The Richmond Virginian. (Richmond, Va.) 1910-1920, 1911-12-08
Detective Burns Makes Ser
ious Charge Against the
Head of A. F. of L.
SAYS HE HIMSELF
WAS TO BE VICTIM
Reiterates Former Charge
and Offers to Help
Labor by Making
Investigation

NEW YORK. Dec. "A remark
able accusation against sHmuel Com
pers, president Of the A. +. l.. was
made today by Detective VIM. J.
Burns. who arrived hero from Phil
adslphia on his trip across the con-
tinent following cues 20 the men
higher up In union labor whom he
believes were behind the McNamaras
In their dynamiting activities.
The purpose OF Gompers In his
tncendiary talk was to get me as
fascinated" said Burns. In an inter-
Wow at the Herald Square Hotel.
shortly after his arrival.
When he gave out his statement
after these men were arrested. In
which hA accused me Of framing up
. case and planting the dynamite.
he planned TO excite some crank so
that he would take shot at me. He
supplied the keynote for attacks up
on me from street corners and in
socialisttc organisations by his works
with the same end in view.
ASK Francis J. Henri In San Fran
cisco and he with tell you that ex-
pected they would try to get me and
] told him that IL they did for him
to get Gonfpers, as l knew he would
be responsible. was warned from
tho inside that / was to be assassin
ated. and that they had selected the
fellow to do It l received telephone
messages and letters. the subject OF
which was to facilitate their plans
Jim Mcnamara came to Chicago per-
sonaily and telephoned me At my Of
nee. and J. J. Mcnamara kept show
ing Jim and Ortie McManigal my pic
ture. warning them that It was the
picture of the fellow that's trying
to ret 'them!'"
Areaens Cpndrmn, says BurnsL
~. When told that 0ompass hiss re-
fused 70 discuss his statements Nx.
ceptfng to denounce him a. 4 falsi-
her. Burns said:
II think his actions have condemns
ed him before the people OF this
country. II he had leg to stand on
he wouldsbe making a speech az long
~ from here to Washington. Why
doesn't he discuss the charge that I
have made that he came to Indianapo-
liz right after the arrest Of Mcnamara
and went into conference with the
men who were supplying the money
Tor the dynamiting, and knew all
about II before the McNamaras con-
feased.
II dare him to make an afYidavit
denying this charge. Why. when J.
b. Mcnamara was arrested he Of
fered our men $4,000 to let him 60.
They laughed at him an asked, Where
would you get 330.o00?' Mcnamara
replied: 'Just give me a couple Of
hours 10 telegraph and I win show
you Then he tried to intimidate
them by declaring that the American
snAA ~ Ia Na hAh tnA -
and that they were making . big
mistake. When heard this. was
the one who was shocked. investi-
rated and found that 0ompers did
have previous knowledge OF the. sit
uation. and all his talk now 10 pure
ouncombe from an old bunco steerer.
LET him deny that he Joined the
party In Indianapolis right after Me-
Namar's arrest while they were watt
ing for news from Detroit that tve
places selected had been dynamited--
waiting to jointly But we got those
fellows in Detroit and they didn't jol-
My.
Seeing ths Light.
SO by tho newspapers today that
some Of the New York leaders Of or
ganixed labor are taking steps to sup
press violence. Thank heaven they
are seeing tho light But tho only
thing for them to do II to kick out the
corrupt leaders and corrupt machine
that 10 now in charge Of organised
labor. II they want to retain the con-
ndence Of the community they will
have To dispense with tho services Of
Gompers. and his kind who are dis
grace 10 organised labor.
"He had knowledge that McManigai
and J. b. Mcnamara were trailing
around with cans Of dynamite on araal--
roads where II one Of the cans had
exploded there would not have been
enough OF the car left to tell what
II was. When the man who manu-.
featured the dynamite was told this
he turned pale ut the thought OF what
might have happened"
Asked IT, he expected to get any in
formation from the McNamaras that
would help him In his Investigation.
he said he did not.
When the names Of Kaplan and
Schmidt. two Of the men implicated
BY Critic McAaniagal In the dynamite
ing enterprises were mentioned. Mr..
Burns said:
T know that the people connected
with the Mcnamara defense right at
this moment have Schmidt under their
paying out money to keep him wher>
he q. believe the same thing about
XAplan, only my knowledge Of him q
not N positive ~ that about Schmidt
Friend Of Labor.
Rsverting to the subject OF his
planned assassination. he said he had
never boen attacked. but added:
II any attempt had been made. the
country would have hearh Of Il. you
can rely on that Tho only sonss
am afraid Of are the fanatics who
might BE- aroused by this incendiary
talk At 0ompers. These other fellows
know that am not going 70 stand
around where they can kick me and
get away with Il.
Denying thAt he was IN enemy Of
union labor. Mr.. Burns asserted that
hA would eventually b proved to be
IT. ffiand Already, be said, leaders
who were misleA ~ 0ompers have ex-
pressed ,thsir ,rogrst Tor attacking him.
and men q ths ranks who ccutributsd
Through thelF unions - thu NcNamara
dafe2ee 1nn1, lave written 20 tel him
q their cenndenoe ~ him. M de-
e1aneA thAk there 90 q IN coGntxy
.l.:Is. s11s 752S7S Il