The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1912-11-23
BURNS ESCAPED
DEATH BY BOMB
Arrested Dynamitcrs Just
Before They Planned
to Kill Him.
WON BATTLE OF WITS
McManigal in Amazing Story
Tells of Detectives
Close Call.
OUTLINES WHOLE PLOT
n..nn1, EnOo< rn.,.:.,
WON BATTLE OF WITS
OUTLINES WHOLE PLOT
Reveals Great Conspiracy to
Launch Nationwide Cam
paign Of Violence.

l1NpnSAPoLIs. Nov. 22.-Opera giassess
.Ip turned on Ortie T.. Mechanical
from many parts Of the Federal Court
room when he came to the witness stand
in the dynamiting cases. and for the
first time society turned out to see him
Interest in every part of the crowded
room was intense as the witness en-
tered upon details Of the great con-
spiracy which was to have it's culmina-
ton in a nationwide dynamiting cam
paisn in 1911. He told with dramatic
effect how John j. Mcnamara laid out
this campaign and how 1t included an
attempt upon the life of William j.
Burns. the detective. The witness had
the riveted attention of court and spec
tators az he sat easily in the witness
chair and related the story
The story of the proposed attempt TO
do away with Detective Burns came al
most at the conclusion of the days
testimony. and there was coincidence @
IN II in the fact that the place was ripe
for execution at The very moment that
''' 10 anu iii'H were Va Tue tIdll Ol
McManigal and J. h. Mcnamara in De-
lro!t ana men We're here with eyes on
every movement made by J. ]. McNa-
mara. According to the witness, the
dynamiting squad knew that Burns was
IN their trail. but they believed he had
oeen thrown off the scent by the esca 20
II j. Il. Mcnamara from California In
fact Hockin told the witness that he
Ia Il hNI
Chicago and had asked II the detec-
lives were still on the Los Angeles
Times job, and he had been told that
hey were not. that those fellows out
'h"re were too cheap" and McManisai
had said to Hockin after the narration:
Well, you certainly did have your
nerve with you
McNamara's plan was to hnd out the
detectives rooms in Chicago. rent room .
in the same building and place a large
quantity of dynamite in them, then al
night get through the wall into the
Burns Office and arrange the dynamite
so that the person who opened the
door the next morning Would ex-
plode it. This was in March. 1911. ani
here is little doubt but some such
.cheme would have been carried out
0dO mol tDe USudn1lteTS DeeT arrested
n the month following.
Another interesting story was that of
me blowing up Of the municipal build
ing at Springfield. Mass, on the morn
ing Of April 8, 1911. but few days be-
fore the arrest OF the consprators.
McManigal said that j. J. Mcnamara
sent for him and when he came here he
was told to go to THIN, Ohio. get some
dynamite and take 1t to Boston and re-
port to NJ j. Young. The witness got
forty pounds of dynamite and when he
reached Boston he checked the suit case
rontaining the explosives at the railway
station and went to see Young. He
found him at the Bridgeman's Hall.
Young asked him how ne was fixed for
money and offered him 500, but the
witness did not need it. Young then
asked him II the amounts Hockln had
held out OF his pay had been squared
and he replied that they had not and
ae had never received the $50 Young
soHt him for the Boston Opera House
ID.
That" said Young, was present
'lom our local and l will take up the
matter AT the next meeting OF the ex-
ccrtive board"
The witness and Young went to SPRING
nrid the next day and took look at the
municipal building that McManigal had
some East to blow up
Forty pounds OF dynamite won't do
much to that tower" he told Young.
The chief of police was seated at the
door Of the police station and Young
pointed 10 him and replied: We'll. place
The forty pounds under the tower. 1t
viii give him a damned good shaking
~ anyway"
The witness said ne placed the dyna-
nit" as directed and the explosion oc-
'lrred the next morning at 2 o'clock.
the tower being destroyed.
Taking up the story where he left on
vosterday McManigal said j. B. Nc
Namara came 10 his room In Chicago on
February 10, 1911, and told him that
Local Union No. OF Chicago wanted
some dynsmiting done. According to
The story as McManigal said J, B. Nc
Namara told 1t to him. the executive
board OF the local union had called
i!pckln in and asked him about the price.
There were two factions among the lead
'rship In the Chicago local, he said. and
I'd Francis had gone before the board
and said he had two men from Cleveland
who would do the work. but that $500
Nas the price. According to this story
iiock!n underbid Francis by telling the
executive board that he would have the
work done for $500.
The dynamiter said they went out to
south Chicago and looked at the work
icing put up for the Iroquois Company.
IN he following day they came to In
annapolis, saw j. j. Mcnamara, then
went ont to d. Joness barn and got
.ehty pounds OF dynamite. doing It up
IN -FOUR packages Of twenty pounds each.
Teaching Chicago they took the ex-
p'oSlve to McManigals home and hid
II under stairway leading into the
easement OF the Nat. The next day