Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1912-09-24
F|FTY-ONE men,
Who Are Present or For
mer Officials Of Labor
Are TO Appear in Federal Court
Oct. 1-.COnspiracy Charge.
Concerned In Nationwide Plot To
Destroy Property Of Contractors.

Indianapolis, Ind, Sept. Exchanged
with completely in the so-called "dyn-
amiting conspiracy" fifty-one men
present or former officials of labor
unions, are to appear for trial before
Judge Albert B. Anderson and a jury
in the Federal court of this district on
October l.
Indicted under a General statute for
bidding the transportation of explo-
sivcs on passenger trains, the defen-
dants are alleged to have been con-
cerned in a nation wide plot to destroy
the property of contractors employing
non-union ironworkers, eliminating in
the explosion in the Los Angeles Times
building, which cost twenty one lives.
Fifty-four We're indicted by the
grand jury in its report of February
last. but of this number John J. and
James E. McNarama are in san QUen-
tin prison, Cal, and J. j. McGray, a
former member of the executive board
of the International Association of
Bridge and Structural Ironworkers,
has not been found by the federal au
thorities.
Most of the defendants are or have
been connected with the ironworkers'
dSSOIldllpI, WHICH, oiiAt lSoJ, ilet1 pNCli
engaged in struggle with the Nation
al Electors Association, an organiza-
ton of structural steel and iron con-
tractors employing ncn-union work
men. Members of this employers as
ISOLATION suffered loss from more than
one hundred explosions from 1905 to
1911.
Following the arrest Of John j. Nc
Namarad secretary-treasurer of the
ironworkers' association, at its head
quarters in this city, and the arrest Of
James II. Mcnamara and Ortie e.
MECHANICAL in Detroit, in connection
with the Les Angeles Times explosion,
pre5entments were made to the federal
grand jury of this district that officials
of the irouworkers' association and
other labor unions had been concerned
in a conspiracy to intimidate en-
ployers of unorganized labor by a sys
tematic destruction of their property.
Ortie McManigafs confession, in
which he related that he had been en-
ployed by the Mcnamara brothers and
Herbert S. Hockin, acting secretary
8 treasurer of the Ironworkers' Associa-
ton, to dynamite bridges and build
ings in course of construction by nom
union contractors. was the basis OF
the governments inquiry. He is to
be the principal witness for the gov
eminent in the forthcoming trial. A
mass of letters and other records, seiZ-
ed in Il raid on the offices of the
Ironworkers' association, also will be
offered as evidence of a general con-
spiracy secretly to convey dynamite
and nitro gIycerin from coast To coast
in 2 campaign against employers OF
unorganized ;ronworlzers.
Most prominent among the defend
ants are Frank NJ. Ryan, president of
the international Association of Bridge
and Structural Ironworkers, Herbert
S. Hoekin. acting secretary treasurer
and the alleged head of the "dynamit-
ing crew." John f. Butler. of Buffalo.
first vice president, and Michael j..
Young, of Boston and Phillip A. Cool
ey, of New Orleans, members of the
executive board.
Business agents and secretaries of
local ironworkers, unions throughout
the country. alleged to have been i'm
plicated in the Illegal transportation
of explosives from state to state, make
up the greater part of the list of de-
PENDANTS out oulclaiS OF other unions
also are indicted. They are Olaf A.
Tveitmoe, secretary of the Building
Trades Council of California; William
K. Benson. former president of the
Detroit Federation of Labor; Clarence
e. Dowd, organizer for the Internal
tional Association of Machinists; Hi
ram Cline of Muncie, Ind, organizer
for the Association of Carpenters and
Joincrs, and Sturgeon p. Meadows.
business agent for the carpenters and
joiners' unions of Indianapolis. .
United States Senator John w. Kern
is to be chief counsel for the defend
ants and the government will be rep
resented by District Attorney Charles
w. Miller and his assistant. Clarence
Nichols, who conducted the grand
jury's investigation.