The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1912-03-12
FOrty-Six Union Labor Lead
ers Appear in Indianapolis
To Answer to Charge of UnlaW-
fully Moving Explosives.
EIGHT ACCUSED ARE ABSENT
Some Are in Prison and Some
Are Resisting ExtraditiOn.
Most of the Defendants Are
Structural Iron Workers.

Indianapolis, March 12.-Demurrers
to indictments against forty-six de-
PENDANTS in the governments prosecu-
tion of the alleged dynamiting con-
spiracy were filed before Judge A B.
Anderson by counsel for the indicted
men when they were arraigned in the
federal court today. Eight of the
fifty-four defendants were not present.
Elijah Zoline of Chicago, one of the
attorneys for the defense, began the
argument in support of a motion 10
Quash the indictments on the ground
that many of them charged the same
Offense of conspiracy to transport eA-
pIosives from state to state illegally.
Never before in the history OF the
federal courts had so many men oeeh
indicted in a single proceeding and pc
cause of the wide interest the court
room was crowded before Judge An
derson came to the bench. Numerous
officials of labor unions and repre-,
sentatives of the National ErectorS
association which has been actlNe IN
the investigation and other employers
organizations were among the specta-
tors.
Judge Anderson interrupted Mr. 70
line with a statement that the motloH
to uuash the indictments on the
ground of confusing multiplicity was
absurd.
saThese defendants will never go to
trial without thoroughly understand
ing what they are charged with said
he They will not be EMBARRASSED
or confused in this court The motloh
is overruled."
ATTORNEY Alfred Hovey then attack
ed the indictments, denying there was
q showing that the defendants hao
unlawfully conveyed explosives on
passenger trains. He declared there
was no violation of federal statutes
TRANSPORTED
common carriers concealed IN uh-
marked packages, and maintained
the indictments did not so aver
History of the Case.
One hundred explosions destroyed
or damaged property of employers OF
non-union labor in cities from Massa-
chusetts to California between 1898
and 1911. The most disastrous
wrecked the Los Angeles Times bnlla7 q
ing October l, 1910. and killed Il
men.
Most of the defendants are present;
of former officials the international
Association of Bridge and SIructura1 I a.
Iron Workers eleven are alleged TO
have conspired Illegally to conVe eX-
pIosives on passenger trains from
state to state. The seat of the con
Epiracy, it is charged, was IN the
headquarters of the iron workers as
sociation in Indianapolis.
Fffty-four men were indicted by the
federal grand jury and all but nine
were in the court this morning. Inc
absent defendants were John J. McNa-
mara. secretary-treasurer of the iron
workers association since 1905, alleGed
70 have directed the operations OF the
ciynamiting crew from his once mere
now serving IA years sentence IN 9dIl
Quentin prison, California, for having
conspired to blow up the Llewellyn
Iron works in Los Angeles; James d |
Mcnamara, serving life sentence IN |
San Quentin for having blown up tEe
Los Angeles Times building; Ort1e Il |
AdcManigal. practical dynamiter,' con- |
1assad1v the most active agent of the |
consDirators and upon whose infOrma-
ton the investigation OF the plots |
largely have rested, now IN JAIL at Los
Angeles: Eugene a. Clancy, or san |
Francisco, former member OF the eA-
ecutiye board of the iron workers, ul!-
der indictment and bond in California;
Olaf A. Tveitmoe, secretary OF the |
building trades council OF Calfornla
under indictment and BOND IN tnat
state. John ]. McCray, former member
Of the executive board of the Iron
workers association, whereabouts un-
known. John r. Carroll and Edward
r Phillips. of the Iron Workers union
of syracuse. N Y, resisting removal to
Indianapolis: J. E. Munsey, BUSINESS
agent salt Lake Iron Workers union
,,1der Indictment and bond in California
Most prominent among the 1nd1ct-
cd men here today were Frank M
RYAN of Chicago, president or the iron
workers association; John T. Butler
of Buffalo, first vice president, and
Herbert s. Hocl1in of Detroit, second
vice president and acting secretary
treasurer. In the confessions OF NC
ManigaI, Hockin appears as travelling
of the "dynamltlns
SQUAD" and custodian of the deposI-
tories of explosives in western Penn
sylvania. at Tiffin, o., and in this city.
With the indicted iron workers Of
ficials were four men connected with
other labor unions. alleged to have
been implicated in the conspiracy
They were William h Benson, for
mer president of the Detroit Fedora
ton of Labor; Clarence E. DoWd of
formerly a national organ
zer of the International Association
Of Machinists; Hiram Cline of Muncie,
Ind, a national organizer for the In
Brotherhood of Carpenters
and Joiners, and Spurgeon P. Mead
1vs. business agent of the Indianap-
1Iis district of the Brotherhood of
Carpenters and JOiners.