Honolulu star-bulletin. [volume] (Honolulu [Oahu, Hawaii]) 1912-2010, 1913-01-18
Indianapolis Courtroom Scene
of Remarkable Revelations
of Organized Violence
THIRTY-EIGHT LEADERS
OF LABOR CONVICTED
Summary of Most remarkable
Case in History of Amer
lean Federation

Worldwide interest has been ex
cited by the great dynamite conspir
, acy case in which labor leaders all
over the country were taken in the
drae-net Of justice, tried at Indianap
oils and the majority Of them found
guilty. The case is summarized be
low, together with the list Of those
we'll as the statement made by Fed
eraI Judge Anderson, which reviews
the entire case admirably
Total cost of trial estimated at
S250,0OO
Witnesses called by prosecution
SAG, of whom 499 testified.
Witnesses called by defense, 165.
Government witnesses fees, $32 900
Length of trial, Il weeks
Trial record, 10000 typewriter
pages.
Principal defendants, Frank NJ
Ryan, president of the International
Association of Bridge and Structural
Iron Workers; Herbert S. Hockin
who took J. J. McNamaras place as
secretary of the union; Olaf Tveitmoe
secretary of the California Building
Trades council; Eugene A. Clancy
San Francisco.
Charges against defendants, con
spiracy to ship explosives on cars OF
common carriers from state to state
contrary to law.
Explosions charged against struc,
tural iron workers, about 100.
Length of struggle between union
and contractors, August, 1905, to
present time.
Most important explosion charged
as part of the conspiracy, wrecking OF
Los Angeles Times building October
l, 1910, with loss of Fl lives.
Two of original defendants, Ed
ward Clark of Cincinnati and Ortie E.
MECHANICAL of Chicago, pleaded guilty
lDNIANAPOLIS, Dec. 2S.-The
United States government, with stern
and decisive swiftness, today took
into its possession 80 union labor of.
f1cials convicted of conspiracy, of
promoting explosions on nonunion
work throughout the land, of aiding in
tile destruction which brought loss OF
life in Los Angeles, Cal, and of
carrying on a reign of terror" de-
clared to be unparalleled in the his
tory of the country.
Almost the entire executive staff of
the International Association of
Bridge and Structural Iron Workers
vas convicted. Only two officials
OF that union now remain out of Jail.
At the head of the list of those con-
victed stands Frank NJ Ryan, the
presluent
1t was in this union, with 10000
members, that John j. Mcnamara was
secretary-treasurer, while he con-
Quoted the dynamiting out of which
the present convictions grew
Today's convictions, coming on a
scale unprecedented in a federal
court, were an aftermath of the kill
ing of 81 persons in the blowing up
of the Los Angeles Times building,
October 1, 1910. Mcnamara and his
brother, James B., three times dyna-
miters, are convicts in California;
Ryan and his fellow officials, former
associates of Mcnamara, are federal
prisoners here, awaiting sentence.
Two of those convicted were not
affiliated with the Iron Workers
union, but they were found guilty of
joining with the iron workers officials
in promoting the conspiracy. One of
these is Olaf A. Tveitmoe, San Fran
cisco, recognized labor leader on the
Pacific coast, the testimony against
whom was that he aided in causing
explosions in Los Angeles, wrote let
tiers about them and referred to them
as christmas presents" after the
fatal explosion in Los Angeles, and
that he aided in conceaIing evidence
wanted in California He is secre-
tary of the California Building Trades
council.
Kline is Carpenter.
Hiram R. Kline, Muncie, Ind, the
other member of another union con-
Victed, was formerly an organizer for
the United States Brotherhood of Car
penters and Joiners in Detroit.
Another token Of the Los Angeles
explosion came in the conviction of J.
E. MunSey, who was charged by the
government with harboring James B.
m SANdudId lOT TWO weeks IN SALT Lake
City, while that dynamiter was fleeing
from the scene of his crime.
Many of those convicted were
charged with knowing only of local
explosions on the work of contractors
who refused to recognize the union,
but were thus brought into the general
Ryan; John T. Butler, the vice-presi-
cent Of the union, Buffalo; Eugene A.
Clancy, San Francisco; Frank c. Webb.
New York; Michael J. Young, Boston;
Phillip A. Cooley, New Orleans; Henry
W. Legleitner. Denver. and Charles y.
Beum, Minneapolis, were all con.
Ilcted as having appropriated out of
he unions funds $1,000 a month, with
which Mcnamara paid for explosions.
Herbert S. Hooking, who resigned as
secretary of the union only a few
weeks ago, VINO was branded as the !
ago OF the conspiracy" in having |
helped to investigate the plots and en-
1lOyinC Ortie E. Mechanical to carry |
hem out, while afterward "betraying !
lis fellow C0nSpiratOrs' to promote his !
'Wn interests, stands among the most !