Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1912-12-28
STORY OF CRIME
GIVEN IN DETAIL
BEFORE THE JURY

INDIANAPOLIS December 2S.-The
chronology of the famous dynamite con-
spiracy trial just ended in Indianapolis is
as follows:
October !, 1911, government authorities
exactly one year after the Los Angeles
Times explosion. for first time consider
possibility of federal prosecution for il
legal transportation of explosives.
February 6, 1912. federal grand jury re-
turns indictments against fifty-four labor
union officials.
February IA. most of the defendants.
scattered over the country, arrested with
in q few hours by a telegraphic signal.
October l. trial begins exactly two years
after Los Angeles explosion, fifty de-
PENDANTS present: three discharged by
government; Ortie E. McManigal pleads
guilty, leaving forty-stX for trial.
October 3, jury secured, composed most
ly of farmers; government opens its
case.
district attorney with having been a spy
within the ranks OF the dynamiters, and
with having given information to the
prosecution.
PLEADS guilty to having blown up a bridge
at Dayton, Ohio and accuses HOckin of
having furnished the dynamite; fortyfi five
defendants remain for trial.
November .. McManigal begins relating
his confession on the witness stand: inn
plicates ironworkers' union officials as
having pointed out jobs for him to blow
up; names Hockin as starting him in the
business.
Hockin Committed to Jail.
November % Hockins bond increased.
in default of which he is committed to
Jail. after more testimony that he was
employed by detectives while an official
of the union: court denounces Hockin
as mot to he trusted by any one. day
or night. Miss Mary Field. writer.
denounced BY the district attorney as
an anarchist for criticisms published
i'm union magazine: Olaf A. Tveitmoe.
San Francisco, defendant, also de-
nounced by district attorney for pub
fishing "anarchistic' criticisms of the
trial.
case, after presenting $40 witnesses.
whose testimony covers $1,000 pages; four
more defendants discharged by the gov
ernment, leaving forty-one for trial; de-
Tense begins. Hockin resigns as secre-
tary-treasurer of the ironworkers union.
December 2S, verdicts Of guilty as to
thirty-eight defendants returned.
Chief prosecutor United States Dis
trct Attorney Charles W. Miller.
Chief counsel for the defense. United
liam n. Harding.
Federal judge Who conducted trial,
Albert b. Anderson.
Labor union of which most of the de-
PENDANTS were members, international AS
ISOLATION of Bridge and Structural Iron
workers.
Charges: Illegally transporting dyna-
mite and nitroglycerin on passenger
trains or conspiracy to do the same.
Blends With Tragedy.
It was a scene blended with tragedy that
confronted those who week after week
sat through the historic dynamite con-
spiracy' trials.
Now it was a baby crying from the rear
of the courtroom. where the wives and
children of the defendants sat; now 1t was
the heavy voice of a man seated in the
witness chair and defending himself
against the charges of a nationwide con-
spiracy in which officials of union labor
were deeply concerned. Witnesses from
near and far came and went, but those
whose fate rested with the jury remained
there, listening to the accusations and to
the oft-repeated story of the killing Of
twenty-one people in the Los Angeles
Times explosion.
The courtroom itself seemed a fitting
setting for that somber story. Surround
ed by great marble pillars. with the day
light shut out by heavy curtains. and the
Judge installed before an allegorcal
painting of Justice. that courtroom day
after day echoed the stories of violence.
Three rows deep across the room were
the defendants Among the score of at
torneys sat perhaps the most picturesque
defendant. massive in build, forid in COM
plexion, always Studiously occupied, now
copiously filling his notebook when the