The Washington herald., 1912-09-29
LABOR LEADERS
TO Go ON TRIAL
Prosecution of Men Indicted in Con-
nection with Dynamiting Out
RACES Starts Tomorrow.
SPECIFIC CHARGE IS ILLEGAL
SHIPPING OF EXPLOSIVES
Dictograph to Play Important Part
in Case-Forty-six Are
Involved.

indianapolis, Sept. 2.-The Interna-
tional Bridge and Structural Iron
workers Association, of which John ].
McNamara was the local secretary, will
| go on trial here next Monday morn
ing through forty-six of its indicted
leaders.
The trial, which is of most vital con-
Germ to the cause of organized labor,
will be held before Judge A. B. Ander-
son, of the Federal Court, whom Col.
Roosevelt, in 1907, denounced as a Jack
ass" when he dismissed a libel suit
I against one of the Indianapolis papers
This trial is the direct outcome OF the
oynamiting of the Los Angeles Times by
James s. Mcnamara and Ortie McMani-
gal at 1.-The instance of the formers
brother. John ]. Mcnamara
How the confession of these men stirred
society, especially organized labor. to
the center. Is well remembered. But so
much time has elapsed since that SEN
sational confession that the tragic cpl
sode has almost died out Of the public
mind.
This trial Of the forty-six leaders of
the Bridge and Ironworkers' Union, how
ever, will revive all the ghastly cir
cumstances surrounding the work of the
McNamaras in their murderous zeal to
destroy their nonunion competitors.
Charge Dynamite Shipping.
1t is not contended in the indictment
OF the forty-six men who are about to go
on trial that they were personally cog
nizant Of the plot to blow UP the Los
Angeles Times. What they are specif-
ioally charged with is violation of the
Interstate Commerce law by shipping
dynamite in large quantities from one
State to another without authority.
That these indicted men were aiders
and abettors Of the McNamaras in the
dynamiting plots Of the latter by ship
ping dynamite on passenger trains TO
points convenient for the confessed dy-
namiters Is the contention of the gov
ernment.
The government bases its case chiefly
upon the evidence secured from the Of
fee OF John J. Mcnamara at the time of
his arrest here. At that time detec-
tives secured over 100 letters and other
documents from McNamara's files which,
according to the government attorneys,
establish the guilt of the forty-six de-
PENDANTS. at least so far as the shipping
Of dynamite from State to State is con-
cerned.
Altogether, the indictments against
the labor leaders contain rs counts
against each Of the defendants. and the
penalty for any one of the offenses va
ries from eighteen months to two
years.
Over 100 Explosions:
Sixty-five of the explosions considered
in the indictments were on work Of
members of the National Erectors' As
ISOLATION, an organization OF open |
shop employers, and thirty-one explo- |
sions. or attempts, were on work Of |
contractors who were not members Of |
the Erectors' Association. There are
over 100 explosions considered in the in |
dictments. These explosions began in |
1906 and occurred at widely scattered
points all over the country.
One Of the features that will invest |
this trial with unusual. if not sensa- |
uonal, interest is the dictagraph
Just how big a part this mechanical |
eavesdropper will play in the trial Of |
the labor leaders is impossible to say, |
but that II will figure as one Of its most
conspicuous elements there can be no |
doubt.
1t is net only affirmed, but It is a !
matter of boast on the part of the gov
ernment officials here, that they have |
succeeded in planting the dictagraph |
either in the homes or the Offices of |
nearly all of the men under Indictment !
and they have a record of the in
most thoughts OF these men in connec-
ton with the dynamiting outrages that
A-o'O OSSuIIeu throughout the country. /
Many Leaders Indicted.
Just how discriminating these records
are only the trial itself can develop.
Among those who will come up for trial
are President Ryan, John T. Butler, Buff
falo; ]. H. Barry, st. Louis; Patrick F.
Farrell. New York; Daniel ]. Brophy,
Brooklyn; Frank c. Webb, New York;
Herbert S. Hockin. Indianapolis; Charles
\. Beum, Minneapolis; P. A. Cooley, New
Orleans; Michael ]. Cunnane, Philadel-
phia; James Cooney. Chicago; Richard
H. Houlihan. Chicago: William E. Red
din, Milwaukee; Paul ]. Morrin, st.
Louis; Daniel Buckley. Rock Island, Ill;
Smythe, Peoria, Ill; Frank X.
Painter. Omaha. Nebr.; Peter Smith,
Cleveland; Murray L. Pennell, Spring.
field. ILL.,; George Anderson, Cleveland;
Michael J. Harmon, Scranton, Pa; John
R. Carroll, Syracuse: Edward Phillips,
Syracuse; William Bernhard, Cincinnati;
Frank ]. Murphy, Detroit: William
5hipe, Chicago; James Coughlin, Chicago;
Ernest G. W. Basey. Cincinnati; S. P.
Meadows, Indianapolis; Hiram Kline,
Muncie' Ind: Charles Wachmeister. De-