Omaha daily bee., 1912-01-04
Former Mayor of Indianapolis Says
He Informed Union Officers Of
Doings Of McNamaras.
MADE INDEPENDENT INQUIRY
Says He Told Several Men John ].
Was Directing Dynamiting.
MTIMATES GoMPERs KNEW
Dropped Investigation When His
Term Expired.
DENIAL is MADE BY PRESIDENT
Head OF American Federation Snys
He Never Had Any IntimRtiou
from BOokwaItcr or Others
oC Facts in Case.

OF Facts In Case.
INDIANAPOLIS, Ind. Jan. s-National
labor officials affiliated with Samuel
Gompers and the American Federation OF
Labor were informed two years ago by
Charles A. Bookwalter, who as mayer at
that time conducted a secret investigation,
that John J. Mcnamara had directed
series OF dynamite explosions.
This was made known by Bookwalter
today when he was informed that the
governments investigation embraced an
inquiry into the circumstances of the four
explosions directed against Albert Won
Spreckelen a general contractor, on ae-
count of labor troubles.
Bookwalter declared he expected 20 be
subpoonaed by the federal grand jury
which resumed It's sessions today.
He said he would bare all the details
OF the municipal investigation which sat
lsfied him that John J. Mcnamara, as
secretary treasurer OF the International
Association of Bridge and Structural Iron
Workers, was the conspiring executive
who caused the explosions In this vlein-
ity. Bookwalter even said that he him
self had told John j. Mcnamara of the
strong suspicion against him and that Ia
his conversations with score of labor
leaders he had placed the responsibility
on the iron workers union.
Talk with John j.
1--WE we're on street car together one
day shortly after the Won Spreckelen
explosion In October 1909" raid Book
walter today. when John j., whom
knew very WE'LL asked me in taunting
way II l had learned who blew up the
buildings. / was irrltated those days be-
cause l myself had received threatening
letters and had TO have guard at my
house for sixty days, so | answered
rather hotly, Yes, and / could put my
hand on one Of them without leaving
this car
Asked whether he told any one else
besides Mcnamara OF what his inVesuss-
ton had disclosed, he said:
Eyes. l told a score of labor leaders
what knew and that the iron workers
were to blame
what did they say when you blamed
the iron workers7'
aThere are lots Of good men in union
labor and they always have denounced
acts OF violence. / think some OF them
said II was n shame.
ners that suspicion pointed strongly to
the guilt OF the iron workers.
ot don't know whether they told him or
NOT hut sam Gompers Is one OF the best
informed men in this country.
DId Not Tell GOmDers'
Bookvriter said that Gompers visited
indianapolis several times subsequent W
his own conversations with the "oo'
leaders, both before and atter the "S-
Namaras were arrested ana that hS
CBookwalter) met Gompers himseh TWICE
while with labor union men. but that no
reference was made m his presence 10 'he
explosions. -
''The only remark l made about leOor
matters 20 Gompers," said bookwsiter
was TO tell him that we had strike
when the city hall was built and that the
unions had made me accede TO their de-
mands."
Mr.. Rool<walter was then told that In
yestigation was being made as to whethS
no had informed Gompers. He denied that
he was intimate enough with Gompers 10
have discussed the question.
"It's true that my partner hugo
rhorsch. rs a close friend Of Mr.. Com
pers. having known him for twenty
years"
"Do YOU think Mr. Gompers knew while
these explosions were going on who was
responsible for them?'
"Goupers is the general OF a great
army, and like general he did not IN
ouire when any Of his men were engag-
ing In guerilla warfare. But Il this were
called 10 the attention of the general nat
urallv he would rebuke them"
DO YOU think he could have stopped II
had he tried?'
81 do not, as the IRON workers were
only an allied organization to the Ameri-,
can Federation Of Labor John ]. Nc
Namara was not the kind OF man to take
orders from anybody"
mo union labor leade-. not even Samuel
Campers, head of the American Fedora
ton OF Labor, has lifted a hand to help
ms In cleaning up the big dynamite con
spiracy either before or since the NC
Namara confessions at Los Angeles
said oscar Lawler. special government
prosecutor for the district Of southern