El Paso herald. (El Paso, Tex.) 1901-1931, 1911-11-13
SAMUEL G0MPERS thinks
M'NAMARAS ARE INNOCENT
Continued from Page y

uniOnism. his violence Of character. and
his thirst for revenge on union men
las every body knows. the dragnet
investigation Of the explosion and fire,
after the lapse Of months, left the case
simply one Of mystery. For half a
year, it was plain TO all observers that
circumstances were favorable for the
Matching Of a plot against such union
men as should be selected as the OBJ
1ects OF Ois's diabOlical revenge. Time
and again the thought must have Oc-
CURED to union officials: Which of
us shall be the ones to have charges
framed up against them? With Otis's
money or which he has millions, to be
used in hiring detectives the biggest
lot Of blackmailing thieves that ever
went unWhipDed by justice a plot
could be cOncOCred involving any man
IN the United States whose OrganiZa-
ton or whose principles had ever at
rracted the poisoned pen Of Otis
1T was not until nearly seven months
had expired that in a series Of events
Intentionally made theatrical, organ
ized labor and the public were ap-
priced OF the 1act that Ot1s's victims
had at length been found The secre-
tary and two other members Of Bridge
and Structural Iron Workers Inter
national association had meantime had
WeaTed about them a body of purely
circumstantial evidence sufficient to
justify not their arrest and transpOrta-
ton TO California by the regular pro-
cesses Of law, but what amounted to
their kidnapping attended by the slight
est degree Of legal f0rmality possible
'I may be permitted to interrupt the
narrative at this point TO say that
from that day to the present the pro-
ceedings Of Otis's agents and detectives
have time and again served to throw
suspicion on their honesty, on their
alleged facts, and hence upon their
entire side Of the case. The daily
press in general indicated, by their
sighting the information, that it was
too much for their creduity to ask
them to believe In the placing of suit
cases near the home of Gen. Otis and
Of the Los Angeles secretary of the
Merchants and Manufacturers assO-
citation the day of the explosion. except
as the transparent acts of superservice-
able detectives. Moreover, it is pre-
pOsterOus to suppose that If John J.
McNamara were a dynamiter he would
have any Of the explosive substance
either in the basement Of the building
containing the office Of the Structural
Iron Workers union or IN any out
building belonging to or rented by
member Of his family. The slipping
of dynamite into the hand baggage Of
the two other members Of the union
would be a trick Of legerdemain easily
accomplished by any Of the thieves and
blackguards who are alleged by un-
doubted authority to be in so great a
majority in their sneaking profession.
The finding Of the clockwOrk dynamite
bombs in various parts of the country
could easily be arranged for by the
veriest amateur in sleight of hand
play.
'The manner of the stealing away of
John J. Mcnamara, without opportunity
given him to make a proper defence,
rendered it obligatory upon union
labor to take up his case for eXami-
nation and for the protection of other
labor representa- ves who might at
any time be treated in a similar man
ner. Therefore, as early as May g.
the executive council of the American
federation Of labor issued a circular