The daily Gate City. [volume] (Keokuk, Iowa) 1855-1916, 1911-02-28

steps of Harrison Gray Otis and the
verdict before examining the facts.
+. remember my first sensations OF
horror upon hearing OF the Times dis
Iaster and the horrible loss of life and
II searched for motives. 1t didn't seem
possible that any enemy OF Harrison
Gray Otis would destroy plant at an
hour when none of the powers of the
tOtis regime we're around the build
ling. and at a time when Otis himself
was out OF the country. Il didn't seem
probable. e.tner, that any sane union
list would commit an act which would
work such terrible harm TO the cause
lof labor and turn the sympathies OF
1.-THE whole order-loving public to the
ienemy OF labor. / reserved judgment
Then came the story of the bombs.
i1'hey were almost convincing. They
icame just in time to quiet the doubt
that began to creep into the public
mind almost Immediately after the
shock of he explosion had been ex-
PEELED.
fe Rogers dho OtneF OeLeCSifeS-
There were all the clues picked up
and dropped again by Earl Rogers
and his associate detectives, and
there were the suspects arrested, only
{ to be proved false hopes and released
again. Then there was the finding OF
the dynamite in San Francisco. These
things all played part in mold:ng
/ the opinion of all the people who
thought about the crime when / ar
rived in Los Angeles. discovered
that they played a part in the mold
I ing Of opinion. | was almost con-
WINGED that the Times building had
been blown up with dynamite and
that the theory of escaping gas was q
fable. ] expected to find Los Angeles
believing with me. ! was mistaken.
] The Merchants and Manufacturers
association and its allied interests,
Harrison Gray Otis and the members
of the Times group declare, without
qualifications, that the Times was
blown UP by dynamite put there by
unionists.
I The labor union, OF course, con-
/ tend that this theory is false, and a
great part of the rest OF Los Angeles
that was inclined toward the Otis be-
| lief switched sympthies.
| What caused the Times expio-
sion?r l asked one whom / knew to
be neutral, before / had been ten
minutes in the town.
.All the evidence points TO gas,
was the surprising answer.
1 WHAT about the bombs at the Otis
house, / offered. thinking / had a
poser.
They were found By Rico he
said. with q meaning emphasis on the
found
Rico Finds. Proof.
At the time it did not lave the
same significance it has now. The
bombs seemed conclusive proof, but,
as mr. informant said, they were
found by Rico. Rico is the most dis
credited member OF the Los Angeles
police force he i Mexican and has
played an important part in OTIS lit
tie world before 1t was Rico who
found" most OF the evidence against
De Lara and the other Mexican revo-
lutionists whom Otis fought so bitter.
", and for perjury in the Mexican
cases Rico earned reputation that
puts a question mark after everything
he finds. He was even berated By the
department. and is today facing
charges of e1tortion.
Altogether, Rico's record makes his
finding CT the bombs at such con
venient time suspicious occurrence
Handled "Bombs' Knowingly.
4 singular thing, also, is the fac
that the bombs were not found unit
after a guard had been placed at thf
home OF Otis. and also that tbs
clocks were stopped Rico carried
the suit case across the street be
fore there was any explosion, and :
man who would do that must have
knowledge OF the thing he handles o
be a courageous fool Ricos recor,
does not lead 10 the latter conclusion
Z But where would Rico get g
: bomb" l asked He could not hav,
made such bomb between the tim,
of the explosion and the hour of dis
coyery.s
Right; but such men as Rico car
: ~ things ike that "a their stock il
trade. They have done it in othel
: cities. Why not in Los Angeles?'