wanted to
avenge their deaths. Hronek aaid that 1t was
his intention to harm Bonfeld and Judges Gary
and Grinnell. but he refused C. say how. He
said. however, that he did not want to bring
| any one else into the affair, but would under
take the job alone IL the others would pay him
for it.
Officer Louis Haas corroborated his brother
officers testimony about Mrs. Hronek getting
the dynamite at Sevics house. whittier she had
taken it for safety after Hronek's arrest.
Officer Shainer testified that on July %, in
the State attorneys Office. in an addition al
statement. Hronek said that CaDek told him
that tho German Anarchists wanted to start q
fire in the city to avenge the death OF Spies.
Capsk had also given him some bombs, because.
as Capek said, he was too well known TO use
them. The fact was brought out at this point
that Hronek's statements, though reduced to
writing, were not signed, and were therefore
valuless as evidence. Hence the oral testimony
as to their purport.
Martin Lipschitz, the analytical chemist Of
the Etna Powder Company, testified that
the dynamite IL the bombs found with the An
srchists was Of a more powerful kind than that
used by his company.
Police Inspector Bonfield was then called and
gave testimony as to his own personality. and
the personalities of judges Grinnell and Gary.
against whose lives the plot was laid. He also
told of the first which he received
of the plot from ex-J ustice Fisher, to whom
Chleboun had c~onfded, and the subsequent ar
rest Of the conspirators. In Hronek's house the
witness found a dirk-knife six inches long in o
lesthern case, a large revolver and q stick OF
dynamite. These articles were produced. The
Inspector then brought to view a large baking
powder can, into the top Of which was soldersd
a Illuminating cap. The box was tied
up with wire. Il found this box, which
1 have not opened" continued the witness,
"and under a lot Of sawdust l found a
quantity Of pieces of iron like this" The piece
exhibited was q cylinder of three quarter inch
iron, about three inches long. and with an in
terror diameter OF about an inch. The Inspector
then described q visit TO Chleboun's house,
where he found eight sticks of dynamite and a
bomb similar to those found in Hroneck's house.
Did you open one of the bombs handed to
the officers by Mrs. Hroneckl' was asked.
''Yes. / found the inner cylinder filed with
dynamite, and the space between the two was
filled with small stones, bits of broken china,
small scraps of lead and rusty nails. Here are
the contents Of one" and the Inspector exhibited
a miscellaneous collection Of odds and ends to
the jury. He then related how be had taken one
of the tin and one of the iron bombs out on the
prairie, where a shed six square feet and six
feet high was knocked into fragments by their
explosion. At this point recess was taken.
In the afternoon Inspector Bonfeld was cross
examined without result, and the State rested
its case.
For the defense, Hronek was put on the stand
aud said that he was not an Anarchist and never
had been. He never belonged to an anarchistie
society, and did not believe there was such
thing In existence. He then made q general de
nial Of the truth OF Chle5ounis story. He never
made, manufactured, bought. sold or procured
any dynamite. He never said that he threw the
bomb at the Hsymsrket. and was not there
He had never been harmed by Bonfeld. Gary OF
Grinnell. and had no reason for seeking revenge
on them, nor did he ever threaten TO do so. HI
never was at Capek's house when q liquid wa:
being poured into glass balls or beads, and as ht
eASH 0NaA1 vi tHo VI OApAO
sives, never instructed Chleboun in the art. Or
July 4. Capek and Hronek met Chleboun. The
latter asked them to 10 over to Cottage Grove
avenue where he had n friend, and they would
battle in the lake. ION the way over" con
tiuued Hronek. 'he said that he had heard thar
Grinnell lived in a pretty park, and suggested
going to see il. Then | suspected that he wa.
going 10 sell Us out, and when he did not know
where it was went to a saloon at tho corner OF
Thirty-ninth and State streets and asked. We
walked around the square and looked at the
fountain. / never said anything about revenge.
Hronek admitted going to Riverside will
Chleooun. MikalandA and Janauschek. but sale
that no incendiary talk was INDUCED In. III,
never said that he was prepared TO kill Presi
dent Cleveland, or would 60 in q courtroom
with bombs. Karaiat. he said. left a box o
bombs and dynamite 81 his hous
in October, 1856, and never returned
for II. He had never heard from
Karafat but once since then, and that was whe,
he received q letter from him, dated at Mem
phis, last May. Soon after the bombs were lef
at his house. Hrouek said he grew afraid. anC
threw fifteen of them into the river. As to tn
second trip to Riverside to test a bomb, Chile
boun paid the fare. All would have been throw
away had not Chleboun asked the witness (
cave them. Hronek was always suspicious tba
Chleboun was playing q bad part" The wit
ness said that he never knew Sevic, except b.
sight, and neither introduced Chleboun to hin
nor bought any dynamite from him.
On cross examination Hronek said the can
found in the woodshed were put there by an oil
man who boarded at the house, and who pickle
them MP on the lake front among the refuse
They were designed 10 hold paint, and for othe
harmless uses.