Rock Island Argus. (Rock Island, Ill.) 1893-1920, 1912-08-31
Alleged Ally of Wood Said
to be Financial
Leader,
WILL GIVE HIMSELF UP
President of Textile Mills Call.
ed Labor'S BittereSt Foe
in East.

Boston, Mass, Aug. 31.-Interest in
the investigation OF alleged planting"
OF dynamite at Lawrence during the
big textile strike was renewed today
by the report Of the pc Cssible presenta-
tton OF further evidence TO the grand
jury today. The third man indicted,
but not yet formally arrested. is said
TO be a man nearly as prominent as
William NJ. Wood in the social and f.
nancial world. This man Is i'll, but If
able he will give himself up Tuesday.
according to the police.
Two other men we're indicted with
Wood on the same charge. II is al
legged that they conspired in the plant
ing OF dynamite at Lawrence during
the strike last spring. the object being
TO throw the blame on the union lead
ers, who we're conducting the strike.
INDICTMENTS IN SIX COUNTS.
The indictments are in six counts
The charge OF conspiracy is based on
section sc. chapter 2OS. revised laws
OF Massachusetts,. This statute pro-
vides a penalty for any one who
places dynamite with intent TO injure
any one. and the conspiracy" in this
instance is alleged 10 have consisted
in inducing others TO violate the law
in order TO influence public opinion
against the strikers.
John J. Breen OF Lawrence planted
dynamite at Lawrence and was fined
$500 for 1t in Salem. Dennis j. Col
Inns is charged with transporting the
dynomits unlawfully. f. w. Pitman.
wealthy contractor and builder,
who. according 10 District Attorney
Pelletier. furnished the dynamite, kill
ed himself in Andover on the day he
was TO have appeared before the
grand jury.
Breen. when tried at Salem. made
no effort to exculpate himself, and
this fact led 70 the inference that
there were men higher up concerned
IN the attempt to injure the cause oi
the striking millworkers.
Breen was q witness before the
grand Jury that indicted Wood and
others. So was Collins. Breen in
formed the Boston police that there
was dynamite in Lawrence and guid
ed them TO It's discovery. The six
Syrians and one italian on whose
premises the explosives were found
were all acquitted.
The district attorney has not re
vealed on Just what basis he connects
Mr.. Wood with the above facts.
LABOR CALLS HIM BITTER FOE.
William NJ. Wood. though he rose
from the bottom. is regarded by labor
as one OF its bitterest enemies. II
was against him that the most intense
feeling was shown by the working
people during the Lawrence strike
on the other hand. II was Mr.. Woods
action which regulated what the othe'
mill owners should do in the matter
OF settling the strike or holding out
against settlement
The American Woolen company, o.
which Wood is president bore the
brunt Of the Lawrence strike from
Jan. u until March Il. II controls
20 manufacturing plants In New En-
gland and New York state.
1t has a capitalization OF $75,o0O.oOC
and employs 1000 operatives wher
all the machinery is In motion. Abou
$4,000 persons are on the pay rolls o
the company's mills in Lawrence.
Besides being president OF tn
American woOlen company, which
owns the Wood, Aver and Washington
mills at Lawrence, Wood Is presiden
and treasurer OF the National ant
Providence worsted mills in Rhode Is
land director OF the Merchants Ma
t!onal bank and Pierce Manufactur
ing company OF New Bedford, Mass
md member OF the National Associa
ton OF Wool Manufacturers and IN
Home Market club.
HELPED To BOOST SCHEDULE X.
He also was q member OF the asso
citation which met in Washington dun
ing the winter OF Isl0-1911 10 boos
schedule X OF the Payne-Aldrich tar
~ law.
His life story is picturesque. Hi
father was a Portuguese, named JAG
inthC. who was brought TO Edgartovr
On MarJha's Vineyard. by Captain
Henry Pease, a whaling master. ol
whose ship he had been employed a
cooks assistant. Jacintho. accordinj
10 custom, took his benefactor's nam
and became a cobbler in Edgartowr
He married. and his first child
known as William NJ Wood, was Dor
April :, 1861.
Fhe son began life as a mill worl
er. When DR.. Frederick Aver wa
obliged 20 take over the Washingto
MIL 4 Lawrence because that inst
tution could not repay his loans to