Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1912-02-14
CONSPIRACY TO CAUSE
EXPLOSIONS is CHARGED
Majority Of Those Arrested Belong
to Structural Iron Workers.
PRESIDENT RYAN AT THE HEAD
Thirty-Five Others of the Fiftv.
Four Indicted Men Taken Into
Custody-Efforts to
Secure Bail.

. INDIANAPOLIS, Ind. Febru-
ary I4.-By what was said to be
the most sweeping federal action
OF It's kind ever taken the United
States government today. within
a few hours, arrested majority
of the hfty-four men indicted for
alleged completely in a dynamite
conspiracy spread widecast over
the country for six years.
Before noon thirty-six arrests
had been made.
AT the head of those arrested
was Frank NJ. Ryan, president of
the International Association of
Bridge and Structural Iron Work
ers. Many other officers, includ-
ing Herbert S. Hockin. second
vice president, and successor to
J. ]. Mcnamara, the confessed
dynamiter, as secretary-treasurer,
OF the union. were arrested with
Ryan in Indianapolis.
Reports from all.over the coun-
try showed also that FIVE of the
seven iron workers executive
board members and a half dozen
former members were taken in
custody.
Summary of the Charges.
These officials and their co-defendants
are charged with violating the federal
statutes regulating interstate shipment
OF explosives. which resulted from the
activities OF the McNamaras and McMan-
isal dynamiting crew." who carried dy-
anite ia, ana nltroglycerin about the coun-
try In passenger trains
All the defendants are charged u,;,h
cohsplring to further the series of IOO
EXPLOSIONS which We're directed by lahor.
union oHcials against iron and steel con-
tractors and employers of non-,,nion 10
Dor. The explosions caused the de.fruc-
ton OF bridges, viaducts and BUILDINGS
and the wrecking Of the Los Angeles
Iimes building was an incident of the
series. vi 'Ao
Before noon thirty-six arrests had hoe,
made "ao oeen
Scurry to Secure Bondsmen.
The most important move by the de-
PENDANTS on their arrest was to secure
oond Tor their appearance here March II
In some instances the bond was fixed
at $ioVO, and In the aggregate the bends
required. 1t was said. would exceed x3OO
700. Ryan and Hockin each gave $40
OtW bond and were released John T.
Bu.ler ;S OF Buffalo. n Y, filst vice lres-
ldent OF the ironworkers, arrested here
also was released on bond.
On advice of counsel, Ryan. Hockjn
and Butler declined to make a Statement
until they had opportunity to confer
Mr.. Ryan Is nfty-seven years old is
under severe nervous strain and is in
no condition to talk of his arrest. - said
Newton M. Harding. attorney for the iron
Worekrs. This is the crisis of his life.
Wnen ne becomes calmer / may permit
him to issue formal statement
Arrests Were Simultaneous.
Reports from many cities show the gov
ernment's intention to arrest all the men
at one time
Eleven business agents of the iron
workers. four or five officials and sn,,,
members of the executive board who are
charged with knowing what McNamara
did with money used to buy explosives
are among those indicted
Spurgeon p. Meadows. business acnn,
Of the district council of the Internation
Brotherhood of Carpenters and Joinars
also was arrested in Indianapolis He
represents one OF the three labor unions
alleged to he implicated in the consp.racy
Tne oIficial of the other union represented
3. f. Dowd of the machinists union is
under arrest at Rochester N Y.
FRANK =. Webb, a former member of
the fronworkers' executive board. who
was arrested In New York figures promi-
nently In Ortie McManigars confession.
Webb is charged with meet ng McManigal
and showing him Jobs in Hoboken and
Jersey City
Before night il is expected all OF the
fifty or more men indicted will be appre-
hended and the government will reveal
extent Of a conspiracy which Ii charges
has for six years been carried on by
union labor officials and others against
''open shop contractors.
Arrest of Houlihan.
Among the early arrests reported were
those of Richard H. Houlihan OF Chi
cago. who is charged with furthering the
violation of the federal statutes in con-
nection with explosions at south Chicago
and by assisting Ortie f. McManigal, the
confessed dynan,iter. E. E. Phillips,
former Official of, the ironworkers, union
was arrested at Syracuse. N. Y. and Ed
ward Clarke and Ernest G. w. Basey.
also ironworkers. were arrested at Gin.
cinnati.
John T. Butler. Buffalo. N. v. first
vice president Of the International Iron-
workers. and Herbert s. Hockin of De-
kroit second vice preedent and ACTING