New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1912-10-13
WOMAN IDENTIFIES
bomb CREW LETTER
]. ]. McNamara's Former Aid
verifieS Alleged Notification
of Dynamite Payments.
sTENoGRAPHERS TESTIFY
Former Union Employees Recog<
nize Communications Present !
ed by Government to Show
Conspiracy-Hockin Traced.

indianapolis Oct. 12--Miss Clara e.
Smith. stenographer formerly employed
by John ]. Mcnamara, now In prison In
California, identified at the trial Of the
alleged dynamite consplrators to-day
circular letter as having been addressed
10 all local unions OF the International
Association OF Bridge and Structural IRON
workers and notifying them of a tenn
porary suspension Of detailed account
ing of the unions finances. '-
1t was in this letter, the government
charged. that the executive board. headed
oy Frank NJ. Ryan. the president, in 1905,
began allowing $1,000 monthly to Nc
Namara that he secretly might carry on
the explosions which continued until his
arrest In April, 1911.
The government asserted that the ex-
blossoms against builders Of viaducts,
bridges and Office buildings who had de-
clared for the open shop in the employ
ment OF ironworkers previously were few.
but that after the regular allowance to
Mcnamara a paid "dynamiting crew"
composed Of Ortie E. McManigal and
James B. Mcnamara, and directed by
Herbert s. Hockin, was put to work and
was kept working until after the Los
Angeles Times Building was blown up
Miss Smith was the first former en-
ploye Of the iron&orkers to testify The
purported circular letter announcing that
the executive board during the fight
against the open shop employers had de-
cided to suspend the rules was handed
TO the witness.
Did you ever see that paper beforew
asked James w. Noel, counsel for the
government.
yes" answered Miss Smith, "it was
mailed to all of the ninety-two local
unions by direction Of J. ]. Mcnamara"
Mcnamara was secretary-treasurer OF
the union. whose headquarters then were
in Cleveland
Miss Sylvia c.. Smith and Mrs. A. j.
| Hull, Of Omaha also employed by Nc
Namara as stenographers, identified let
ters taken from the ironworkers' files
after the headquarters were removed to
| Indianapolis. Many of the letters. the
witnesses testified said in McNamaras
handwriting: Referred to executive
board" or Referred TO f. VI. Ryan" They
were the letters which the government, in
its opening statement, said would show
that dynamite conspiracy was conducted
through the mails. and which show the
defendants to be linked together in
| guilt"
ri.
ing been received from w. Bert Brown,
| Of Kansas City, Mo. Edward Smythe. OF
| Peoria. ILL., =; Paul J. Morrin. OF st. Louis
! Fred Mooney Of Duluth. Mimi. and Moul-
ton Fl. Davis. Of West Chester, Penn, all
OF whom are defendants. About seven hum
bred letters are still to be identified.
Their contents will be made known when
other witnesses testify.
Visits to various cities OF men accused
! of being advance agents of the dynamit-
ing crew. were traced through hotel reg
listers by witnesses. Referring to a bulky
register, F. L. Shipp. a hotel clerk at
Cincinnati, told Of the arrival in Cincin-
natl on May 1, 1908. OF Herbert s Hockin,
charged with being one OF the men who
went ahead" TO arrange for explosions.
On this occasion Edward Clark. who has
pleaded guilty, said he was induced by
Hockin TO dynamite bridge at Dayton,
Ohio. The explosion occurred three days
after Hockin's visit.
When Clark was locked up after his ar
rest on the federal indictments, Hockin,
according TO the government charges. Wis
I fled Clark in Jail and asked Are you
talking?" Clark replied, mo, but I'M
derstand you are" Later Hockin was
charged with having betrayed" his fell
low defendants by giving information to
the government.