The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1911-12-04
BROAD net FOR DYNAMITERS
FEDERAL COtRT WAY TAKE
tP IONG LIST or CRIMES.
Theory Is Advanced Tha, All the bridge
Blowing OutraEes Have Bccn the
plots Of the same Men and work sf
Their Agents -Outrages IN New York.


plots Of the same Men and Work Of
Their Agents -Outrages IN New York.
IND1ANApoL1s Dec 3.-The full scope Of
the Federal Grand Jury investigation into
dynamite outrages throughout the coun-
try known to have been committed under
the direction Of John J. Mcnamara and
| believed to have been inspired by men
higher up came TO light to-day and with
| it. the theory on which the Government is
acting
The first theory is that the explosives
were transported over interstate railroads
and in pursuance of II nationwide CON
| spiracy to destroy life and property.
This, it is declared, gives the United
States court here jurisdiction over the
offences
! The second theory IL that railroad
| bridges form a part of the property cf
| interstate commerce carriers in the mean
ing Of the law and their destruction is
| therefore an offence against the statutes
! out of this grows the conclusion that
| the transportation of the explosives and
| the actual use or intended use of them in
destroying property constitute com
tinuing crime which is punishable under
| he statutes
Taking the destruction of the Los
Angeles Times building and the Conse-
| Quent loss of twenty-onc lives, Tor IN
stance, Government officials say that
Federal courts would have no jurisdiction
! If the dynamite had boon purchased IN
| Los Angeles, but il it were purcnas"d
| in any other State and car hc shown to
| have been carried to Los Angeles or sen
| there over an interstate railroad the send
, ing or carving vt II gives the court JurlS-
| diction over the actual killing of the men
who perished in the building. This ques-
! ton has not been definitely decided. hut
| the District Attorney ~ looking M the
| law and il may he. IL the transportation
Of the dynamite and the crime resulting
| from the explosion and incident 10 II
| are one and the same act. the men charged
with 1t may he guilty OF murder under
! United States statutes.
1t is known that this theory has been
/ suggested either To the lult"i states
! District Attorneys 10y members ~ the
! Erectors Association or hv tho District
! Attorneys to them and that it ls being
| investi gated.
Vt is pointed out that during the Harri-
son Administration deputy United
States marshal killed a man IN defence OF a
Justice of the United States Supreme
| 'Ourt and that that court held TINT he
! acted within tho limits of his duty. W.
Il H. Miller. Attorney General AZ the time.
ordered tho deputy to protect the Justice
and defended the act in the supreme
Court This case. il is argued here. shows
that the person of "A Justice of the Su-
yreme Court may be protected even at the
cost Of human life and the conclusion ~
drawn that violations Of the interstate
commerce Law ending in murder. as III the
Los Angeles Times case, would give the
Federal court jurisdiction ot the larger
III ,F b Na1l
The Investigation to he undertaken Ivy
the Federal Grand jury Is To he prac-
tiCally nationwide and l. expected 10
cause the attendance ~ witnesses from
many States in which railroad bridges
have been DESTROYED and attempts made
to blow up iron works in which material
was being manufactured under contracts
for interstate railroad construction and
repair Among the cases that will 10
inquired into and to which members OF
the EreCtors Association and Detective
Burns and his -leuths have called the
attention Of the United States authori-
tics and in many cases OF which they
will furnish evidence are the following
in the State Of New York
February 3, 1905 Scherzer Bridge,
across East Chester Bay, being erected
by the American Bridge Company for the
city of New York.
April |. 1908 Attempt made to blow mp
Backwells Island Bridge, being erected
by the Pennsylvania Steel Company for
New York city.
April 5. 1875 Hosting crane belonging
: to McChntic 4 Marshall Of Pittsburg, al
work on Chelsea Piers. New York city.
April o, 1905 fremont avenue bridge,
near West Farms, y. Y, on line Of the
New York, New Haven and Hartford
Railroad
May ~ 1905 Attempt to dynamite
drawbridge over Bronx River Of the New
! York. New Haven and Hartford Railroad
. Waterman assaulted. Next morning l03
, sticks of dynamite We're found uneI Iploded
May 2l 1905 Bridge of the New York,
New Haven and Hartford Railroad at
Bay Chester, y. y.
{ Nav -, 1903 Explosion in plant of Louis
Shoemaker n Co. at Bay Chester. y, \ .,
where work was being done for New York
New Haven and Hartford Railroad,
July /, 1905 Lehigh Valley Railroad
bridge at Buffalo. being constructed by
1 McCnntock a Marshall.
( May II. 1909 Attempt to blow up
bridge erected by American Bridge Com
pany at South Brooklyn.
June I, 1909 New York Central and
Hudson River Railroad bridge at East
Ferry. Buffalo. y. \.
{ August Is. 1909 Railroad bridge in
q New York city partly wrecked.
, September, 1909 Derrick destroyed
4 over New York Central tracks al Buffalo
, y. y. October o. 1909 Second attempt
4 to destroy structure.
, MARCH 5. 1910 Corinth ~ Y. bridge
r partly destroyed
just what evidence the authorities
l have as to the persons who committed
) these outrages cannot be learned. bu
- they are TO be Investigated on the theory
that all the dynamiting was done unde
a general plan of destruction formed anc
, carried out by the same men and theil
/ agents