Omaha daily bee. (Omaha [Neb.]) 187?-1922, 1911-12-15
DYNAMITE INQUIRY STARTS
Grand Jury in Indianapolis Begins
Investigation of 0utrages,
HUNDRED STRUCTURES DAMAGED
Frank NJ. Ryan, President OF Iron
Workers, CoBfera with District
Attorney miller before wit
ncsses Are QueHtIOned.

INDIANAPOLIS, Dec. n-After weeks
OF investigation by government agents In
many parts of tho country where ex-
ploslons havo taken place. the federal
grand jury began here today its inquiry
into an alleged nationwide conspiracy by
which dynamite, nltroglycerlne and
other explosives were carried into at
least seventeen states.
II. s. Hochin, acting secretary OF the
Iron Workers association, was closeted
with District Attorney Miller before the
grand jury met Later Frank M. Ryan
appeared at the iron workers headquar-
ters and conferred with 1Iockin.
List of Explosions.
A detailed list OF 100 explosions in
struct Tres erected by firms employing
nonunlon workmen. as furnished TO the
government by the National Erectors'
association, was prepared for the grand
Jury.
The list beginning with wreoklng of
structural works In Massachusetts and
Connecticut In the summer OF 1905. cites
the damage done up until October is, 1911,
and points out, as indicating particlpa-
ton by others than John j. and James Il.
Mcnamara and Ortie IL. McManlgal. that
crimes OF this nature were perpetrated in
seventeen states.
The explosions began two years prior
to the employment by the McNamaras
OF McManigal, who, according to his
confession, blew up his first building In
Detroit I'm June, 1907, with twenty
sticks OF dynamite" and they extend into
the present year, several months after
the arrest of the McNamaras.
There We're two explosions IN 1906, eight
Ia 1906, six In 1907, twenty-six I'm 1908,
twenty In 1909. twenty-five IN 1910, and
thirteen In 1911. They occurred In Ohio,
Indiana, Illinois, Michigan, Pennsylvania,
New York, New Jersey. Massac husetts.
Connecticut, Maryland, Wisconsin. Mis-
souri,, Iowa, Nebraska, Utah, Washington
and California.
Ohio. with twenty, heads the list.
Illinois, Pennsylvania. New York, In
diana and Missouri come next.
Last Near santa Barbara.
After the arrest Of the McNamaras
explosions took place at Mount Vernon,
N. Y, and at Cleveland. The last at
tempted explosion is recorded In the list
as having taken place on October 49,
this year, near Santa Barbara, Cal, at a
bridge erected three years ago. Dyna-
mite was found near the bridge just be-
fore the special train bearing President
Taft passed over 1t.
After the explosions of the year Just
preceding the National Erectors' associa-
tion, in May, 1905, was formed by con-
tractors, who. in pursuance OF a plan TO
maintain an open shop" employed de-
tectives to Investigate the dynamiting.
The announcement that w. E. Griffin.
chief OF police OF Kansas City, Mo-, would
arrive here late today, prepared 10 tes-
tify concerning various explosions In
Kansas City, drew attention to the i'm
portant part which the confessions OF
McManigal is to play in the probe.
Fire in Kansas city.
Details OF the blowing up OF the five
structures In Kansas Clty-on December
"a, 1905; April %, 1909; June 20, 1909; Au-
gust ~, 1910, and December 30, 1910
which resulted In the partial wrecklng of
viaducts, buildings and derricks, under
construction by firms employing nom
union men, are In the hands OF the gov
ernment Investigators. Bearing on these
McManigal In his confession quoted at
least one OF the dates, saying:
ION August %, l pulled off the Nc
Clintic-Marshall job at Kansas City. /
did not see j. J. Mcnamara, although
he was In town at the time. From Kan
sas city 1 went to Peoria. ]. J. McNa-
mara returned 70 Indianapolis on August
% or 30, 1870 at which time he paid me
for doing the Kansas city Job. 1 told
him about the bad luck 1 had had on the
Peoria and Kansas City Jobs and he gave
me h about not getting back the clocks
| that did not 20 OF"