The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1911-04-24
THEY WERE HERE
Mcnamara and McManigle on
Santa Fe Train No. 3.
Handcuffed and Shackeled They
We're Prisoners.
TOLD TO NO ONE.
Compartment Was Locked, Meals
Served in Private.
Baggage Car Contained High
Explosives.

A nervous train crew and several
hundred restless passengers rode on
train No. of the Santa Fe as it pulled
into the Topeka station at 10:45 this
morning. The reason? In baggage
car at the head of the train were many
pounds of dynamite and nitroglycerine
guarded over by a detective who sat in
the door of the car and smoked a
mysterious pipe. And closed tightly il
! a compartment in Pullman on the
rear of the train were John ]. Nc
| Namara, secretary-treasurer of the In
| ternational Association of Structural
Iron Workers, and Ortie E. McManigle,
| an alleged accomplice, who were ar
rested in Indianapolis Saturday in con-
nection with dynamite plots through
out the country, under guard of two de-
| tectives.
This party, which the entire country
| is watching with interest today on ac
count OF recent developments follow
ing the terrible Los Angeles Times ex-
plosion, where scores of people were
killed and other explosions among non
union men all over the country, is
| speeding from st. Louis to Los Angeles.
! With them is enough explosive material
to blow up the city of Topeka with the
necessary apparatus to do it with
! The two union men were under guard
| of Charles J. Smith of the National De-
! tect1ve agency of Chicago, and G. b.
Biddinger, Chicago city detective, and
another detective. Smith and the other
man are in the locked compartment
with Mcnamara and McManigle, while
Blddinger sits in the lonely baggage
car guarding the explosives.
Mcnamara and McManigle are hand
cuffed and shackled.
When No. on the Santa Fe pulled
| into the station the four men were
| looking out of the wide windows of
their compartment. Almost at the time
| the train came to a stop Burns reached
over and lowered the shades. He kept
| them lowered until the train moved
! from the station.
| A State Journal reporter who enter
| ed the car was first warned by the
| porter and then the conductor to keep
! out. When the compartment was reach
ed finally it was found to be locked.
| Knocks on the door brought no re-
! sponse. Questions from the outside
| brought no answers.
| 1t was learned afterward that the en-
| tire train crew had been warned to
prohibit newspaper men or anyone to
| talk to the two prisoners. They are
| not allowed to read newspapers on the
| train and their meals are served tc
them in their compartment. One union
| man OF Topeka attempted to obtain an
| interview with Mcnamara but he could
| not enter the locked room.
! Mcnamara and McManigle could be
| seen at the windows before the train
| came to a stop. Mcnamara wore a
! black derby hat and a dark suit H.
| is smooth shaven with small eyes and
| a peeked face. McManigle wore q
! gray suit and light gray cap pulled
| down over his eyes.
! The detective who sat in the door OF
! the baggage car with the dynamite and
who smoked a pipe in a lazy manner
! was as close mouthed as his associates
| Good morning" he was greeted.
| "Howdy,' came back his answer.
What have you got there in the
! carp
Nothing in here that belongs to me-,
he said
us Mcnamara in the rear of the
train?"
Don't know what you're talking
about"
! Aren't you afraid the train will run
| off the track with those explosives? ??
| You're not talking to me- came
back the ever ready ed-With-infor-
nation answer.
And the questioner adjourned after
receiving a few more answers of the
same variety.
The trainmen and passengers were
| aware of the prisoners and the explo-
sives. They got off and walked back
over the platform to get a look at Nc
! Namara and McManigle. And they
| stole up to the head of the train anc
| counted back to their car to see how
| many coaches were between them anc
the dynamite and nitroglycerine.
| --1---