New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1912-10-05
CHECKBOOK SHOWS BOMB
'JOBs,' SAYS PROSECUTOR
Entries Made by Ryan Reveal
Guilt of Union Executive Board,
Government Claims.
"DYNAMITE WOULDN'T DO"
Hockin Bought Nitroglycerine,
"the Strongest Stuff Ever
Invented" Federal At
torney Charges. .

Indianapolis. Oct 4-Extracts from a
little green checkbook. in which the
executive board OF the international
Association Of Bridge and Structural
Iron Workers is charged with hav-
ing kept an account Of money paid
out for dynamiting jobs. were read at
the trial Of the defendants In the "dyna-
mite cases" to-day.
Charles w. Miller, the United States
Attorney told the jury that the executive
board met regularly and appropriated
money for the expense Of explosives. The
money, he asserted, was paid by checks
. signed by Frank M. Ryan. the president.
One Of the stubs read: Expended for
organization purposes, 1898. at Clinton,
Iowa" II would be shown, Mr.. Miller
said I'm his opening statement, that Ortie
f. Mechanical was paid that sum for an
explosion at Clinton. and that the whole
system OF explosions throughout the
country was carried on with the approval
and support of the officials and executive
board OF the union" Mr.. Miller con-
tinued:
We will show that the funds Of the
to be used for buying explosives. McNa-
mara wrote to Ryan suggesting that the
| constitutional provision for publishing the
accounts In the union magazine be sus-
| pended, that no outsider might learn
what was done with the money. Ryan
put 1t up to the unions executive board,
which sent out circular letter announc-
| ing 1t was considered wise to suspend
| publication. This shows the executive
board members to be parties to the con-
| spiracy. Before a strike was called there
were no explosions, but as soon as II was
! called they began.
Moulton H. Davis, Of West Chester,
Penn. II would be shown, Mr. Miller said,
was one of the men who promoted explo-
sions in that state. Davis formerly was
an executive board member
Mr.. Miller read letter in which Will
tam Bernhard, secretary OF a local union
/, in Cincinnati. was alleged to have said
! that a police Judge in Cincinnati had
| dismissed charges against union officials
so often that he declared Don't let
this bunch come before me again or I'll
| have to do something" .-....
| In the letter, Mr.. Miller said. Bernhardt
asked that stranger be sent to Gin
cinnati 20 blow up the Harrison avenue
! viaduct."
When McManigal hesitated about blow
| ing up jobs in Peoria, ILL.,, according TO
Mr. Miller. Edward Smythe. business
agent there. wrote: Don't fear. / have
friends on the police force here. In fact,
! control the police"
The strongest stuff ever invented
was the way Herbert 8. Hockin referred
TO nitroglycerine when he bought II TO
carry on conspiracy. according TO
Miller. IL was after dynamite was round
TO be not strong" enough. said the
prosecutor, that the defendants. In De-
cerine. The details, as set forth BY Mr..
Miller. were:
Ortie E. McManigal had been blowing
up non-union Jobs with dynamite and
gram from Hockin he went to Indian
apolis. We have decided to use nitro,
said Hockin. and we're going down to
Auncie to get q supply"
That's pretty dangerous stun" said
MoManigaL Yes, It's the strongest stun
ever invented" replied Hockin. They
went TO Muncie. where they met J.. b.
Mcnamara. On pretext that they
wanted to experiment they bought from
j. w. Kaiser l20 quarts OF nitroglycerine.
| They then rented a vacant house In which
| to hide the explosive.
Neighbors who say; the "dynamiters
coming and going a. night, an express
driver who hauled the explosive and
/ grocer who sold boxes are to testily,
| said Miller, who charged that Muncie
| for a time formed the headquarters from
which the "dynamiting crew started on
It's destructive campaigns.