The Manitowoc pilot. [volume] (Manitowoc, Wis.) 1859-1932, 1911-05-04
DYNAMITE SUSPECT
MAkESC0NFESS|ON
McManigaI Tells Story Of Times
Explosion.
]. J. MCNAMARA THE GENIUS
Prisoner Declares "Brice" Was Man
Who Placed Explosive Under
Newspaper Building When
81 Men Were Killed.

Los Angeles, Cal.-Ortie e. McMan-
lyle confessed here the details Of the
most astounding conspiracy to destroy
life and property that has ever been
known in the history Of the strife be-
tween labor and capital For three
hours McManigal rehearsed how and
why he and James Brice McNam ara
destroyed or attempted to destroy 80
structures which were built or under
construction by the members Of the
National Erectors' association. Dis
trict Attorney John D. Fredericks,
e. B. Mills and three operatives OF the
W. ]. Burns National Detective agency.
Sheriff Hammel, Captain of Detectives
Flammer and an official stenographer
heard McManigars amazing confes-
sion.
He not only furnished complete
testimony as to the material circum-
stance but also supplied the terms
of the conspiracy and the motive be-
hind its vast and hidden workings.
He directly and specifically accused
j. j. Mcnamara, secretary.treasurer
OF the International Bridge and Struc-
tural Iron Workers of being the orig
inator, controlling genius and pay
master of this conspiracy.
He emphatically named ]. B. Nc.
Namara, alias J. B. Brice, brother Of
the secretary, as the man who placed
the dynamite under the Los Angeles
Times building and as Immediately
responsible for the destruction OF the
plant and the murder of q men.
He charged j. J. Mcnamara with
completely in the same crime. 1t was
Secretary Mcnamara, he said, who
conceived the atrocious crime, planned
the details and delegated his brother
to carry them out.
He said that j. B. Mcnamara, who
was then known as Brice, placed the
dynamite with alarm clock attach
ment In the link" alley Of the Times
building, broke gas pipe to make 1t
appear that an explosion of gas had
caused the disaster and hurried away
to take the lark" train Of the South.
ern Pacific to San Francisco.
The lark" leaves Los Angeles a.
eight o'clock in the evening and the
explosion which wrecked the Times
building did not occur until one
O'Clock in the morning.
Hence. according to McManigal's
statement, Mcnamara was five hours
out Of Los Angeles before the clock
had licked on TO the tragic moment.
The conception of the alarm clock,
he said, was j. J. McNamara's, who
had pronounced 1t the most cunningly
arranged agent Of destruction ever
invented.
McManigal said that ]. B. McNa-
mara, using the name of Brice; David
Captain and M. A. Schmidt bought the
dynamite from the Dupont Powder
works across the bay from San Fran
cisco. and that Schmidt and Caplan
remained In that city.
AS to his own crimes, McManigal
gave the details of a long list of dyna-
mite outrages Of which he freely ad.
mittod his guilt
But the man toward whom he point
ed the accusing finger as being pri-
marily responsible was J. J. McNa-
mara.
This man. he said. decided about
three years ago that the only way to
win for union iron workers their fight
against the Erectors' association was
through the agency Of dynamite.
1t was at this time, said McManigal
that he was made acquainted with
McNamara's terrible plans and was
employed by him to do the Jobs. His
pay, he said, was to be 5000 In ad.
vance upon undertaking any dynamite
order. and from $500 to $1,000 IL he
was successful.
Mechanical said he was not present
In Los Angeles when the Times build
ing was dynamited, 1t having been de-
cided that he should be In a remote
part OF the country. so that no suspi.
cion could attach to him. He reached
Los Angeles nearly three months Ia.
ter and blew up section OF the
Llewellyn Iron works of this city.
That part Of his confession relating
to the destruction Of the Times build.
ing and the participation In that crime
Of Schmidt. Captain and j. B. McNa.
mara was furni'hed to him by the Int
ter. he said, when they were on
hunting trip early In the year In the
Wisconsin woods
His knowledge OF all the alleged
facts bearing upon that crime. there
fore, came to him through conf.
dence. and his repetition OF 1t is sec.
ond-hand evidence.