Evening capital. (Annapolis, Md.) 1884-1910, 1889-04-09
DYNAMITE SUSPECTS
Labor Leaders Charged With Blow
ing Up q Brooklyn Brewery.
BETRAYED By an AOOOMPLIoE


The Men Arralgned IN coort ana ne
leased On -FItzgerald's Confasslon
and How II Was obtalned--she Drsw-
er'n Theory Of the Crlns
New. YoRK. April o.-There was :.
crowd Of labor union people and curios-
ity seekers IN the general sessions build
ing anxious 10 witness The arraignnent
of the three members Of District Assem-
bly, 40. whom Inspector Byrnes accuses
of having attempted to blow up ID.
Stevenson's brewery last February. As
soon as word was passed around that the
prisoners would be put to plea in Part
the room was speedily filed Judge
MARITIME took his seat promptly at III
o'clock. and Clerk Hall Immediately
called John O'Connell, Thomas Riordan.
and Patrick s. Close TO the bar
There was q buzz of voices as the
three men came out from the pen and
elbowed their way through the crowd to
the railing before the clerks desk. The
prisoners Were plainly, almost shabblly,
dressed, and there was a tOusled air
about them which plainly spoke Of q
night in a cell. Close and O'Connell
wore boards and lowered above Riordan,
whose sole facial ornament was a dark
mllstache. The prisoners seemed de-
cidedly nervous and glanced about them
with frightened looks as Clerk Hall re-
cited the charge against them and asked
whether they were guilty or not guilty.
All three entered pleas of not guilty, and
Judge MARITIME then fixed the bail at
S., 900 in each case.
William j. Gaynor, a BROOKLYN LAWYER.
who appeared for the prisoners, urged
that the defendants were all poor men,
and that $1,000 bail for men OF their
financial standing was excessive Judge
Martin said that he had considered that
matter, but the bail must be graded ac-
cOrding to the magnitude of the Offense
charged; and unless counsel could offer
some other reason for reduction of the
bail it must stand as already fixed.
Thomas Megarr, Brooklyn saloon
keeper, justified in SAC, 900 as bondsman
for the three defendants. If convicted
the accused may get ten years. More
arrests are expected.
The men are charged with exploding
dynamite bomb on the Fortieth street
side of Stevens0n's brewery in Brooklyn
on the evening of Feb. last. The shock
windows in houses for block around.
Several people were slightly injured.
The police began an investigation at
once. They could find no trace of the
explosive.
Mr.. Stevenson put the case in the
hands of Inspector Byrnes. The brewer
was on bad terms with the Ale and
Porter Brewing Protective association.
which had been boycOtting Mr.. Steven
sons ales since last Nobember because
he would employ nOn-uniOn men. He
suspected that it was members Of this
association who had made the attempt
to blow up his brewery.
The arrest of the three men named
above came about entirely on the In
formation of self confessed traitor
named Henry A. Fitzgerald. He was
formerly member of Local Assembly
$3.50, and says he was one Of the con-
spirators who originated the plot to de-
str0y the brewery with dynamite
The confession was obtained by de-
tective, who arrested Fitzgerald and
took him before Inspector Byrmes. The
man was frightened and hastened to
turn states evidence.
He says O'Connell was master work
man Of Il. "A. $500 and chairman of the
executive committee. of which Riordon,
Close and Fitzgerald were members. The
identity of the fifth member is not re-
vealed. The particular province of the
committee was TO boycott Stevenson's
brewery. They attempted to get con-
federates into the brewery 10 throw stag
naut grease into the vats and spoil the
beer, but were unsuccessful.
Then explosives were decided upon.
$50 appropriated and dynamite expert
employed, who prepared the bomb that
was used on February s. Mr.. Stevenson
said to a reporter yesterday: According
20 my theory, which am pretty sure ID
correct. the bomb was put In position ii
small arch under q stone coal chute
about fifteen hours before it was fred.
Il was made up Of bundle of dynamite
cartridges tied together with rubber
bands. A long fuse was run along the
sides Of the masonry to the sidewalk and
the end OF it was concealed with stone.
About fifteen minutes before Il exploded
. well-dressed man str0lled by there
smoking cigar. He stopped for q mo-
ment and leaned carelesslv against the
iron railing neal. which the fuse was con-
cealed. Suddenly he stopped and lit the
fuse with his cigar Then he walked
away. He had plenty Of time TO get out
Of sight before the explosion came.
Bnrdentoun's Sensation.