Rock Island Argus. (Rock Island, Ill.) 1893-1920, 1912-12-28


exactly one year after the Los Angeles
Times" explosion, for first time, con-
sider possibility OF federal prosecution
for Illegal transportation of explosives.
Feb. 6. 1912, federal grand jury re-
turns indictments against 81 labor
urion officials.
Feb. II, most OF the defendants scat
tered over the country arrested within
a few hours by a telegraphic signal.
Oct 1. trial begins exactly two years
after Los Angeles explosion, so de-
PENDANTS present; three discharged by
government; Ortie z. McManigal
pleads guilty. leaving As for trial.
Oct. 3, jury secured, composed most
" OF farmers; government opens its
case
Get. 8, Herbert s. Hockin accused
b. district attorney with having been
a spy within the ranks Of the dyna-
miters, and with having given infor-
motion to the prosecution.
Oct. Z, Edward Clark, Cincinnati,
pleads guilty TO having blown up a
bridge at Dayton, Ohio, and accuses
Hoclin OF having furnished the dyna-
mite; 40 defendants remain for trial.
Nov. 9. McManigal begins relating
his confession on the witness stand;
duplicates iron workers union officials
as having pointed out jobs for him to
blow up; names Hockin as starting
him in the business.
Nov %, Hockin's bond increased, in
default of which he is committed to
jail. after more testimony that he was
employed by detectives while an Off
cial Of the union; court denounces
Huckin as mot to be trusted by any
enc. day or night; Miss Mary Field,
writer, denounced by the district at
totney as an anarchist" for criticisms
published in union magazine; Olaf A.
Tveitmoe. San Francisco, a defendant.
also denounced by district attorney
for publishing "anarchistic" criticisms
OF the trial.
Dec 2, government concludes It's
case. after presenting $40 witnesses,
whose testimony covers $4,000 pages;
fodr more defendants discharged by
the government. leaving Al for trial;
defense begins. Hockin resigns as
secretary-treasurer of the iron work
ers Union.
Dec. rs. verdicts returned.
Chief Prosecutor. United States Dis
trict Attorney Charles w. Miller.
Chief counsel for the defense, United
States Senator John w. Kern and VII
Lam ~ Harding.
Federal Judge who conducted trial
Albert B. Anderson.
Labor union OF which most OF the
defendants were members, lnterna
;.9nal Association OF Bridge and Struc
tural Iron Workers.
Charges: Illegally transporting dyna
mite and nitroglycerin on passenger
trains. or conspiracy to do the same.
Indianapolis. Ind, Dec. est was
a scene blended with tragedy that con
frnnted those who week after week sa
through the historic dynamite con
Fpifacy" trials.
Now II was q baby crying from Tn
rear Of the court room, where tn
wives and children OF the defendant
sat. now Il was the heavy voice OF
man seated in the witness chair an
defending himself against the charge
OF nationwide conspiracy, In whic
officials OF union labor were deepl
Concerned. Witnesses from near an
far came and went, but those who's
fate rested with the jury RENAME
there. listening to the accusations an
10 the oft-repeated story OF the KILN
OF q people in the Los Angelo
Times" explosion.
The courtroom itself seemed n
ting setting for that sombre story. SUI
rounded by great marble pillars, wit
the daylight shut out by heavy GU
tains. and the Judge installed oefor
an allegorical painting OF Justice. tina
courtroom day after day echoed tn
stories OF violence, OF the discovery
burnt fuses and bursted Internal mi
chimes, OF midnight visits by myster
Gus men in alleys, in empty houses.
lonely country roads, or on the top
of buildings.
The vision OF a dark spectre with
bomb under his arm became familis
image in the minds of those who Ii
tened. Back OF the ratings, amid th
spectators, sat the relatives OF the d
PENDANTS. Three rows deep across IN
room were the defendants. Anon
the score OF attorneys sat perhaps III
most picturesque defendant, massi'
in build. horid in complexion, Away
studiously occupied, now copious.y n
ing his notebook when the testimor
was exciting; now, when the tri
Jagged, burying his specialized nose
Latin version OF Omar Khayyar
He was Olaf A. Tveitmoe of San Fra
cisco
Another man toward whom the eye
OF the spectators often strayed va
Herbert s. Hockin. He sat apart, b
tween bailiffs, during much Of Il
trial, for he had been branded by u
court as "a man who could not
trusted by any one" II was Hook
who was named as having promote
the dynamiting business; II was Hoe
ia who was accused OF holding GU
on the pay OF the dynamiters; II vi
he who was said TO have caused
quarrel in the ranks OF the Men
maras and McManigal. and II was
who finally was charged with "betra
ing for his own gain" those wi
whom he once associated, and wi
whom, ba was afiliated in the irS