Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1911-04-24
Gruesome Story of Murder
Told in Alleged Confession


Wood. chief of the Chicago detective bu-
full confession had been obtained from
connection with the dynamiting Of the
Los Angeles Times building.
Ortie B. McManigal is the man alleged
to have confessed, and his story, It 10
asserted, tells how the lives Of more than
100 men were snuffed out through the
operations Of himself and his companions.
The alleged confession is said to cover
ninety typewriter pages and to relate to
the movements Of the men now under ar
rest. and others sought by detectives
According to Capt. Wood. 1t describes in
road trains and factories where conflicts
between union and non-union labor ex-
listed. The destruction Of property val
ued at almost 100000 Is said to DO de-
tailed.
TO Be Used in Evidence.
The chief Of the Chicago detective de-
partment said tho confession was placed
in the possession Of attorneys represent
ing the National Erectors' Association.
and has been sent to Los Angeles to be
used In the trial Of the cases against the
men under arrest.
1.-THE confession was made at the home
Of Detective Reed Of the Chicago police
department in South Chicago" said Capt.
Wood. More arrests in the case are
expected. and any disclosure Of the details
Of the confession at this time would
make them almost impossible.
While here the men undar arrest were
never in communication with each other,
and neither knew that his companion
was prisoner in the same house. They
were questioned necessarily. and finally =
confession was obtained from one Of
them.
Arrests Carefully Planned.
Then the California authorities were
notified at once. and after indictments
papers were hurried here. Not until
these papers were received was any move
made to place others wanted in the case
under arrest.
THE plants of dynamite found since
the Indianapolis arrests were told Of in
the confession. and the names and where
Abouts of other men now being sought
are known to the detectives"
The confession by McManigal at the
Commercial avenue. South Chicago, was
made. It Is asserted, the night Of April
13. He started talking at midnight, and
1t was breakfast time when he finished.
Seated in the room were William j.
Burns. Detective Reed. several operatives
from the Burns agency. and an official
stenographer Of the police department.
The little group In the bedroom sat
awe-stricken. held spellbeund by tho hor-
ror Of McManigars tale. He spoke care
lessly of their exploit, telling Of how the
explosive was planted. how he had visit
ed union officials and was paid for his
death-dealing work. and Of the explo-
sions In which the other members Of the
Swears He Told Truth.
When he finished he lifted his right
hand and swore he had told the truth.
After the arrests were made It was de-
cided that McManigai was the logical
man to sweat" They told him they
were government detectives. and that he
was wanted for robbing q safe in q SUBJ
postal station at 31st street and Cottage
Grove avenue.
Breaks Down After Sweating"
McMan:gal was taken into a room and
quizzed. For twelve hours he was piled
with questions with but little rest. Short
ly after midnight he began to break
down. At first his story was incoherent,
but as he proceeded he told with vividness
OF the crimes in which he acknowledged
being implicated. He said that Jim"
Mcnamara. NJ. A. Schmidt and Dave"
Kaplan had been implicated in the crimes.
He started out by telling OF the first
outrages committed by the band, leading
up to what he called the first big Job"
the destruction OF a railroad bridge and
iron works at Peoria, ILL.,. September 4,
1910. Previous to that time. he 50 d. he
had figured in half dozen small Jobs"
before the big Peoria explosion" In all
of them save one number Of men lost
their lives.
McManigal said he had been selected
as ono of the men to do the Times h,lild.
Ing lob" but ehey had given him other
work" in the central west. and he could
not get there In time: He said Jim Nc
Namara, Schmidt and Kaplan did the
job" McManigal went into detail regard
ing all Of the "jobs." He told how activi-
ties had been shifted down to Texas ana
then to South Chicago and later 10 NIL
waukee.
Estimates Victims at 100.
when asked to fix the number Of msa