The Ward County independent. [volume] (Minot, Ward County, N.D.) 1902-1965, 1912-02-22
,O|CT0GRAPH
A DETECTIVE
APPARATUS FOUND IN OFFICE or
BRIDGE AND STRUCTURAL
IRON WORKERS.
ON j. McNAMARA'S DESK
Federal Stenographers on Floor Be-
low Noted Down Everything Said
in the Office-Indicted Off,
&. Gals Amazed.


ment has learned through a phone.
graphic device whatever Frank M.
Ryan and other indicted union Off
Gals have said in their Office about
the dynamite conspiracy since last
October. The device was discovered
in the headquarters of the Interna
tional Association of Bridge and Struc-
tural Iron Workers.
The instrument hidden under q
drawer in a desk about which Ryan,
the president; Herbert S. Hockin, the
secretary-treasurer, and John T. But,
Ter, first vice president, and other of.
fclals conferred concerning their de-
tense and pleas, is said to have en-
abled two government stenographers
In a room below to take daily reports
Of the conversation.
The use of this apparatus was dis
closed when the government decided
1t was no longer of value, because a
woman clerk in Ryan's office has been
heard TO say, well, suppose they
are hearing now whatever we say"
That, with statements by Ryan, con-
vinced Clarence Nicholas, assistant
district attorney, that the device was
no longer useful. .",..~.
The instrument had been hidden in
the desk once used by ]. J. McNa.
mara, the dynamiter, upon which he
arranged his alarm clock scheme for
regulating the time at which bombs
were to be set off.
. The discovery of the apparatus fol-
lowed soon after the government had
received intimations that some Of the
defendants were ready 'to tell all they
knew" About the office of Charles
w. Miller, district attorney, it was
said something had been expected"
but Mr.. Miller declined to say what
It was
>, Mr.. Miller said the device had
worked satisfactorily for months and
many volumes of stenographic notes
had been taken and would be used at
the trials.
Ryan was told there was a phono-
graphic device in his office He con-
scented to have his informant search
the offioe.
%A A quick examination Of Ryan's desk
exposed the annunciator of the ap-
paratus, hanging by it's wires against
the back wall of the desk directly be-
meath the top. Disconnected, the an
nunciator was shown to Ryan and then
carried away
How 1t Was Done.
The wires from the annunciator ran
from the back of Ryan's desk through
the floor and into a room below rented
by the government. Here sat every
day two stenographers under the d.
rection Of Rowland Evans official
stenographer of the federal court,
with the receiving apparatus at their
ears. The stenographers worked in
relays except at such times when it
was desired to take a double record
for confederation.
The arrest of J. w. Irwin in Chicago
puts the government into possession
Of all but two of the "a men indicted.
The defendants who had not been ap-
pretended are John J. McCray, for
merly an ironworker at Wheeling, w.
Va, and Patrick Ryan. formerly a
business agent in Chicago.
Irwin is named in his indictment as
having been recording secretary and
treasurer of local union at Peoria,
ILL.,, in 1908 and 1909 McManigal con-
fessed he blew up several places in
and near Peoria after that time One
of these was an explosion in Septem-
Der, 1910, when six buildings were
damaged and a night Waterman was
injured.