Arizona republican. [volume] (Phoenix, Ariz.) 1890-1930, 1911-10-13
CHIEF WITNESS HAS
SHOWN NO CONCERN

Los ANGELES, Cal. Oct T.
Ortie +. McManigal, who. in a con-
fession, declared that he was the
confederate of John ana James Ne
Namara in a conspiracy which in
volvCd murder and destruction all
over the country, lived an unevent-
full life. as he himself described it,.
up To the time he was arrested in
Detroit with James b. Mcnamara
last April, and brought to this city
To be the principal witness against
the brothers at their trial on the
charge of having murdered nineteen
of the men killed in the destruction
of the Los Angeles Times building
October l. 1910
He was born at Bloomville. Ohio.
April l, 1874. His mother died when
he was four years old, and her par
ents who lived at the same place.
took him and his sister and cared for
them until he was six or seven years
of age. Then his father remarked
and took the children back to his
home, where they remained until
Ortie was about u years old. y
separation then occurred between
father and stepmother. and the child
parents in Hutchinson. Kas.. where
they lived for year or two.
When MECHANICAL was about i
years old his father ventured for a
third time into matrimony, and took
his children with him to a farm near
Forest. Ohio. Shortly afterward they
removed To Tiffin. Ohio. where Nc
Manigal. senior, is still living.
But Mrs McManigal. the third, oh
jected To her husbands children. Ortie
said. and 50 once again ne and his
sister were sent To the home of their
mothers parents in Bloomvillc. There
stayed until he was 10.
when he returned to Tiffin to work
with his father in the ice business
and in stone quarries.
When war was declared against
Spain in 1898. McManigal enlisted. but
lid not get out of the training camps.
He was made orderly to an officer, a
position he said he liked very much. I
Upon being mustered out of the mill ,
-ary service he went to Milwaukee. /
where his uncle. George Benin, who !
figured recently in contempt proceed /
ngs here for refusing To answer ques- |
lions propounded in the grand jury
room. wanted him to become rail- |
road worker.
He started to enter railroad en- /
Dloyment. but later went into quarry
n Milwaukee and afterward worked !
1t a foundry there. Then he re
moved to Melrose Park suburb Of /
chicago. and worked for copper !
.Oncern.
McManigal fell in love with his /
wife while she was visiting his rela-
ives i'm Milwaukee. and married her
Nav s. 1901 After his marriage he
became an iron worker, and Joined (
.ocal Union No. 5. in Milwaukee. in /
9OS.
He worked at his trade in Louis
lille. Milwaukee. Chicago and other
titles. then left the ranks of the iron
workers To- join his father and half
BROTHER in the saloon business in Tiff
in But he had trouble there with /
lis half brother and sold out his Ii
Iuor interest.
That was in 1906. and ne remained
n Tiffin working in the iron trade,
until his self-alleged connection with
ne McNamaras.
Of a reckless nature. McManigal
armed the sobriquet daredevil" 10y
eats Of agility on the towering skcle-
ons of skyscrapers. In Chicago.
While working on the tallest buildings,
Ie would leap off the top story To-
atch beam being swung upward
" the derrick.
When he was a small boy. Nc
fanigal fell off wagon, and. a
Wheel passing over him. severely in
ured his head. he said.
McManigal appears To regard his
oming ordeal as chief witness in
he Mcnamara trial with as much
nconcern as he does the accidents
f. his childhood and his exploits
n the tops of high buildings.
He recently determined to break
18th his wife. because he said she
,as too active on behalf of the Me
,amaras His only regret in this
onnection grows out of the fact that p
g believes a break with her means
eparation from his children, Evelyn. .
light years old. and Walter, aged J
tx. who were out here with their {
iother last July and August. but
no were not permitted to see their
lther.